#footmen

Horace Roome, a liveried footman at Shugborough Hall (1920's)

The footman has been doing his duties in English upper class households since the seventeenth century. His name comes from the fact he was originally employed to run alongside the carriage, to make sure it was not overturned because the original tracks were rutted and full of boulders and tree roots. This then extended to the duties of opening and closing the carriage doors, or running errands when the Lord or Lady were out and about in town.

'In the eighteenth century they were frequently matched to run against horses and carriages. One of the last recorded contests was in 1770 between a famous running footman and the Duke of Marlborough, the latter wagering that in his phaeton and four he would beat the footman in a race from Windsor to London. His Grace won by a very small margin. The poor footman worn out by his exertions and much chagrined by his defeat, died, it was said, of over fatigue.'

Where more than one footman was employed, they had to match, like bookends, in terms of height and colouring. Because they were supposed to submerge their own personality, footmen were often given a name chosen by the employer. James and John for a matching pair, or John Thomas for a single footman were popular names.

This article on footmen is so sad. Most of this is literally abuse.

Silent service was the order of the day, so shoes that squeaked were replaced, and a footman was not expected to speak or show signs that he had heard the family's conversation.

Like............ the name thing is messed up + can't speak + forced to run faster than carriages and horses and one died

The Fish Footman and the Frog Footman by John Tenniel, 1865.

 All visiting cards must be left in person as a matter of course; they should never be sent by post: it would be a great breach of etiquette to do so under any circumstances. Under certain circumstances a servant might be allowed to leave them for his mistress, but this is not often done; "distance," "unfavourable weather," "pressing engagements," or "delicate health," would be perhaps sufficient and good reasons for sending cards by a servant; but, as a rule, ladies invariably leave their cards themselves.  It was formerly the custom, on arriving in town, for ladies with a large acquaintance to send their visiting cards to their various friends and acquaintances by a footman; but this practice is now more unusual than usual, it being found more satisfactory for the lady herself to perform this duty.

✤ Gymnasura saginaea - Arctiidae

(Moth is usually a pale yellow) (Unknown insect next to it)