The History of Household Staff

From the Middle Ages, Royalty and the landed gentry have enjoyed being cosseted by household staff. In the earliest days, the upper echelons of the household hierarchy were drawn from the local landowners and the minor members of the master’s family. The highest ranking household staff were often of noble birth, they were both attendants and companions, and in being attached to a wealthy and powerful family, enjoyed privileges and learnt skills otherwise unavailable to them. In return they added prestige and allegiance to their master’s household. The British Royal Household is the last example of a household supervised by persons of rank.

From the early eighteenth century, with the country’s wealth beginning to slowly seep through the classes, more household staff were engaged. They came from humbler origins, and for the first time women were able to take positions that afforded them responsibilities hitherto unimaginable. By the end of the eighteenth century a number of books had been written that focused on the newly rich middle classes who had no experience of employing household staff. These books became the best sellers of their time. They educated employers on household management, and advised ‘how to handle staff’. They also taught servants the correct execution of their duties.

By the Victorian era, female servants had increased in number and importance. New technology and manufactured goods were being introduced; the first mechanical carpet sweepers and knife sharpeners were enthusiastically embraced. This however, did not decrease the number of household staff required, it merely meant that the standard of living was raised… Curtains were still drawn in the mornings and fires lit, luncheon and afternoon tea were served as the norm – each new fashion only increased the workload and pushed standards yet higher.

The importance of having good household staff was recognized in ‘The Servants’ Practical Guide, a handbook of Duties and Rules,’ published in 1880 where it was observed ‘….that the manner in which servants perform their duties’ greatly influences the smooth working of the household machinery, without the constant co-operation of well-trained servants, household bliss is at risk of being thrown out of gear, leaving the best bred household hostess at a great disadvantage’.

Interestingly, the legendary Mrs. Beeton, and other authors, based their descriptions of the duties and practices of servants in middle class homes, on the example of servants in aristocratic residences. The readers were thus unknowingly educated in the ways of the British upper classes.

And so it reached the point that every home in central London had at least one servant; most had dozens. Including, grooms and stable boys, housekeeper and a team of maids, chef and her team of helpers, along with footmen and houseboys, all managed by the Butler.

The huge team was necessary because of the sheer amount of hours required to complete each task. There were no electric gadgets to assist with daily cleaning chores; laundry was a slow and laborious chore, chef worked without the aid of refrigeration or food processors! Certain ‘dips’ hadn’t been invented, so the silver took days to clean. Gas and paraffin lanterns, along with coal burning fireplaces maintained a monumental workload for the shoulders of our bygone contemporaries.

Today, in the very largest homes of London there might still be a dozen members of household staff, but today’s household is far more likely to have 2 or 3 multi-talented, multi-skilled and well-paid employees. However, household staff have needed to evolve quickly, Jeeves must still be able to lay a table and serve beautifully if he is going to succeed. However, with Cities becoming even bigger melting pots of cultural diversity, Jeeves is often required to speak two or more languages, be a wiz on the laptop, be able to locate ‘anything’ using established contacts or those well branded ‘search engines’, manage people with the diplomacy of an angel, be up-to-date on the latest security issues whilst keeping ‘Sir’ informed of what’s new in the fashion houses... How things have changed!

Definition: Domestic Staff Household Positions

Au Pair: a person who exchanges domestic service for room and board: usually in a foreign country in order to learn a new language or learn about another country’s culture

Babysitter: a person employed to care for one or more children, usually on an as-needed basis.

Butler : the head servant of a formal household; manages all aspects of domestic service to employers and their guests; trains and directs household staff.

Carer: a person hired to look after one or more children or adults, including those with a disability or illness.

Chauffeur (driver): a person employed to drive family members and their guests to appointed destinations; keeps employer's vehicles clean, maintained and serviced.

Chef: a person trained in the art of food preparation and cooking, possibly holding qualifications and/or experience (sometimes from a commercial background). This person will be expected to cook to a high standard, preparing food for family, guests, in some case other staff members, along with organizing purchasing of supplies and cleaning the kitchen

Cook: employed to prepare food for family, guests, and, in some cases staff members; assists with supplies and cleaning – often self taught – ‘Cook’ often refers to a staff member employed in a rural environment

Couple: two people, often married, who are hired to perform two different roles in a household: "domestic" couples often combine housekeeper with handyman/gardener, or butler and housekeeper

Estate(s) manager: employed to oversee the operations of an estate, sometimes including secondary properties; organizes the household staff(s); management of estate financial affairs and security arrangements. Depending on the property, this role may require knowledge of agricultural, Esquarian or farming matters

Footman: a male servant charged with attending doors, waiting on tables and running errands

Gardener: The person responsible for the upkeep of the gardens and grounds, including potted plants and the care of interior house plants – sometimes looking after pool maintenance too

Gentleman's gentleman: a male servant charged with directly attending to the daily needs of his employer; accompanying his employer abroad while traveling

Governess: a female servant responsible for the education and guidance of children in a private home, apart from the classics, lessons will often including instruction on proper etiquette and common sense!

Household Manager: a person employed to manage the daily affairs of a private residence; supervising household staff; coordinating contractors, caterers and other visitors.

Housekeeper: a person employed to clean and maintain the home.

Houseman: a man employed to maintain a private residence; makes repairs and does "heavy" housekeeping (removing and cleaning rugs, drapery, etc.).

Maid: a servant frequently described as a woman who cleans a home on a regular basis

Major Domo: the chief servant in a large household or palace; directing all domestic services.

Mother's help: a person employed to provide childcare and household assistance to a parent who is not working outside the home

Nanny: a person employed to care for one or more children in a family home

New Born Nurse: a person employed specifically to care for a new born infant – perhaps for the first six months

Nursemaid: a woman employed to care for children

Personal assistant: a person employed to manage the private daily affairs of another; schedules appointments, arranges travel, plans events, shops for gifts, and runs errands

Personal Protection Officer (PPO): a person employed to provide protection to an individual and his/her family, either working alone or as part of a security team; functions as a driver or chaperone or works exclusively at a residential location

Poolman: responsible for the maintenance and cleaning of swimming pools, fountains, ornamental canals and water features – often now a contracted service

Tutor: a person hired to educate or guide another, often in a specialized subject or area

Valet (pronounced ‘vallay’): a male servant charged with the care and organization of his employer's belongings, particularly his wardrobe.

Wet nurse: a woman employed to care for, and breast-feed, another woman's child

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