#A great house: the family

[inky-duchess]

Fantasy Guide to A Great House (19th-20th Century) - The Lives of The Family

When we think of the Victorians, the grand old Gilded Age or the Edwardians, we all think of those big mansions and manors where some of our favourite stories take place. But who lived here and what did their lives too like?

Who are the Family?

The family are the owners of the house. They are the employers of the servants, the caretakers of the house/estate. Since we're discussing a great house family, they are usually upper-middle class or nobility. A family can consist of a couple and their children but since great houses are so large, sometimes extended family members would live with them such as unmarried aunts or widowed mothers.

Roles Within the Family

In this era, the gentleman of the house would be the head of the unit, even if his wife holds their title in her right. They were in charge of hearing the troubles of the tenants, they would meet with representatives from the estate, deal with lawyers and other officials. He would often meet with the butler to discuss the household but would not be totally involved in its day to day running.

The lady of the house was heavily usually involved in the running of the household. She would meet with the cook daily to discuss menus, work with the housekeeper to ensure the smoothing run of the house during and outside events, keep an eye on the household accounts, the stock of supplies and the welfare of the servants. She would be in charge of her daughters' education and would will also be heavily involved with the local charities of the region.

Children lived relatively seperate lives from their parents. They would usually be cared for by nannies, nursemaids or governesses. They would eat seperately, sleep in the nursery and usually be left behind while their parents travel for the Season. Sons may be educated outside the house, usually sent off to boarding school. When they are passed their education, they would move out of the house (unless they were the heir, then they may be expected to stay around) and join high society. Daughters would live at the house until they are married. It's common for unmarried daughters to remain in the household as spinsters, even after the death of their parents. Daughters would be educated in the house by their governess and their mother.

The Daily Schedule

Morning: At 9, the family would be awoken by the arrival of their hot water. Married ladies have the luxury of staying in bed to eat breakfast. Valets and lady's maids would arrive to dress the family after being summoned by the bell. Unmarried women and the men of the house would eat breakfast in the dining room. After breakfast, the couple would withdraw to their business of the day, such as meeting with estate agents or dealing with paperwork. Just before midday, the lady of the house meet chef to discuss menus. The children would go off to their lessons with their governess or tutors. Luncheon would be served at 1. After luncheon, the ladies of the house may travel to appointments such as fittings or paying calls to friends.

Afternoon: Tea would be served around four. After the tea is finished, the children would be brought down to spend time with their parents. With tea finished, the gentleman and lady would finish their work.

Evening: At 8, the butler signals the start of supper giving the family and any staying guests, 15mins or more to get ready. Valets and lady's maids would already be upstairs at this point, helping their master/mistress with dressing. When the family head downstairs, they linger in the drawing room to chat. They would dine together. The ladies would adjourn to the drawing room for coffee and tea while the men stay in the dining room to drink and smoke. When the men have finished, they join the ladies before going up to bed.

Social Aspect of the Great House

One of the main functions of a great house is society. The family would host gatherings in the off season when they aren't in the city for the social season. If one lives in the country, one might be expected to host relatives on hunting/stalking/fishing holidays. All those extra rooms can be let to guests staying the night. Bachelors would be kept on seperate floor from the unmarried daughters with couples rooming together or side by side. The Great House family is expected to be gracious hosts and spare no expense to their visitors. Servants would have to do many times more work and put up with a lot of nonsense because of the added work load.