Originally published in 1827, Roberts' Guide for Butlers and Other Household Staff was a handbook for servants to perform their duties more efficiently and thoughtfully. Roberts gives a plethora of information about household duties of a butler like:

How to dress suitably for work
Regulations for the dinner table
Directions for cleaning tea trays
Giving Britannia metal a brilliant polish
Preserving fruits for the year
Addressing and behaving properly around your employer
And many more insights

Roberts provides information on how to make the best-tasting lemonade; preserving good wine for years; not passing judgments on the other servants; never letting your master ring the bell for you twice; cleaning dirty tables with a mix of milk, turpentine, and sweet oil; rubbing off rust with salad oil and lime; and other useful tidbits for the curious butler. This is a fascinating look behind the scenes of household help and will delight any nineteenth century enthusiast.

A comprehensive volume with detailed illustrations.

About the Author
Robert Roberts: Robert Roberts (1780 1860) was the author of The House Servant's Directory: A Monitor for Private Families, which was the first commercially published book written by an African American in the United States. In 1825 he became the butler for Christopher Gore, a governor and senator from Massachusetts, and remained in the position until Gore's death in 1827.


Book Information
ISBN 9781628737592
Author Robert Roberts
Format Paperback
Page Count 192
Imprint Skyhorse Publishing
Publisher Skyhorse Publishing
Weight(grams) 215g
Dimensions(mm) 178mm * 127mm * 15mm