Butler is a footman or butler? Modern Butler

Until the end of the 90s of the last century, in our country, only the staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the professor who taught regional studies could answer the question of who the battler was. With the advent of very rich citizens, we have a demand for the services of specialists in housekeeping. Today in our country, butler is an employee who deals with various household issues of a wealthy and busy person. Let's see if there is a difference between such professions as a footman, butler and butler, than each of them does and answers for.

Background

Initially, the specialty of the butler, from where the word came, was the supply of alcoholic drinks on the table, as well as the maintenance and management of the wine cellar. That is, the main meaning of the word "butler" is a specialist in bottling wine. His duties included not only making decisions on replenishing stocks and selecting suppliers, paying bills for wine, but also bottling alcoholic beverages on drums. According to historical information, the greatest number of butlers was during the reign of such British monarchs as Victoria and Edward VIII. The modern understanding of the basic functions of this profession differs significantly from those taken several centuries ago.

Modern features of the profession

Today, Butler is a specialist of a rather wide profile, which in France is called a mazhordome, in the United States - a house-manager, creating the most comfortable living conditions for the employer and his household. His responsibilities include:

1. Management and control of the work of domestic staff - maids, drivers, nannies and others, as well as interaction with external organizations that provide services, for example, utilities.

2. Maintaining the accounting of expenses for various items of the family budget.

3. The organization of the security of both the house itself and all people and animals living on its territory.

4. Maintenance of all life support systems and transport and technical means in working order.

In addition to these basic duties, the owners of the house can entrust to the butler:

• Organization of negotiations, solemn events;
• Reception of guests;
• Booking of places in hotels or tickets;
• Accompanying the owners or their family members on trips.

Thus, a modern butler is an expert for solving various unofficial problems of his employer.

What should I be able to do?

The modern major-butler should know and be able to apply quite a lot in practice: psychology and management, the fundamentals of accounting and medical knowledge, dietology and hygiene, interior and landscape design, etiquette and art history, and much more. An important feature of this profession is the ability to store confidential information about your employer and his family. Thus, the notion that butler is a footman or butler, with only a different name, is absolutely not true. Indeed, some similar actions may fall into the duties of such a specialist, but the general specificity of the profession is different. In order to understand all the features, let us consider the hierarchy of service, as it was in the past centuries.

As it was in the best houses ...

Immediately determined that up to the beginning of the XX century Butler - it was exclusively a male profession, women were not allowed into it. So, the highest status among hired personnel was possessed by the manager of the estate or the butler. The manager was engaged in hiring and firing of employees and servants, followed the harvesting, disassembled the claims of tenants and received a fee from them, and also kept financial records. At the butler work in something similar with the manager, but only in the house. He was the responsible keeper of the keys from all the storerooms, wine cellars and buffets, and hired workers for various repairs in the house.

Butler was next in status after the manager or the butler. His job was to follow the crystal and expensive porcelain sets, dishes made of precious metals and, if necessary, clean it. In the scope of his duties was the replenishment of wine cellars, bottling of strong drinks and their accounting.

The next on the service ladder was the valet, who was responsible for the wardrobe, shoes and the appearance of his master as a whole. It was the valet who accompanied the gentleman in his shopping trips, as well as on a journey.

The footmen performed many different jobs, both in the house and on the street. Their duties included laying on the table and serving food, serving tea and helping the butler. Also the footman accompanied the hostess when she went to visit, wore baggage, frightened off the light of the lantern of thieves, if the gentlemen were going out into the street in the dark.

What are they like?

Who and what is a batler and what he does, we sorted it out. However, today it is not only specialists who solve various problems and manage the economy of houses. Every year, the butlers in the hotel business are becoming more and more popular. Many boutique hotels and large international chains prepare such specialists for themselves or hire graduates of this specialty. The duties of such employees include not only the reception and accommodation of guests, but also the management of other service personnel, as well as the solution of problems encountered by the guests and difficulties.

Thus, answering the question: "Butler is a lackey or a butler?", One can say that this is neither. This is a special specialist, whose terms of reference overlap both with the duties of the butler and the lackey.