While much of the action of Amelia Peabody novels takes place on digs in Egypt, enough happens at home in Britain that "Pas devant les domestiques" ("Not in front of the servants") becomes a familiar refrain from Amelia, usually directed at Emerson. And she is not the only one who finds Emerson's behavior unconventional; on one occasion the housekeeper, Mrs. Watkins, expresses consternation as Emerson helps one of the housemaids carry in water for the bath. Why is it that such seemingly inconsequential behaviors were considered unacceptable? To understand that, it is important to understand the role of servants in a English Victorian household.
In the nineteenth century, children were to be seen and not heard, and most servants were held to the same standard. The sight or sound of working housemaids, in particular, was thought to offend people of gentle birth.(1) Footmen, while serving dinner, were supposed to be completely oblivious to any conversations taking place at the table.(2)
The roles of servants depended on the size of the household. In a small household, employing only two or three servants, one servant might perform the tasks that would normally be split between a butler and a footman in a larger household employing many servants. Below are some examples of duties, including those that would normally be expected of the servants present in the Peabody Emerson household.
The Butler
(Wilkins, Gargery)
(Was it the movie Clue in which, the Butler, upon being asked what
he did, replied, "I am a butler. I buttle"?)
The butler was responsible for the maintaining and accounting for the family silver, china, glassware and table linens. He also held the keys to the wine cellar, as decanting wines and choosing the correct wines to accompany meals fell into his purview. In some households he was also required to brew beer. The butler might also be responsible for answering the door to callers (in larger households that responsiblity could be delegated to a footman). The butler also assisted at meals: pouring coffee or tea at breakfast, serving dishes and pouring wine during dinner. During meals, when he was not serving or pouring, the Butler stood behind the chair of the master of the house.
The Housekeeper
(Mrs. Watkins)
The housekeeper was responsible for maintaining order and cleanliness in the house. While many servants would follow their employers as the employers moved from residence to residence, the housekeeper would generally stay with the house, keeping all in order while the employers were away, making sure that the house was ready for their return. The housekeeper was responsible for the linens and stores such as candles, sugar, flour, soap and spices - not only making sure that the household had an adequate supply, but also ensuring that everything was in good condition and free from vermin or rot. Spring cleaning, where the house was thoroughly scrubbed from top to bottom, was performed under her supervision. The housekeeper also made distilled waters (such as rose water or lavender water), soap, and simple medicines for the use of the household.
The Lady's Maid
(Rose, sometimes)
The role of the lady's maid was to assist the lady of the household with her garments, her toilette, and her hair. Most of her time was taken up with the lady's wardrobe: assisting in choosing it, maintaining it in good condition, refurbishing it as fashions changed, and cleaning stains from delicate fabrics. Her interest in performing her tasks assiduously was that cast-off clothing was traditionally given to the lady's maid, and upon the death of her mistress, the lady's maid expected to receive her entire wardrobe. The lady's maid would also create and distill lotions and cosmetics for her mistress.
The Valet
The valet assisted the master with his clothing, cleaning stains from garments (such as removing grease from leather breeches), polishing boots, polishing buttons on coats, brushing clothes, and taking care of hats. The valet might also shave his master, though most men shaved themselves. He would also prepare such concoctions as eau de cologne (to keep the master smelling nice), tooth powder, and blacking (for polishing boots). The valet would also have some secretarial responsibilities, and would take care of all traveling arrangements when the master decided to venture abroad. In some households, the duty of a valet would be performed by a butler or footman.
The Footman
(John)
The footman was responsible for cleaning and refilling oil lamps, cleaning cutlery (important, in the era before stainless steel, to remove every trace of rust from steel knives and forks), polishing silver and copper plate, setting the dining room table for dinner, assisting the bulter in serving dinner, setting up the tea tray for the lady of the house, removing the tea things when tea is over, accompanying the lady or the man of the house as they paid calls or shopped, and (in some cases) answering the front door. During dinner, when the head footman was not assisting the butler, he stood behind the chair of the lady of the house.
The Housemaid
The housemaid was responsible for a number of the gritty, grimy and grueling tasks which kept the household running. In the mornings, she swept the downstairs rooms, cleaned the grates in the fireplaces, removed the ashes from the night before, polished the grate, then layed the fire in preparation for the day. In the summer, an ornament of some sort would be placed in front of the fireplace instead of preparing for a fire. The housemaid also had to lug heavy buckets of water upstairs for the bath. Not only did the housemaid have to make the beds, she also had to search for and exterminate any unwanted inhabitants of the beds (fleas, lice, bedbugs, etc.). The housemaid also spent time mending household linens. In some households, the housemaid also had to assist with washing dishes and clothes.
The Cook
The main role of cooks was in determining and preparing the dishes for each day's meals. The cook was also responsible for overseeing the larder, ensuring that there were enough provisions, that they were well kept and not in danger of rotting or being wasted. The cooks were assisted in their meal preparations by kitchen maids.
Scullery Maid
The scullery maid was responsible for washing dishes, pots, and pans; blacking and lighting the stove in the mornings, and cleaning the scullery, larders, kitchen and servants' hall.
1 - Dury, Elizabeth. Victorian Household Hints. Lodon, Past Times, 1981, p. 104.
2 - Ibid, p. 36
Credits
Egyptian clip art courtesy of Neferchichi's Egypt Clip Art.