Edwardian Life:
All Family members should maintain appropriate relationships with the
Staff. As Upper Servants will work directly to the Family, a trusting and respectful
relationship should be established.
Your Footmen are a proclamation of your wealth and prestige. They are
representatives of your Household and Family and as such it is advantageous
that you develop a good relationship. However, as Lower Servants, they do not
expect to be addressed outside the receipt of instructions.
While the Housemaids will clean the House during the day, they should make every
care and attention never to be observed by you doing their duties. If by chance you
do meet, you should expect them to "give way" to you by standing still and averting
their gaze, whilst you walk past, leaving them un-noticed. By not acknowledging
them, you will spare them the shame of explaining their presence.
- It is customary for the Butler to be addressed courteously by his Surname, "Edgar".
- It is customary for the Housekeeper to be given the title of "Missus ~", regardless of whether she is single or married.
- It is customary for the Chef de Cuisine to be addressed as such, or by the title "Monsieur ~".
- It is customary for your Lady's Maid to be given the title of "Miss ~", regardless of whether she is single or married. It is however acceptable for the Mistress to address her by her Christian name.
- It is customary for a Tutor to be addressed by the title of "Mister ~".
- It is very much the custom in the old houses that, when entering into new Service, Lower Servants adopt new names given to them by their Masters. You may follow this tradition and rename certain members of your Staff. Common names for matching Footmen are James and John. Emma is popular for Housemaids.
- It is not expected that you take the trouble to remember the names of all your Staff. Indeed, in order to avoid obliging you to converse with them, Lower Servants will endeavour to make themselves invisible to you. As such they should not be acknowledged.
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