Footman's Duties+list of servants?

Upstart Joined: 24 Jun 2008 Posts: 36

I have been trying to find a simply list of servants during the regency and what their duties were. Does anyone have this?

I found a link on a Jane Austen page giving lots of help on what a footman actually did. Here it is:
http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/footmen-male-servants-in-the-regency-era/

Happy writing!
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Writing and Re-Writing,
Grace

Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 8:48 pm Post subject:

It's always fascinating to me, and humbling, to read about the lives of servants ... in any era. One of the reasons I love the movie "Gosford Park" so much is the view it provides of servants in a large country estate.

One book that I reference frequently is Robert's Guide for Butlers & Other Household Staff. I have a reprint of the 1827 edition, and I figure things hadn't changed much since the Regency. Also, it's an American publication, but one has to assume they folowed the practices established in English households.

Another fun book is What the Butler Saw by E.S. Turner. It's primarily Victorian but, again, I figure such things hadn't changed much over the years. It gives good info on the responsibilies of the key members of the staff (though, frankly, it is more detailed about the male branch than the female branch).

Finally, there is the wonderful book Life Below Stairs by Frank E. Huggett. It concentrates on Victorian and Edwardian households, but there is still much to be learned here.
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Upstart Joined: 24 Jun 2008 Posts: 36

I found some definitions for a between maid. I don't recall this term in anything I've read from the regency period, but was wondering if you might know if this position did exist?

Thanks for your help!
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Writing and Re-Writing,
Grace

Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 9:38 pm Post subject:

Yes, I believe between existed in the Regency. They were called tweenies.
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Upstart Joined: 24 Jun 2008 Posts: 36

Oh my gosh, Candice, you're right. It so humbling to read about servants and what they were expected to do? A hall boy & scullery maid being expected to work 16 hour days, 7 days per week is simply astounding to me. No wonder servants made the lives of their employers their own. Boy, one shouldn't judge them for that when they weren't allowed to have any other life!

Anyway, I need some help. I need to learn the names of home cleaning servants and their duties. I need to know this because instead of writing a novel I am writing a movie. This is what I have, in order of seniority:

HOUSEKEEPER - A housekeeper is an individual responsible for the cleaning and maintenance of the interior of a residence. (She didn't usually clean but ordered others in their duties, correct?)

HEAD HOUSEMAID - No idea what they do.

HOUSEMAID - No idea what they do, either.

CHAMBERMAID - clean and care for the bedrooms.

SCULLERY MAID - Outside of kitchen duties, before the advent of central heating systems, scullery maids were required to light the fires and supply hot water. In the days before the indoor water closet she may have been required to empty and clean the servants' chamber pots as well.

BETWEEN MAID - The term between maid came from the fact that her duties were split between the area of responsibilities of the housekeeper, butler and cook. (But what did she do as far as housekeeping went?)

HALL BOYS - were often part of the between staff, usually reporting to the butler but performing some duties for the housekeeper as well. (Any ideas what they did in housekeeping?)

Thank you, thank you, thank you!
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Writing and Re-Writing,
Grace

Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 6:37 am Post subject:

What type of household are you writing about? It makes a difference. For example, a large aristocratic household would likely have a housekeeper to manage the female servants, whereas a somewhat smaller household would not. The size of the staff would also dictate the duties.

Did you ever watch Upstairs Downstairs? If not, you might want to seek out the DVDs at the library. You'll get a good notion of how a moderate sized upper class household was run. They had no housekeeper. The butler ruled all. Except for the kitchen, of course, where the cook/chef is always in charge.
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Upstart Joined: 24 Jun 2008 Posts: 36

Ahhh, thank you. That helps. I have both types of houses.

1. I have a medium-income house where a maid is walking three ladies upstairs to their rooms. Any idea what type of maid that would be?

Then, in that same home I have a maid who cleans various rooms waiting for a lady in her room to share a very important secret. This lady sees the same maid later on cleaning in the library. Would this most likely be a chamber maid or something different?

2. And then we have an earl's family who tends to be a lot more casual, so they don't have a housekeeper. Do you know what type of maid it would be to bring in a tea tray in this type of home?

3. Another family is a marquess and his son the earl, but we hardly see their home. A fairly old tiny female servant comes in with the tea tray at one point and due to conversation between the son and the servant, you see her standing in as a mother figure. Would this type of maid be the same as above, or might a housekeeper who cares deeply about the earl desire to bring in that tea tray, just to check in on him (he's not doing so well.)

4. Would it be silly to have a nursemaid with the nurse in a scene where there are only two little girls and the family is only a Mr. and Mrs.?

Thank you for your time and help.
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Writing and Re-Writing,
Grace

Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 8:44 am Post subject:

Don't get too hung up on this type of detail. In all the cases you mention, you could just say "housemaid" and be correct. Don't worry about precisely what type of maid. You readers won't care.

In #3, you might want to have someone who's been in the household since the earl was a child. Maybe she was a housemaid in the old days but is now the housekeeper. In #4, a modest household would likely not have a nurse AND and nursemaid. They'd be one and the same. If it's a very large household (ie big house with lots of servants) then you might have a nurse and younger nursemaid.
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