Ager's Way to easy elegance

by Stanley Ager

Perched on an island off the shores of Cornwall, England, the soaring castle of St. Michael’s Mount has been home to the St. Aubyn family since 1647. For nearly thirty years, Stanley Ager, one of the most esteemed butlers of the twentieth century, ensured that St. Michael’s Mount was an impeccable place to live and a gracious and welcoming one for guests to visit.

Revered by everyone from royalty to the estate staff, Stanley Ager considered it his calling to run a home gracefully and efficiently. Several of the men whom he trained at St. Michael’s Mount went on to serve in the Royal Household at Buckingham Palace and at British embassies throughout the world. But you don’t need a manor to benefit from Ager’s wisdom on homekeeping. This carefully detailed, charmingly illustrated, eminently useful volume offers important insights and techniques, including how to:

Wipe a glass—or a chandelier—until it sparkles *** Fold napkins precisely—in six different ways *** Polish furniture—or silver—to a mirror finish *** Lay a beautiful table and serve a meal impeccably *** Brush, buff, and maintain any manner of clothes and footwear *** Fold and pack for a trip—for business or pleasure *** Select and pour wine *** Stage “impromptu” romantic picnics *** And, among other graces, open a door soundlessly, roll an umbrella perfectly, and iron a newspaper

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference, History, Research, Memoir

189 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Stanley Ager spent nearly thirty of his fifty-three years as a butler and valet at St. Michael’s Mount under the Lords Levan. His teachings have been deemed vital by butlers from Buckingham Palace among many others.

Reviews

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a deep and rarely mentioned love of historical etiquette and household guides, and this is a quite singular one. Part biography and part instruction manual, the book gives a real lens on the work needed to actually make one of those old English country estates run smoothly. Especially recommended is the final section in which the author quite sincerely suggests that a romantic picnic for two requires special china and no fewer than 18(!) individual pieces of flatware.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great. I learned how to pack a suitcase, how to polish silver, and that I should really have my own butler to handle all of these things for me.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oricât ai trage cu ochiul la ce fac mama și bunica prin casă, oricâte aparate și produse s-ar fi inventat, între timp, tot ai ce învăța de la un majordom de conac englezesc. Și o să vedeți la final de ce.


Autorii sunt Stanley Ager și Fiona St. Aubyn, iar prefața este semnată de Alastair Bruce, consilierul istoric al realizatorului serialului Downton Abbey. Dacă nu dețin ei adevărul absolut în domeniul acesta atunci cine?

Un citat de brodat pe un păretar de atârnat în bucătărie, dacă doriți:

Trei sunt cele mai importante calități pentru a putea rândui o casă: punctualitatea, organizarea, curățenia.

Îl cred, doar știu de mult timp treaba asta: „Curățenia e jumate sănătate”. Așa spunea, cu ani în urmă, la Tîrgu Mureș, și un chelner care altă treabă nu avea, în timp ce eu și comesenii mei mâncam de zor, decât să ne mute lucrurile de colo colo, ca să măture firimiturile de pâine de pe fața de masă.

Stanley Ager a început să lucreze în 1922, pe când avea paisprezece ani, de jos: pentru mult timp nici nu și-a văzut angajatorii. 53 de ani în serviciul mai multor familii aristocrate din Marea Britanie sunt chiar o viață de om.

Vorbește despre planificări, inventarii, activități care trebuie să devină rutină, carnețele de notițe, curățat și lustruit, cârpe și cârpe, frecat și lustruit mobilier și podele, abajururi și candelabre, cărți (voi cum faceți curat în bibliotecă?), argintărie și obiecte din bronz, pete, haine, periat, spălat și curățat, aerisit, depozitat și aranjat în geamantane, țesături și hachițele lor, pantofi și pălării.

Are sfaturi și pentru momentele speciale, când musafirii trebuie să fie primiți ca niște regi, farfurii și tacâmuri, băuturi spirtoase sau nu, lumânări și sfeșnice, șervete și moduri complicate de a le împături.

Cel mai important sfat consider că este acesta. Vă rog să luați aminte:


Traduc și adaptez:

Răsuflarea soldatului! Un dram e suficient pentru a obține umezeala necesară fricțiunii, atunci când aveți de lustruit ceva. E surprinzător cât de multe pot face o răsuflare cât de mică și o batistă! Ați putea face să strălucească toate mânerele din casă, chiar dacă ați părea cam caraghioși când vă aplecați ca să suflați peste ele!

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review originally posted on my blog .

Remember when I talked about books inspired by Downton Abbey? Well I’ve found another one and it’s a doozy. If you thought Martha Stewart ran a tight ship, you’ve never heard of Stanley Ager.

Mr. Ager was a butler at St. Michael’s Mount for most of his life. He did everything from ensuring food was ordered on time to ironing the napkins. In The Butler’s Guide he shares his tips and tricks for keeping house.



I didn’t know how slothful I was until reading this book! Apparently I’m supposed to brush my skirts before putting them away, condition and shine my shoes daily and iron everything using a damp cloth. Oh, and don’t forget that washing is best done in rainwater that’s been strained with cheesecloth.

All joking aside, Ager’s book provides an interesting glimpse into what a previous century considered normal housekeeping.

After reading, I steamed all of my sweaters and refolded everything in my closet. Well-played, Mr. Agers, well-played.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightful read. Stanley Ager was one of the most celebrated butlers of the twentieth century. The forward was written by Alastair Bruce OBE, the historical advisor to Downton Abbey. The book was beautifully written with hand drawn illustrations. The hierarchy of the servants was completely explained as were the duties they performed. The cook was quite often quite the tyrant. This was just fun. I'm not quite sure if I would have made a better lady having servants or if I would have been a great lady's maid.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked reading Mr. Ager's personal recollections of working as a butler. I have to admit I skimmed some of the actual instructions… "How Mr. Ager folds a shirt", "How Mr. Ager ties a bow tie". I can't imagine the fastidiousness he had in EVERYTHING. For instance, "Because a napkin must look fresh, practice the folds before you finally use them. There's nothing worse than a napkin falling out of its fold. Napkins for folding should be approximately 24 to 26 inches on a side. They must first be slightly starched and smoothly pressed into a plain fold."

I can't imagine. Those parts of the book just made me tired. :-)

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite what one might think, this was a delightful read. I picked it up as a fun read relating to my new job of owning and keeping a house, and I may just purchase a copy to keep. Many tasks are well above what I would ever need, but the tips for caring for menswear are helpful enough as my partner wears more and more dress shirts and jackets for work functions. I love the connections to Downton Abbey, as well; it fits in nicely with my interest in that era.

[Corey Benov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming coffee table book. A lot of info (to learn) is outdated but I nevertheless enjoyed most of the book. Especially hearing his little acts of vengeance on nasty guests like slicing the stitching on the soles of their shoes or turning their children’s gloves inside out. Careful overstaying a drink party at my place now… 😜. You’re a cheeky one Mr Ager

[Christine Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

Very interesting look into the people and practices that ran high society in years past. Gives new meaning to the honorable, everyday work of caring for home and the people who live in it.

[Ida · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow lol. I thought I'd learn something from this, but I guess I've been a housekeeper so long I already knew most of it. I could actually give Mr. Ager some tips to improve a few methods rotfl. Good grief, my life is depressing...

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful and elegant book and perfect for anyone interested in the high art of home keeping. A little too fussy for modern sensibilities but evocative of a more service oriented time.

[Carolyn Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

I believe this was written by an actual butler. If I were ever go into the service industry at a mansion I'd grab this book to take along with me.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I skimmed a lot of the detailed instructions (I have a limited need to polish silverware), but the glimpse of a vanished lifestyle was interesting.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Think real life behind the scenes servants work in Downton Abbey era. Wish there were even more anecdotal stories sprinkled in. Dry but interesting.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charming but antiquated. Too many appearances of the phrase, “In my day.”

[Dominique · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great insight into another time and another world. Ager's personality shines through his instructions and advice.

[Leong Yu Ting · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fan of Downton Abbey, I read the book in Carson’s voice. Half of the content may not be relevant in modern times unless you’re in the service or hotel industry. It was however inspiring to discover how much dedication a butler puts into his service.

That said, the book has changed the way I do my laundry and wash my bathroom. It’s rewarding to know my house chores are now first class.

[Ari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, I'm the kind of person who reads butler's guides. And, having read quite a number of them to date, I'm prepared to say this is one of, if not THE, best. Written by one of the best known butlers of the 20th century, Stanley Ager, this book is a distillation of expertise gained from serving for years as head butler at St. Michael's Mount. Everything from how to properly iron and pack, to the art of cigars, table service, luggage handling, dealing with inappropriate guests, and tying bowties. Ager includes sections on getting out tough stains in various types of materials as well as tips on polishing silver and glass. Absolutely relevant information throughout: a must have for anyone with a service calling, or those who are training for graceful, effective, and reliable service.

[Magdalene Lim · Rating 2 out of 5]

After I read that butlers are high in demand, with the rich getting richer, I was interested in what it would take to be a butler.

Even if I had any dreams of becoming a butler, I can forget about it. The amount of work, including polishing copious amounts of silver, holding really heavy dishes without touching the top of the plate, lighting a cigar properly or being able to press and pack garments with 10, 000 sheets of tissue are not the things mere mortals can do.

Of course, it doesn't help that I'm female too. Don't think female butlers exist.

If anything, I picked up a few household tips and the importance of being a good guest with social graces.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

A retired English butler, in service from 1922 until the 70s, holds forth on all kinds of things, including cleaning, packing, table settings and service. It's sprinkled throughout with anecdotes, some very entertaining, others that would probably be if one had a clue who the lords or ladies mentioned were. Not actually all that much practical information (although there's an excellent set of drawings and descriptions of various napkin foldings!), but an entertaining look into another world.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun book to read if your into mannerism's and household tips of by-gone ages. I happen to be one of those people. I was a history major, who worked in living history musuem her whole working career. The other people it may appeal to are fans of Upstairs, Downstairs or the other new one. Though these tips are from an earlier time period. I noticed not many entered to win this book, which is I won a copy. It's a shame. It truly is delightful.

[Vera · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book everyone should have in their home. It's a quick reference for everything from how to properly fold and hang clothing to how to give a grand dinner party. I know this is one book I will keep on hand for everyday items and also for reminders such as how to polish silver, brass and even my glass wear. The background of Stanley Ager was quite impressive and I'm so glad he has decided to share his wisdom with others.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been a long time since I've read such an interesting and informative novel about the duties of running a large home. This guide is chock full of tips on everything from cleaning anything in the home, table preparations, packing and maintaining clothing and keeping an immaculate, well-run home. This would be a good book for anyone to have on their shelf at home for reference. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

[Lori Levise · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cute useful book! Loaded with glimpses into what life was like not only for the butlers in a weaalthy home, but for the rich as well. Lots of advice and tips like my parents and grandparents would have known to take care of the home, clean, and organize. Thamks goodreads for this book to review!

[Janet Clark · Rating 2 out of 5]

These folks worked much too hard. Thanks to Martha Stewart I can clean copper faster and easier
and w/ no toxic chemicals. I expected to find the book entertaining, but found it downright depressing instead. I can imagine devoting one's life to caring for beautiful paintings, but not all that common household stuff.

[Kelley Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part how-to, part history lesson, part guide to understanding staff positions while watching Downton Abbey. Perhaps a little over the top for today's home management but reminiscent of an era of so painfully proper you'll almost be happy we left it behind. But very handy should you visit The Queen or in dealing with some that are still oh so proper. ;)

[librarian4Him02 · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I don't think I'll be polishing shoes or silver any time soon, I did learn a lot reading this book. I came away inspired to be more diligent in my housekeeping and in caring for the things I have. I also enjoyed the behind-the-scenes glimpse of how a big house was run back in the day. I recommend this interesting read.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun and informative book. Mr. Ager provides so much knowledge in regards to being a Butler and what it takes to smoothly run a house in general. We could all take something from this book and apply it to our household.

[Sherri · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was intersting yet a tad dry at the same time. I learned everything on how to pack a suitcase, clean my silver, iron a newspaper, wine choosing and serving.

Each detail was in true English step by step fashion. You can see the integrity and how detail oriented staff were and had to be.

[Henrietta H · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you need to know how the big houses were run "back in the day" I highly recommend this book. It is an excellent source book for understanding how the house was organized and the proper place the butler and rest of staff held. It is also a highly entertaining read.