Great house

From Citizendium
Revision as of 23:26, 17 July 2007 by imported>Aleta Curry (a little clean up and expansion, preparation for more work to be done)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

A great house is a large and stately residence; the term encompasses different styles of dwelling in different countries. The name refers to the great size of the house, its perceived opulence, and the makeup of the household rather than to any particular architectural style. To the Western mind, it particularly refers to large households of times past in Anglophone countries (especially those of the turn of the 20th Century, i. e. the late Victorian or Edwardian ages in the United Kingdom and the Gilded Age in the United States), such as the English country house, the "stately homes of England" and the homes of various "millionaires' row" (or "millionaires' mile") in some U.S. cities such as Newport, Rhode Island) with luxurious appointments and great retinues of indoor and outdoor staff. By some reports, the summer homes of the wealthy at Newport averaged four servants per family member. There was often an elaborate hierarchy among staff, domestic workers in particular.

Today's great houses are limited to the very well-to-do;[1] royalty, aristocrats and people whose professions demand that they entertain, such as those in the diplomatic service and chief executive officers. [2]

In countries with supplies of cheap domestic labour, the middle classes are still able to afford household help, but not approaching the numbers involved in the running of a great house.

Mansions

The words mansion, manse and manor all share the same Latin derivation: from the verb manere, "to remain". Although a commonly recognized english word meaning “large house”, technically a ‘’mansion’’ does not exist: there is no architectural building called a ‘’mansion’’ and no social “mansion”, as using the word to refer to a specific residence falls outside of the rules of etiquette.

It was considered declassé to refer to one's own townhouses, estates or villas (or those of friends) as mansions; indeed some etiquette mavens eschewed its use altogether, and modern etiquette books still advise that the terms house, big house or great house be used instead.[3]

Origin of the mansion

Management of a great house

On large estates or in families with more than one residence, there may be a steward (or estate manager, a more modern expression) who oversees direction of the entire establishment. Today it is not uncommon for a couple to split the duties of management between them. [4]

Household staff

Practices vary depending on the size of the household and the preference of the employers, but in general the staff is divided into departments [5] run by the:

  • Butler--the head of household staff in most homes; in charge of the pantry, wine cellar and dining room. In a small house the butler also valets for the master of the house. Male staff report to him. The butler is often engaged by the master of the house but usually reports to the lady of the house or sometimes to the housekeeper.
  • Cook--in charge of the kitchen and kitchen staff. Sometimes a chef is employed with several subordinate cooks. The cook usually reports directly to the lady of the house but sometimes to the housekeeper.
  • Housekeeper--responsible for the house and its appearance; in charge of all female servants. In grand homes the butler and cook sometimes report to the housekeeper.

There are modern positions that are a reflection of changing times, such as a personal trainer or personal assistant. Private Secretaries and electricians entered during the modern age. The body guard and the Estate Manager have replaced the Captain of the Guard and the Steward. In general, the traditional jobs and roles are:

Support staff

Junior staff

Grounds staff

An Estate Manager may have charge of the maintenance and care of the grounds, landscaping, and outbuildings (pool, cabana, stables, greenhouse etc.) which is divided into departments run by the:

Support staff

References to the great house in literature

  • “Uppercross Cottage, with its viranda, French windows, and other prettiness, was quite as likely to catch the traveller's eye, as the more consistent and considerable aspect and premises of the Great House, about a quarter of a mile farther on.” [6]
  • "Aravis was dressed to look like a superior slavegirl in a great house and wore a veil over her face.” [7]

Depictions of great houses

The complex hierarchy of a staff in a great house has been portrayed in several notable productions for film and television. Among these are:

Notable great houses

The household is divided into departments: G-branch, general household staff comprising valets, butlers, under-butlers, 13 footmen, and drivers. Other footmen work for F-branch - food and drinks, which has five chefs - and H-branch - housekeeping and cleaning.
The household employs five full time chefs.


References

  1. ↑ Emily Post’s Etiquette: A Guide to Modern Manners by Elizabeth L. Post. 14th Edition. 1984.: Chapter 11 Employees in Your Home
  2. ↑ The International Guild of Professional Butlers estimates that the annual salaries of a 20-25 person household staff total in excess of US$1,000,000.
  3. ↑ Emily Post’s Etiquette: A Guide to Modern Manners by Elizabeth L. Post. 14th Edition. 1984.
  4. ↑ Agencies that place and train domestic staff at the upper level usually refer to two tiers of domestic couple: managerial or household help
  5. ↑ Chapter 11 Employees in Your Home: The Organization of a Great House
  6. ↑ from Persuasion, by Jane Austen.
  7. ↑ from The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis.


Further reading

  • The Victorian Great House. Malcolm Airs. 2000.University of Oxford Press. ISBN 0903736292}}

Links

  • The International Guild of Professional Butlers [www.butlersguild.com]
  • The International Butler’s Academy [www.butlerschool.com]
  • Starkey International www.
Retrieved from "https://citizendium.org/wiki/index.php?title=Great_house&oldid=260466"