Regency Priorities for Servants When Waiting on Men
Servants had important task in that they were there to serve their mistresses and masters. However, when accomplishing their duties, they had to serve people according to their rank. This could be tricky if a servant was new, or if they were waiting on a large party and were unfamiliar with the titles of the guests.
Besides serving people according to rank, the servant also had to take into consideration the age of the person being served. This meant the oldest person within a rank was served first and the youngest person within that rank last. For example, if strictly serving the son of Dukes, the oldest son would be served first, the second oldest son next, and so on, with the Duke’s youngest son being served last. These rules of rank also applied when serving tea or providing refreshments in the drawing room after a dinner.
Serving men was usually accomplished in this order, after first serving the King:
- King’s sons
- King’s brothers
- King’s uncles
- King’s grandsons
- King’s nephews
- Archbishop of Canterbury
- Lord High Chancellor
- Archbishop of York
- Lord Treasurer
- Lord President of the Privy Council
- Lord Privy Seal
- Lord High Constable
- Lord Great Chamberlain of England
- Earl Marshal
- Lord High Admiral
- Lord Steward of the Household
- Dukes according to their patents
- Marquesses
- Duke’s eldest sons
- Earls
- Marquesses’ eldest sons
- Dukes’ younger sons
- Viscounts
- Earls’ eldest Sons
- Marquesses’ eldest sons
- Bishop of London
- Bishop of Durham
- Bishop of Winchester
- Bishops according to their seniority of consecration
- Barons
- Speaker of the House of Commons
- Viscounts’ eldest sons
- Earls’ younger sons
- Baron’s eldest sons
- Knights of the Garter
- Privy Counselors
- Chancellor of the Exchequer
- Chancellor the Duchy of Lancaster
- Lord Chief Justice of the King’s Bench
- The Master of the Rolls
- The Vice-Chancellor
- Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
- Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer
- Judges and Barons of the Exchequer according to seniority
- Knights Bannerets royal
- Viscounts’ younger sons
- Barons’ younger sons
- Baronets
- Knights Bannerets
- Knights of the Bath Grand Crosses
- Knights Commanders of the Bath
- Knights Bachelors
- Eldest sons of the eldest sons of Peers
- Baronets’ eldest sons
- Knights of the Garter’s eldest sons
- Bannerets’ eldest sons
- Knights of the Baths’ eldest sons
- Knights’ eldest sons
- Baronets’ younger sons
- Sergeants at Law
- Doctors, Deans, and Chancellors
- Masters in Chancery
- Companions of the Bath
- Esquires of the King’s Body
- Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber
- Esquires of the Knights of the Bath
- Esquires by creation
- Esquires by office or commission
- Younger sons of the Knights of the Garter
- Younger sons of Bannerets
- Younger sons of Knights of the Bath
- Younger sons of Knights Bachelors
- Gentlemen entitled to bear arms
- Clergymen not dignitaries
- Barristers at Law
- Officers of the Navy
- Officers of the Army
- Citizens
- Burgesses
- Married Men and Widowers, served before Single Men of the same rank
If you are interested in regency priorities for servants when waiting on women, click here.