Servants' Rules Board
Category
Household and miscellaneous
Date
circa 1830 - circa 1880
Materials
Oil paint, Wood
Measurements
800 x 1900 mm
Order this imageCollection
Cotehele, Cornwall
NT 348076
Summary
Large wooden board painted with rules for servants, acquired from Honicombe House by Michael Trinick in the 1950s. '...No Man Servant to enter the kitchen or any part of the Old House except the Footman or any Servant in Waiting on the Parlour or Gardener with fruit or Garden Stuff on forfeiting six pence to the Cook & Six pence to the Box. Each Man Servant to clean the Hall every day after every meal to wash the Hall clean on Saturdays & to be particular in making out the fire & putting the ashes up every evening or forfeit sixpence / No wood to be cut up in the Hall on forfeit twopence. All Glass broke to be paid for by the whole unless the offender be found out. Each person who Swears to forfeit one penny for every oath. If any Servant or Servants while on Master or Mistress business or out with them be drunk he or they to forfeit five Shillings ...' (full transcription held at property).
Full description
Transcription of Rules to be Strictly Observed, by Jane Evans: No noise or abuse whatever under forfeit of 1s each of the offenders. To be regular at meals and no hats to be worn in the hall. No tea or butter to be allowed or used unless Illness & then to be brought to the sick Person. No luncheons to be allowed whatever. The cook to help the meat. Every Person to produce a clean knife fork & spoon or forfeit one penny to the Box. To get up in Summer by half past five & in Winter by day light or forfeit two pence to the Box for each offence. All work in the Stables to be done before Breakfast, Breakfast to be on Table by eight from Ladayday [sic] to Mich. & nine from Mich. to Ladayday. Dinner to be on Table all the year by half past one O Clock & every person to appear clean & neat. Stable Men to wear their riding frocks no hatts to be worn in the House on penny forfeit. Supper to be on Table by half past eight in Winter & nine O Clock in Summer & every Man belonging to the Hall to go to bed by ten in winter & half past ten in Summer unless ordered, or the Groom when company is in the House, to deliver the Horses or Carriages, or forfeit Sixpence. Those that do not attend their Meats regular unless being sent on business or out with their Master, Mistress, or company, to go without them, no waiting for any person the Table and Hall to be cleaned & every person to go about their respective business by half past two O Clock or forfeit two pence. That the Men at breakfast be allowed one pint of Beer or Cyder each, at Dinner & Supper Men & Maids a pint each and Strangers a quart, no other drinking whatever in the Hall or any other part of the House or out Houses under one Shilling forfeit to each offenders. That the Cook or House maid put three clean Table Cloths & delivers three clean knife Cloths & three Runners aweek, & if any person who takes the runners from their place or wipes their knifes or forks or any dirty thing in the Table Cloths to forfeit one penny for each offence. No Man Servant to enter the kitchen or any part of the Old House except the Footman or any Servant in Waiting on the Parlour or Gardener with fruit or Garden Stuff on forfeiting six pence to the Cook & Six pence to the Box. Each Man Servant to clean the Hall every day after every meal to wash the Hall clean on Saturdays & to be particular in making out the fire & putting the ashes up every evening or forfeit sixpence. No wood to be cut up in the Hall on forfeit twopence. All Glass broke to be paid for by the whole unless the offender be found out. Each person who Swears to forfeit one penny for every oath. If any Servant or Servants while on Master or Mistress business or out with them be drunk he or they to forfeit five Shillings. No Servant to quit the House eyen for an hour without leave on pain of forfeiting half crown. No leave to be given on Sundays or Friends to visit & All, except those who are ordered to stay home or sent on particular business To attend Church regular & be dressed by half past ten O Clock. All attend Prayers clean whenever ordered. If any Servant or other Person comes or is sent to the House it is not to hinder any servant belonging to the Stables or Farm to come in with them, & whoever breaks this Rule shall forfeit three pence to the Box All unpaid forfeits to be returned to the Master once a Month, when the paid forfeits will be deducted out of each offenders wages put into the Box & If the Money in the Box do not answer to the forfeits to be paid by the whole unless the Person who did not pay be found out. A Book to be kept in the Hall & every forfeit to be entered therein with the offenders name opposite. All the Money arising from the forfeits to be divided between those that can prove they have not broke the Rule more than three times within the year, & if they have been broke oftener by every Person the Money to be disposed of as the Master or Mistress thinks right. Whoever defaces or spoils these Rules shall forfeit one Guinea to the Poor & if the offender be not found out in one week after the offence then the forfeit to be paid by the Whole. Whoever breaks open the Box committs felony.
Provenance
from Honicombe, home of Ernestine Edgcumbe 1905-1925. Purchased by Michael Trinick c.1960. These rules may have originated from Cotehele.