Page 32 - JOA-Sept-2021

At Your Service:

The Butler

By Kaitlin Servant

elatively few people will ever have the privilege of a butler attending to
their every need, anticipating their next move, keeping their secrets, and
Rensuring their household runs smoothly day after day. Yet most people
are familiar with the occupation, the attire, and the customs thanks to famous
roles throughout literature, television, and movies. Reginald Jeeves, Mr. Carson,
Mr. Belvedere, and Alfred Pennyworth are household names. These fictional
men (butlers have historically been male), and their real-life counterparts,
dedicated their lives to serving their households.

A Life of Service and Tradition The Books that Set the Standards

Butlers were typically unmarried and often provided live-in service The Victorian Era was when the classic
seven days a week for most of their adult lives. Their days would start butler in a tailcoat with a silver tray and a
very early to ensure smooth breakfast service and morning routines for distinguished demeanor came to be. As Britain
everyone and end late at night when the household activities were gained power globally and amassed riches,
complete. A butler’s meals, along with those of the other domestic high society families increased the size of their
servants, were strictly scheduled around their employer’s to ensure homes and estates. Demand for butlers and
proper timing. When there were formal dinner parties to arrange, table domestic help also increased. Having a
setting could take many hours. well-trained butler also helped the household 1915 Encyclopedia of
Butlers managed most of the male domestic workers within a very gain prestige and stature. Many books and Etiquette By Emily Holt,
formal hierarchy and were considered more managerial than hands on. manuals were published during that time “A Book Of Manners For
They served as a liaison between the staff and the members of the period on proper etiquette of domestic Everyday Use” published by
Syndicate Publishing Blue,
household and very often the butler’s pantry served as their office. servants. In Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household selling at Etsy for $95
Butlers and their corresponding pantries have a long history dating Management, published in 1861 in England,
back to the middle ages. The word “butler” derives from bouteille, the she writes “The number of the male domestics
french word for bottle. While “pantry” is rooted in the French word in a family varies according to the wealth and position of the master.”
panetiere, meaning a place to store bread. In the United States during the 17th century,
Among the many terms that refer to the role the majority of the domestic help was being
of the butler are majordomo, butler administrator, forced onto enslaved African Americans. It was
house manager, manservant, staff manager, not uncommon for enslaved people to rise in rank
marshal, chief of staff, staff captain, estate manager, within the household and to eventually become
and head of household staff. the butler.
Within the strict hierarchy of domestic workers,
Early Manifestations of butlers were highly respected. They were expected
to be strong leaders and managers rather than just
the Butler being hands on. But that did not mean it was an
In ancient times, bottled beverages may have easy job. As the position changed with the times
represented a significant portion of a household’s and became more popular in an ever-growing
assets and would have been trusted to only the nation, guide books and advice from those in
most loyal steward who would often have a bed Tunis Campbell, author of Hotel Keepers, Head service were introduced to the public.
within the pantry to keep close eye on the Waiters, & Housekeepers Guide In 1827, Robert Roberts, an African American
valuables. These rooms eventually expanded to butler became a household name after writing a
store meats, grains, fine china and silverware. The book titled The House Servant Directory. It was the
highest-ranked staff member, the butler, would use this room to polish first African American authored book to be published by a commercial
silver and store entertaining essentials. U.S. publisher and it was very popular. The manual for butlers and
Amongst the servants working for the leaders of a country, male waiters generated such interest that a second edition was published in
personnel were typically put to work for military or security purposes 1828, and a third was eventually published in 1843. It served as a
only. Those who were more skilled were referred to as a “steward” or manual of proper dining etiquette for an “aspiring American elite.” It
“Seneschal,” the “marshall,” or “general manager.” The Steward included advice such as removing dish covers with your left hand and
represented the lord of the castle and kept a keen eye on estate accounts that a dinner table should contain half as many candles as guests.
and income from tenants, etc. Another standout author was Tunis Campbell, a very successful
Over time, many of the higher level domestic roles became titled in politician during the Reconstruction Era. While preaching around
name only, and those in power delegated the work to those who were 1832 and 1845, against the horrible evils of slavery, Campbell earned a
eager to move ahead and gain favor in the eyes of those in charge. living as a hotel steward in New York and Boston. In 1848, he
30 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles