The Rich
"Noble households had an average of 36 servants and were major employers of valets, coachmen, stable boys, hairdressers, cooks, porters, secretaries, architects,lawyers, doctors, apothecaries, bookkeepers, musicians, tutors, governesses, and a host of others."
"They engaged huge numbers of artisans to maintain and refurbish their houses, repair their carriages, tailor their clothes, and make their wigs and ordered vast quantities of food. The rich noble families analyzed each patronized 1,116 Paris merchants, from roofers to butchers to wood merchants. The economic weight of the nobility was enormous."
Cow wonders if the rich still contribute much to "people" or only to "things"...just purchasing non-local, mass-produced electronics, cars, planes or also supporting local artisans and professionals.
Had Cow not slept through so much of her economics classes, perhaps she'd have the answer.
Moo!
"They engaged huge numbers of artisans to maintain and refurbish their houses, repair their carriages, tailor their clothes, and make their wigs and ordered vast quantities of food. The rich noble families analyzed each patronized 1,116 Paris merchants, from roofers to butchers to wood merchants. The economic weight of the nobility was enormous."
Cow wonders if the rich still contribute much to "people" or only to "things"...just purchasing non-local, mass-produced electronics, cars, planes or also supporting local artisans and professionals.
Had Cow not slept through so much of her economics classes, perhaps she'd have the answer.
Moo!
posted by The Topiary Cow at
12:32 PM
9 Comments:
During the first unpleasantness, when every village in the country was sending its menfolk to the trenches, an official of the War Office was sent to Chatsworth House to ask the Duke of Devonshire why so many of his staff were deemed to be in reserved occupations.
Having allowed His Grace his team of gardeners, footmen, stable boys and the like the official queried why the household required two pastry chefs. The Duke was appalled:
"Good God, man! Surely a fellow is allowed a biscuit!"
Today it must be tennis coaches, personal trainers, interior decorators, etc. No need for full-time staff, apart from the butler or valet or trophy spouse.
There are guys on the street corner now that have their own apothecaries.
Sometimes for the same reasons.
(Cow quickly checking the Downstairs Kitchen and counting the pastry chefs tennis coaches and decorators employed there)...oops.
Moo!
As for you, Doghouse, why, Topiary would know nothing about street corners, of course. Nothing at all. Will take your word for it.
Woof!
What I wouldn't give for a cook and a maid some days ...
Hi Fenella Rampound here on behalf of Mrs Pouncer: Well yes whatever but if you saw the collection of halfwits and inbreds that the Pouncers call "staff" you would be grateful to be just the poor cow you are with like just cud and parsley and whatever, but surely you must have shepherds or dairymaids or whatever from agricultural colleges, sort of morons who couldn't get to do History of Art or Floristry. The Pouncers have got like this diseased old crone festering away in the kitchen making this like blancmange pudding every day, then these two moronic gardeners with like three teeth between them just like pushing a lawn roller around and then this like inbred odd job halfwit who cleans their shoes. I tell you, when I become Chatelaine of Baplers everything's going to change big style. Love love and love Nella xxxx
Here, for your amusement, is a list of staff at the cathedral (in descending order of seniority)
Bishop
Bishop's Chaplain
Bishop's Housekeeper
Bishop's Chauffeur
Bishop's Gardener
Dean
Dean's verger
Dean's secretary
Sub-Dean
Canon Chancellor
Canon Precentor
Chapter Clerk
Chapter Secretary
Cathedral Architect
Masons (several)
Sub-Dean's verger
Chapter verger
Assistant Verger
Cleaners (because the vergers couldn't possibly be expected to, now could they?)
Director of Music (organist)
Assistant Organist
Sub organist
Organ scholar
Choral Vicars (not enough!)
And I'm sure there must be someone that I've missed.
Canon
Nella: Yes. Sure. Whatever. Cool.
Canon: Cow is awed by the magnificence of this 'servant' pool.
Moo!
I like the idea of a Sub Organist. Must be hell, though, when they're on silent running to avoid depth charges.
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