Addressing a servant

Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 9:16 pm Post subject: Addressing a servant

Whenever I read a book, usually the male servants are named according to their surname i.e. Smith, Jackson, Winters, etc. Female servants are Miss Smith, Mrs Jackson, etc. Am I right so far?

What do the servants call their masters and mistresses? I understand 'my lord/lady' or 'ma'am/madam' and 'sir'. What about if their employers are not titled, they're just a wealthy commoner family?

Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 10:36 pm Post subject:

Maids and footmen are called by their first names. More senior male servants (butlers, valets, porters, head gardeners, coachman, etc) are called by their last names by their employers, and Mr. Lastname by their junior servants. More senior female servants (housekeepers, cooks, nursery maids, etc) are called Mrs. Lastname or Miss Lastname, except for dressers, who for some reason tend to be called simply by their last names.

In a house of non-titled employers, the servants would simply use "sir" and "madam".
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Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 4:32 pm Post subject:

Thanks Candice!