The Servants

The completeness of the domestic offices at Tatton gives a striking picture of the world of the servants below stairs and the scale of household management which was required to run such a large establishment with efficiency and precision.

The image to the right shows Mr Parker, Coachman and Mr Way and Mr Durham, Footmen, outside the Egerton family’s London home at 9 Seamore Place, Mayfair in 1911 at the time of the coronation of George V.

At the end of the 19th century, the Egerton household had around forty indoor servants under the control of the housekeeper and house steward. At Tatton, the house steward was the head of the hierarchy of male servants. He acted as private secretary to Lord Egerton, running the house and estate on behalf of his employer when Lord Egerton was not in residence.

The upper servants included the butler and cook who were responsible for the lower staff, the smooth running of the household and the ordering of food and drink. The lower servants, such as the chambermaids and scullery maids, dealt with the more menial tasks of washing, cleaning and polishing.