Downton Abbey: Rules for Household Staff

by Justyn Barnes, Julian Fellowes (Foreword)

The household staff of Downton Abbey carries out their duties with effortless dignity, finesse and pride. Yet how do they know how exactly to lay the table, when to leave the room to give Lord and Lady Grantham their privacy, how to care for Lady Mary's furs and which uniform to wear when? This recently recovered and fascinating staff handbook answers all of these questions and more.
Covering all the main positions of the Downton household—footman, lady's maid, housekeeper, groundsman and more—and with a general introduction for new members of staff from Carson the Butler, this book tells you everything you need to know about working below stairs in the grand estate of Downton Abbey.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Downton Abbey, Historical, Reference, Media Tie In, British Literature

128 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[♏ Gina☽ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This small, but very interesting, book outlines the roles of each position from top (Butler) to bottom (Scullery Maid) at the fictional Downton Abbey. I included it on a couple of my shelves that would usually only sport nonfiction, but this is an exception because the rules and traditions covered here were the same ones used in the large palaces and estates of the upper crust of society in the early 20th century in Britain.

As a person obsessed with all things Downton Abbey, I read this book in one sitting. Some of it was known, and would be known, to anyone who has watched the series, while other rules may not be so well known.

It is an interesting little read and it also makes me quite aware of the fact that if you are serving in an affluent home during those times, it is infinitely better to be at the top of the ladder than at the bottom. Hours are long - many days can be 16 hours, and time for relaxation or days off are almost nonexistent. Servants are at the beck and call of the families they serve and must be diligent in their duties, the way they speak, and every single detail (no matter how tiny) must never be overlooked.

[Slip! · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite the good inside look at how things were run back then. I do think I shall go back and binge on every single episode of every single season, and watch just to see the details of the rules they have and use.

Though it still lacked explanation of why they iron the newspaper....Really. But then again, the woman must change their clothes at least 6 times a day for certain times of the day, like lunch, tea, or outings, dinner, if guests are coming. All the rules with the gloves, the hats, jewelry....I thought being a woman was hard nowadays. God, I am so glad I didn't live back then. Because, you know. Dresses. Shudders. Though I do love and pin for the elegance of the times, social calls and how things generally were. Their language is pristine, direct and meaningful, and you wouldn't catch any of them saying. "YOLO, DAWG! EVER.. I could use for less of that in my life...truly.

[Bloggeretterized · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you, like me, are a Downton Abbey fan and you’re waiting for the first episode of the show’s last season like a kid awaits Santa on Christmas, this book is a must read for you.

Downton Abbey: Rules for Household Staff is a short and little in appearance house manual, but for fans of the show it is a wonderful voyage to the downstairs Downtonian world. Being that is was written by Mr. Carson himself, it is impossible not to feel like you can hear him reading the book to you as you read.

The manual contains a series of instructions, directions and guidelines for those who aspire to perform correctly their duties as servants of the estate, with dignity and efficiency.It gives you an insight on how Downton Abbey runs thanks to the downstairs team. The infinite set of tasks and the detail of how they have to be performed. The book also comes with illustrations that are impeccably and very detailed hand drawn, adding more enjoyment to the readers’ experience with this book.

Even though this manual is for running a fictional household in the 1920’s, some of these instructions and procedures can be adopted in our modern times.

What I liked about the way Mr. Carson wrote this book was that it reminds the reader of the meaning of the word servant. “Improvers of Life” is what Mr. Carson calls them. More about this on the full review on my blog.



As a fan of the show, I must confess that I’m more a team upstairs (Lady Mary is my alter ego), but reading this book gave me a wider and more clear idea of what the downstairs team does and how valuable and irreplaceable they are for Downton Abbey.

Downton Abbey: Rules for Household Staff is a must read for Downton Abbey fans. It is the perfect book to read while we wait for the final season premiere. It is definitely a remedy for the Downton withdrawal symptoms every fan is suffering from. Season 6, it will be bittersweet but I can’t wait. Julian Fellowes, if you ever read this: thank you

[Rebecca Huston · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is a charming look at how everything gets done at Downton. For those interested in how the servant class lived, and worked, this makes a fine introduction. However, there really isn't a lot of details given, but it does give an idea of the mental fortitude needed to be a servant, where one was expected to pretty much an animated statue. Given all of the various books and memoirs that have been published in the wake of Downton Abbey's popularity, it does make a nice introduction to the topic. Three and a half stars rounded up to four. Recommended.

For the longer review, please go here:
http://www.bubblews.com/news/9606748-...

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun read for fans of the show, written by Carson.

[Gabriela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was super cute and actually quite practical. The manual is written by the Butler Carsen for the staff of the Abbey and is full of so many instructions for things to tend to the house. But I do think I'm going to try some of these! Fx there's guidance on how to revive wilting cut flowers which I will be trying later today. If it works I'm going to try other things here! It was such a feel-good read and a cute addition to my collection

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Carson's guide to the efficient running of a household. Some is specific to Downton Abbey, including a little new background for Mr. Carson, but the majority comprises the rules which allow a house to be kept in good order, and to explain the roles and routine for each position. It's relatively short but very informative, not just about the household but also giving insight into the social customs and mores of the era as well as the incredible organisational skills needed by the butler, valet, cook and lady's maid.

The butler's section is, naturally, the most comprehensive, and contained a lot of fascinating detail about managing the wine cellar. There were also instructions for creating various cleaning solutions, for opening a bottle with a decayed cork, preparing a razor strop, the proper way to brush and clean clothes (including furs and lace collars), how to care for hats, even how to restore proper time to a pocket watch. There were the obvious instructions on serving at table and how to polish glasses and silverware as well as how to bend down correctly, and a new method of making tea - probably for a silver teapot, which will react differently from a porcelain one.

A few things were also out of place for a manual from Mr. Carson, but included out of general interest for the reader. (I don't see him caring about recipes for lady's pickles, or instructing on napkin folding.) There were also some anachronisms and a couple of minor inconsistencies, but these may well be fixed in the final version. (The position of scullery maid, for instance, wasn't mentioned at all, and all her duties were given to the kitchen maid.) I was a little surprised by the brevity of the housekeeper's section, but the details elsewhere made up for it. Discovering salt came in large blocks and had to be sieved each morning, for instance!

All in all, an interesting read. If the bus driver hadn't been alert I would have missed my stop at work, and that never happens, so you can see how intriguing it all was!


Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute, the book is a manual for the jobs performed by the various servants at the Abbey. The lists of what each position cares for and how to accomplish it are what the actual servants of the era did for those in the Edwardian Manor houses. However, this manual is written as if Mrs. Hughes and Mr. Carson are instructing the new hires. I think it was a great way to look at a part of British country life that is long gone. I recommend it for the fans of the series or anyone who is interested in the history of the era.

[Jess Barter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting and great for research purposes 😌

[Marjolein (UrlPhantomhive) · Rating 4 out of 5]

READ IN ENGLISH

Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a big fan of the series, so when I saw this book come up on Netgalley I was simply delighted. Even more so, as this book focuses mostly on the running of the house and the different tasks for different members of staff.

I've always been a bit amazed by large houses like the one in Downton Abbey, and wondered about how hard it would have to be to keep everything running. If you, like me, have been curious to find out more about this, this book is highly recommended to you!

Written as if Mr. Carson wrote it, it handles all kinds of very important matters like a chapter on placing wine bottles the correct way. Like in the series Mr. Carson is very strict and wants to preserve the traditions as much as possible. It also includes time schedules so it would have been easy to fit in seven dress changings a day.

A very interesting account on living downstairs in Downton Abbey, and also a very nice book for fans of the show!

[Jill Tool · Rating 4 out of 5]

For fans of Downtown Abbey, here's a fun little book told from Carson, the head butler,that explains how the servants rank, how each are to do their jobs, what is expected when getting rooms, dinner, and the proper attire for when a party, distinguish guest, royalty, or visitors are coming to Downtown.

It gives you a glimpse into a servants life and duties while running the house. You're able to read this book in a day, while getting your Downtown fix while your waiting for the next season to come out.

[Brenda Osborne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! This was a very interesting little book. Find out how to carry your knees if you are a female servant. Learn how to strop a razor, how to clean brown boot tops, how to detect a damp bed and the correct way to iron your master's newspaper. An interesting little book of a time gone by and likely never to return!

[Avinash Veeraraghav · Rating 5 out of 5]

Downton Abbey is one of my personal all-time favorite television series, so it's no surprise that I took a liking to this book. It is written as though the esteemed butler, Charles Carson, is the author, and thus one really needs to read the book in his 'tone,' so to speak. Now, there are some things in here that one today would have a difficult time understanding, given how 'outdated' some of these practices are, but it does provide a good insight into what life was like for the British Aristocracy in the 1920s. For example, Carson talks about the importance in filtering wine and how to properly do it, an action we do see him performing in the show. I would recommend this to any fan of the show, especially if, like me, they find Mr. Carson to be one of their favorite characters.

[Hester-Henrietta · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoroughly-researched and historically-accurate How-To Guide presented to the reader fictionally as a guide written by Mister Carson himself to someone being employed to work for the Crawleys at Downton Abbey.

Definitely written for fans of the show, though that isn't to say the advice within isn't useful for cleaning and managing one's own house.

My edition was given as a gift and I've found it both enjoyable, useful when I was trying to get wine stains out of linens, and infallible when writing Downton Abbey fan-fiction. There. I said it. I use as a reference for fan-fiction and I'm all the better for it, ha ha!

[Dan Mushalko · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice, breezy read -- yet intellectually satisfying. While most people were caught up in the soapy saga of Lord and Lady Grantham, their kin and their staff, the mechanics of operating a home as large as Downton utterly fascinated me. Lady This is enjoying a romantic trist with the Earl of That? Yawn. But what time does the valet report for duty? Why does the butler pour wine that way? When does the staff eat? Why iron the newspaper? Ah, now THOSE represent the fascination of Downton Abbey! This light tome provides those answers, along with handy tidbits on stain removal and making silver polish. That's fun stuff.

[Min · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is a creative way to offer curious readers a glimpse into what the expectations for a servant in a grand house of the 19th century was like. Particulary the hierarchy, and duties are presented in brief descriptions, along with various etiquettes and protocols of proper service. Exactly what one would expect from the title.
The Bibliography is where this book shines brightest. Sources from the classics of the genre, and the period are what make this so very perfect. If one was ever truly curious about household management of the great houses, those are the books to read.

[Nancy Thomsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whew! Glad to be born in the latter 20th century.

Bless those in service at the time described. It is hard for us to imagine mixing the various cleaning solutions or the folding of the various fabrics, at the proper times. Heaven forbid that your thumb should touch the dinner napkin in the wrong spot. For those in the hinterlands, a translation of certain words or phrases would be in order.

[Linda M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

After watching the Downton Abbey movie, my husband & I have become fascinated with anything about the movie & series. It was not easy being a servant for the family. I never realized how much a servant had to know before serving the manor family, especially the butler, valet, cook, & ladies maid. This is a must read for Downton Abbey fans.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this as a reference to what guides of the period would be like, and the Downton Abbey references were cute. I found the rules more interesting than the recipes, since the measurements and many of the ingredients don't really exist today. I'm very pleased at the inclusion of bibliographical references so that I can explore further! Fun, quick read.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute! A must-read for any fans of Downton Abbey. Since the timeline and historical accuracy of Downton Abbey is famously gray, this is a great addition to help give a little perspective to the roles of each staff member. I can't imagine anyone who is a casual watcher or has never seen the show *gasp* would have any interest in this one.

[Sean Vaughn McCormick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this very interesting as I expect great care was taken on discovering how great houses in Britain were maintained over a century ago (and it sounds exhausting). Not much is useful now, but very interesting if you find yourself wondering what exactly Mr. Carson, Mrs. Hughes, Anna, Thomas, Baxter, Bates and Mrs. Patmore do on a DAILY basis!

[Michelle Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know my 5 stars seems excessive but I love everything about this book. Even the size and look of the tiny hardcover reminds me of Downton Abbey and how they would always have tiny hardcover books to read.

[Cris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Purportedly written by Mr. Carson, Butler on the Downton Abbey estate, it's a fun look at some of the duties different characters would have been expected to perform. It's also an interesting guide to learning how large estates ran in the early 1900's England.

[Katy Kauffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simply delightful. Almost gave it five stars, but I reserve that rating for “everyone must read this work.” While I found it insightful to the time period and even took some notes for myself to use (e.g., the folding of napkins), I don’t think everyone would find it as necessary as I did.

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the book's format as a training manual in service at Downton Abbey. I was hoping for more information about the dos and don'ts, details about their uniforms, and problems that may arise, but overall, it was interesting.

[Celebrity Assistant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whether you're in private service or not (even if you don't watch the show), this book is a great read. It's not particularly long, but it's meaningful. I first learned of the book on the Celebrity PA Network's website, which inspired me to get it. There are some great illustrations as well.

[Krista · Rating 3 out of 5]

Olisin odottanut enemmän - toivoin kertomuksia siitä, mitä kenenkin odotetaan tekevät ja mihin aikaan, miten pöydät kuuluu kattaa ja plaseerata, tai muita elämiseen liittyviä asioita. Sen sijaan sisältönä oli muutama tehtävälista ja puoli kirjaa siivous- ja puhdistusohjeita aineineen.

[Shawnda · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a neat book. I liked seeing al the tasks one had to do.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great companion book!