re: Belton House - The Position of Housekeeper

[David Leedham]

Hi

 

My wife and I went on an ‘Upstairs / Downstairs’ tour at Belton House on Saturday. Not for reason of ‘family history research’ but it was just one of many trips out, which have included Bat Walks, Bee-Keeping Taster day, trips to the theatre etc.

 

But while we were there I took the opportunity to ask questions of our very knowledgeable  guide relating to the role of Housekeeper at Belton House and to better understand how service worked in Victorian England. Below are his comments;

 

·         The Housekeeper was the highest female role attainable in service and was on a par with the Butler, both of whom reported to the Steward.

·         She was responsible for finances and all the female staff - at Belton House numbering around 20 girls and women.

·         To be a Housekeeper the woman must be a spinster. It was not a position for married women. (An exception was in the 1970’s when the number of servant at Belton House had reduced to two when a married couple performed the roles of Housekeeper and Butler just prior to the House being sold to the National Trust).

·         Being a Housekeeper was a career choice for a female and was a position achieved only after decades. A girl/woman would work their way up the rigid service hierarchy to achieve that position starting around the age of 14 years possibly starting as a junior servant and would only progress if she was supported by excellent references at each move.

·         To gain promotion a girl/woman would move to different houses all over the country to slowly, and over years and decades, better herself.

·         The 40+ servants at Belton House as per the 1891 Census, were from all over the UK which really highlights the mobility of the profession.

·         Servants would often have opportunities for advancement when the ‘House’ moved to their London residence and they met servants from other big house. This is when they maybe heard of a position from a servant in another house which would enable her to move up one place in the service hierarchy. Servants could also use agencies or newspaper advertisements to seek advancement but this was relatively expensive consequently  ‘word of mouth’ was the normal method.

·         The Housekeeper at Belton House in 1891 was Margaret Bach aged 50 year. She was born in Byton (or Boyton) Hertfordshire

·         One other thing the guide also said was people who worked in service hardly spoke about it. There was a sort of a ‘code of honour’ in which  servant were expected to be discreet  but not to cover up any unscrupulous activities but just because the owners of the house didn’t want servants gossiping about their family. It was a sigh of a professional servant, especially  in upper class houses  to hold their tongues. This was supported by one of my fellow tourists, a lady in her eighties who said her mother  worked in service at Belton House and her mother never said anything about it whatsoever.

 

David