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:

1. King’s sons
2. King’s brothers
3. King’s uncles
4. King’s grandsons
5. King’s nephews
6. Archbishop of Canterbury
7. Lord High Chancellor
8. Archbishop of York
9. Lord Treasurer
10. Lord President of the Privy Council
11. Lord Privy Seal
12. Lord High Constable
13. Lord Great Chamberlain of England
14. Earl Marshal
15. Lord High Admiral
16. Lord Steward of the Household
17. Dukes according to their patents
18. Marquesses
19. Duke’s eldest sons
20. Earls
21. Marquesses’ eldest sons
22. Dukes’ younger sons
23. Viscounts
24. Earls’ eldest Sons
25. Marquesses’ eldest sons
26. Bishop of London
27. Bishop of Durham
28. Bishop of Winchester
29. Bishops according to their seniority of consecration
30. Barons
31. Speaker of the House of Commons
32. Viscounts’ eldest sons
33. Earls’ younger sons
34. Baron’s eldest sons
35. Knights of the Garter
36. Privy Counselors
37. Chancellor of the Exchequer
38. Chancellor the Duchy of Lancaster
39. Lord Chief Justice of the King’s Bench
40. The Master of the Rolls
41. The Vice-Chancellor
42. Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
43. Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer
44. Judges and Barons of the Exchequer according to seniority
45. Knights Bannerets royal
46. Viscounts’ younger sons
47. Barons’ younger sons
48. Baronets
49. Knights Bannerets
50. Knights of the Bath Grand Crosses
51. Knights Commanders of the Bath
52. Knights Bachelors
53. Eldest sons of the eldest sons of Peers
54. Baronets’ eldest sons
55. Knights of the Garter’s eldest sons
56. Bannerets’ eldest sons
57. Knights of the Baths’ eldest sons
58. Knights’ eldest sons
59. Baronets’ younger sons
60. Sergeants at Law
61. Doctors, Deans, and Chancellors
62. Masters in Chancery
63. Companions of the Bath
64. Esquires of the King’s Body
65. Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber
66. Esquires of the Knights of the Bath
67. Esquires by creation
68. Esquires by office or commission
69. Younger sons of the Knights of the Garter
70. Younger sons of Bannerets
71. Younger sons of Knights of the Bath
72. Younger sons of Knights Bachelors
73. Gentlemen entitled to bear arms
74. Clergymen not dignitaries
75. Barristers at Law
76. Officers of the Navy
77. Officers of the Army
78. Citizens
79. Burgesses
80. 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.