Stories of Service: Things You Probably Never Knew About Household Staffing.
Careers in household service are embedded throughout British history, steeped in tradition, and have changed and evolved a lot over the years. A career in household service looks very different today than it did just a few decades ago.
Tradition is still an important factor in household staffing, and knowing these incredible Stories of Service from history help us to understand the household staffing roles that we cater to today.
The Way that the Household Was Run
Of course, through the years the methods of running households has changed, in some homes more than others. The roles of staff have adapted and changed, and the list of duties have altered greatly with advancements in technology removing the need for many of the tasks that are required of household staff.
These changes have also meant that many houses, even the largest estates, can require less staff than they would have done a century ago.
Household Staffing Roles
As stated above, many of the roles that had been required in the past have long since changed, or become redundant. Improved heating systems, security, and other technologies have replaced some household staffing roles altogether.
One such example is the role of Hall Boy, a position that many larger houses employed. A Hall Boy would sleep in a fold down bed in the hallway in order to alert Senior Members of staff of any disturbances heard outside. This role, of course, is no longer needed with advancements in household security systems. Another method of providing home security was the position of Manservants, who doubled as bodyguards or soldiers to protect the household and its wealth from raiding parties.
The way in which those in each role worked, of course, changed too. One key difference you may see today is that staff aren’t always required to work everyday. Having less duties to complete is a big part of this, as well as the emphasis on a work-life balance in modern society.
The Introduction of Technology
Perhaps the biggest influencer of how households have changed over the years – the introduction of technology has shaped how household staffing roles have adapted into what they are today.
Fans of Downton Abbey may remember the apprehension of the household staff upon the introduction to the estate’s new telephone, with some wanting to avoid it altogether and others having to learn to understand this new, important part of their duties.
In the 1840’s some houses invested in speaking tubes, allowing them to contact those in other areas of the house with ease. The idea originated on steamboats, but the catch was that others could overhear conversations if the tube didn’t have a stop at the end.
Most people will be familiar with the fact that many large households had serviceboards in the servant’s quarters, in order for families to ring for service to attend whichever room that they were ringing from. On the serviceboard each bell was labelled and varied in size so that, with practice, the member of staff could tell by the tone of the bell which room was ringing. The larger the house, the more complex the bell board. These serviceboards were typically installed by either plumbers or chimney sweeps, who ran the wires and/or ropes along tubes or pipes.
Household Layout/Rooms
As staffing roles and technologies advanced how families were living it wasn’t just the household roles and duties that changed, but also the house itself. These days many household staff can live independently off the property that they work at, and those who do live on site will more than likely find that their accommodation is much more advanced that it may have been back in the day. In most large households bedrooms for female staff were located in either the basement or the eaves, while the male bedrooms were located over the stables.
Usually, beyond the Steward’s Room was the Deeds Room, where important legal documents including maps, papers and accounts books were kept, often in a fireproof safe.
The Personal Lives of Household Staff
As society changed, so too did the personal lives of Household Staff. A life in household service once meant a commitment to the job which forbade employees from marrying, but as the years advanced that rule has stayed in the past.
In fact, usually after years of dedicated service, the Butler would marry the housekeeper/cook. Then, with their experience and skills, they would usually go into ‘trade’ and run a genteel shop, or open a boarding house, or both.
Stories of service help us to feel connected to the past, and also to understand the current job roles in modern households. Do you have any stories of service that you’d like to share? We’d love to hear them.
