Karen Kreft, Author at Ticknall Life

The Cook

Of all the servants in a household such as Calke, the Cook was the one that needed to be kept sweet. ‘Acquiring, accommodating

The Governess, 1844, by Richard Redgrave.

The Governess was almost always a well-educated, middle-class young lady. I would stick my neck out here and say that almost no middle-class

If the Butler was the outward sign of a house organised and well run, the Housekeeper was the engine who kept everything running.

William Sutton

Becoming a Butler was the pinnacle of a man’s career in service. Generally, it was the highest-paid role (although Calke demonstrates that was

In Victorian times, if you chose a life of service you accepted a regular wage, hard work, and a place within a strict

Calke Abbey servants, 1910. Image courtesy National Trust.

Why is it that we are so interested in the lives of servants? Quite a high percentage of visitors to Calke Abbey have