This is a lively foray into a world where a gentleman with £2,000 a year was betraying his class if he did not employ six females and five males; where a lady could go to the grave without ever having picked up a nightdress, carried her prayer book or made a pot of tea. It is the story of the housekeeper and the butler, the cook, the lady's maid, the valet and the coachman. Their duties are described in detail, and the story is told of the strife and even pitched battles that ensued between servants and the served. Here is social history from a fascinating angle, packed with droll information lightly handled, with many a moral for our own times.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
In the 18th century, a gentleman who employed fewer than a dozen servants was seen to be betraying his class, and a lady could go to her grave without ever having picked up her nightdress or made a cup of tea. Along with the drudgery, servants had to put up with blows from their masters and tantrums from their mistresses, while even in the most respectable homes, pretty servant girls found their virtue in danger. From the upper echelons of the 18th century butler to the downtrodden housemaid of the 19th century, from the elegant footman to the liberated au pair, What the Butler Saw, originally published in Britain in 1962, is a revealing look at the upstairs/downstairs relationship.
E S Turner is the author of several light-hearted yet scholarly social histories, including THE SHOCKING HISTORY OF ADVERTISING and BOYS WILL BE BOYS.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Shipping:
FREE
Within U.S.A.
Seller: SecondSale, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. Item in good condition. Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Seller Inventory # 00059016414
Quantity: 3 available
Seller: Wonder Book, Frederick, MD, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. Good condition. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains. Seller Inventory # K08R-00584
Quantity: 2 available
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Paperback. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.76. Seller Inventory # G0141390832I3N00
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.76. Seller Inventory # G0141390832I4N00
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: HPB-Diamond, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
paperback. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!. Seller Inventory # S_418612543
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: AwesomeBooks, Wallingford, United Kingdom
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. What the Butler Saw: 250 Years of the Servant Problem This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. Seller Inventory # 7719-9780141390833
Quantity: 2 available
Seller: WeBuyBooks, Rossendale, LANCS, United Kingdom
Condition: Good. Most items will be dispatched the same or the next working day. A copy that has been read but remains in clean condition. All of the pages are intact and the cover is intact and the spine may show signs of wear. The book may have minor markings which are not specifically mentioned. Seller Inventory # wbs8713219704
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Book Deals, Tucson, AZ, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. Good condition. This is the average used book, that has all pages or leaves present, but may include writing. Book may be ex-library with stamps and stickers. 0.8. Seller Inventory # 353-0141390832-gdd
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: WorldofBooks, Goring-By-Sea, WS, United Kingdom
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. In the 18th century, a gentleman who employed less than a dozen servants was seen to be betraying his class, and a lady could go to her grave without ever having picked up her nightdress or made a cup of tea. "What the Butler Saw" is social history from an unusual angle. Drawing on literature, contemporary accounts and household manuals, it tells in fascinating detail the story of servants and their masters. Did you know, for example, that the unwritten duties of a footman might include holding down his master for the surgeon, or that a lady's maid was responsible for removing her mistress's pimples? Then there was the vexed question of what to do with servants with too much time on their hands. A problem not encountered by Victorian nurse-maids who sometimes drugged their charges in order to gain leisure time. Along with the drudgery, servants also had to put up with blows from their masters and tantrums from their mistresses. While, even in the most respectable homes, pretty servant girls found their virtue in danger. From the upper echelons of the 18th-century butler to the downtrodden housemaid of the 19th century, from the elegant footman to the liberated "au pair", "What the Butler Saw" is an eye-opening examination of the upstairs/downstairs relationship over 300 years. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. Seller Inventory # GOR001309161
Quantity: 4 available
Seller: Bahamut Media, Reading, United Kingdom
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. Seller Inventory # 6545-9780141390833
Quantity: 2 available