The first footman was the designation given to the highest-ranking servant of this class in a given household. The first footman would serve as deputy butler and act as butler in the latter's absence, although some larger houses also had an under-butler above the first footman.

First Footman. The first and foremost duty of the first footman is to lay the table for each meal, serve breakfast to each member of the family even if it means to take the breakfast on trey to each person’s room or laying it on the dinner table. He has to attend the door in the morning.

Oct 13, 2020 · Butler (man): The butler was the highest ranking servant in a house, overseeing the male staff including the coachman, first footman, second footman/ footmen, the porter and the page respectively. He was the head of the kitchen and dining room and his duties included waiting on the family during meals, training the footmen, polishing and ...

Jul 1, 2014 · In small genteel families that could afford only one male servant, they usually hired a footman who was expected to perform multiple jobs in a timely manner. His chores consisted of cleaning furniture, trimming lamps, performing errands, preparing razor …

Jan 24, 2008 · According to Daniel Pool in What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew, footmen wore: “livery,” or household uniform of fancy coat, knee breeches, stockings, and powdered hair, a costume that endured to the end of th 1800s.

Mar 30, 2012 · No matter his Christian name, the first footman was known as “James.” He would act as the lady’s footman: preparing her breakfast tray, walking her dog, brushing the mud from her hems, cleaning her shoes, and accompanying her upon her days out.

Directly under the butler was the first footman (or head footman), although there could also be a deputy butler or under-butler who would fill in as butler during the butler's illness or absence.

Since the 19th century, footmen became indoor servants and were technically status symbols of the grand house. To have a tall and handsome footman serving dinner was essential to grand houses, something to show off with. In the grandest houses there were several footmen: first, second and third mainly.

May 6, 2011 · The image to the right is not only the first photograph of a footman, it is also the first photograph of a human figure printed on paper. William Henry Fox Talbot (1800-1877), one of the inventors of photography, took this photograph in 1840.

Jan 13, 2016 · From First Footman to Footman to Second Footman, all these well dressed, handsome men or boys would be key servants in representing the estate’s grandeur and finesse and their good looks and smart attire were important.