Cache-Control: public, max-age=1024000 Household Servants

Number of Servants in a Household

This information dates to 1825 but is most likely correct throughout the later Georgian period.

The following represent the expected/likely number of servants for a household of a given income.

£ 100 or guineasA Widow or other unmarried Lady , may keep
  • A Young Maid Servant , at a low salary ; say from 5 to 10 Guineas a year
£ 150 to £ 180 A Gentleman and Lady without Children , may afford to keep
  • A better Servant Maid, at about 10 or 12 Guineas
About £ 200 Ditto .
  • A professed Servant-Maid of All Work , at from 12 to 14 Guineas
£ 300 Ditto, with one, two, or three Children
  • Two Maid-Servants
£ 400 Ditto , Ditto . three female Servants , or two and a Boy ; viz .
  • Cook
  • House-Maid
  • Nursery-Maid , or else, instead of the latter, a Boy
  • Gardener occasionally
£ 500 Ditto , Ditto . Three females and a Boy ; viz
  • Cook
  • House-Maid
  • Nursery-Maid
  • Boy as Groom, and to assist in the House and Garden
  • Gardener occasionally
£ 500 to £ 600 A Gentleman and Lady with Children . Three Females and one Man ; viz .
  • Cook
  • House-Maid
  • Nursery-Maid, or other Female Servant
  • Livery-Servant, as Groom and Footman
  • Gardener occasionally
£ 600 to £ 750 Ditto , Ditto . Three Females and two Men ; viz .
  • Cook
  • House-Maid
  • Another Female Servant
  • Footman
  • Groom, who may assist in the Garden
  • Gardener occasionally
£ 1000 to £ 1500 Ditto , Ditto . Four Females and three Men ; viz .
  • Cook
  • Two House-Maids
  • Nursery-Maid, or other Female Servant
  • Coachman
  • Footman
  • Man to assist in the Stable and Garden
£ 1500 to £ 2000 Ditto , Ditto . Six Female and five Men Servants ; viz .
  • Housekeeper
  • Cook
  • Two House-Maids
  • Kitchen-Maid
  • Nursery-Maid, or other Female Servant
  • Coachman
  • Groom
  • Footman
  • Gardener
  • An assistant in the Stable and Garden
£ 2000 to £ 3000 Ditto , Ditto . Eight Female and eight Men Servants ; viz .
  • Cook
  • Lady's-maid
  • Two House-Maids
  • Nurse
  • Nursery-Maid
  • Kitchen-Maid
  • Laundry-Maid
  • Butler
  • Valet
  • Coachman
  • Two Grooms
  • Footman
  • Two Gardeners
£ 3000 to £ 4000 Ditto , Ditto . Nine Female and eleven Male Servants ; viz .
  • Housekeeper
  • Cook
  • Lady's-maid
  • Two House-Maids
  • Nurse
  • Nursery-Maid
  • Kitchen-Maid
  • Laundry-Maid
  • Butler
  • Valet
  • Coachman
  • Two Grooms
  • Two Footmen
  • Two Gardeners
  • Labourer
£ 4000 to £ 5000 Ditto , Ditto . Eleven Female and thirteen Male Servants ; viz .
  • Housekeeper
  • Cook
  • Lady's-Maid
  • Nurse
  • Two House Maids
  • Laundry-Maid
  • Still-Room Maid
  • Nursery-Maid
  • Kitchen-Maid
  • Scullion
  • Butler
  • Valet
  • House-Steward
  • Coachman
  • Two Grooms
  • One Assistant Ditto
  • Two Footmen
  • Three Gardeners
  • Labourer

Besides the ordinary Establishment of Servants , Noblemen and Gentlemen of superior fortune employ Land-Stewards , Bailiffs , Wood wards , Game-Keepers Park-Keepers , Hunts men , Whippers-in , Racing-Grooms , Jockies , and others of inferior capacities : also Men Cooks , Groom of the Chambers , Page , Lady's Coachman , Postillion and Footman , Seam stress , Second Lady's-Maid , Chamber-Maids , Boy for the Steward's Room , another for the Hall , and various other Servants

The following annual wages would be paid at the household establishment of a Country Gentleman with an income of around 16,000-18,000 pounds per annum.

ServantGuineas
House-Keeper24
Female Teacher30
Lady's-Maid20
Head Nurse20
Second Ditto10
Nursery-Maid7
Upper House-Maid15
Under House-Maid14
Kitchen-Maid14
Upper Laundry-Maid14
Under Ditto10
Dairy-Maid8
Second Ditto7
Still-Room Maid9
Scullion9
A French Man-Cook80
Butler50
Coachman28
Footman24
Under Ditto20
Groom-His Liveries and a Gratuity
Lady's Groom12
Nursery-Room Boy , Clothes and a gratuity
Head Game-Keeper 70 Guineas a year, and 13s per Week for Board-Wages ; a Cottage and Firing
Under Ditto, one Guinea per Week
Gardener 40 Guineas a year, and 13s per Week for Board-Wages ; a House and Firing
Assistant Ditto, 12s per Week

The Board Wages of Servants in general , when the family is absent , is 10s . per Week , for the females , and 12s . per Week for males . -Perhaps all the servants on a large establish ment may be reckoned at an average of 10s . per head , per Week , expense , for Board . The Men are allowed a Pot of Ale per day , and the Women a Pint , besides table-beer .

Source: Samuel and Sarah Adams, The Complete Servant: Being A Practical Guide To The Peculiar Duties And Business Of All Descriptions Of Servants, 1825