Alexander Durham

rdf:langString Alexander Durham

rdf:langString Alexander Durham (died 1584) was a Scottish courtier and administrator. His appointments included, clerk in the Exchequer, administrator of John Stewart of Coldingham, and Master of the Wardrobe to King James VI. He was also known as "Sandy Durhame" or "Durame". Another member of the family, "Andrew" or Alexander Durham, worked in the spice house of the kitchen of Mary of Guise. Durham was argentier or "argentar" to Mary of Guise and Mary, Queen of Scots. This role included taking receipt of an income funding the royal household called the "thirds of benefices" derived from teinds. The money was collected by men working for the exchequer, like George Wishart of Drymme. From 1 October 1565 up to 2 January 1568 he received £4833-6s-8d on top of £23,351-13-4d already paid to him from the Thirds, for the expenses of the houses and "avery" (horse fodder) of Queen Mary and James VI of Scotland. In August 1564 Durham took up a contribution of £124-10s-8d from Coupar Angus Abbey towards the expenses of the queen's hunting trip in Atholl and Glen Tilt and her journey to Inverness. He died in 1584 and was buried at the Holy Rude Kirk in Stirling.