Some requirements and etiquette of becoming a housekeeper

Wearing a black dress, a white shirt and a black bow tie, he is polite, considerate and careful, calm and restrained, and arranges things at home in an orderly way without the troubles of his master. Every move represents the etiquette of the upper class. This is the traditional image of British senior butler.

100 years ago, almost every upper-middle class family in Britain had such a housekeeper. After World War II, with the decline of British service industry, senior housekeepers were gradually eliminated. However, they did not quit the stage of history. Today, with the emergence of the super-rich, the industry of senior housekeeper has revived.

These "gentlemen among gentlemen" have become the targets pursued by the world's rich. In the case of short supply, the annual salary can reach 654.38 million pounds. The upstart who made a fortune overnight regards owning a senior housekeeper as a status symbol, hoping to bring aristocratic upbringing to his family and satisfy his vanity in the upper class.

After decades of silence, the British senior butler industry is currently experiencing an "unprecedented revival", and senior butlers are becoming in short supply.

Manage housework and teach manners.

What the rich need is such a senior housekeeper: they are familiar with all the rules of the upper class, can calmly deal with noisy guests, can make those snobbish and annoying upper class women happy, can iron their shirts without wrinkles, can quietly serve food from the guests' left, can keep a bottle of old red wine at a palatable temperature, and can polish silverware spotless and shiny.

There are 5,000 senior butlers in Britain, which is the birthplace of senior butlers. The average annual salary is close to 30,000 pounds, and the highest salary can reach 6,543,800 pounds. Housekeepers working in the British Prime Minister's Office earn 50,000 pounds a year. 100 years ago, there were 50,000 senior butlers in Britain. Every upper-middle class family in Britain has a senior housekeeper to help with the housework.

The second world war destroyed the service industry in Britain, and many senior butlers, footmen, sitting room waitresses and personal footmen changed careers. However, in the past ten years, the senior butler has gained new attention and been given new meanings: the duties of modern senior butler are not limited to those in the past, but have increased the functions of chef, driver, gardener, tailor, sommelier, child guardian and even bodyguard.

In addition, another function of modern senior housekeeper is to blow the wind of decent social etiquette into uneducated families. The upstart who made a fortune overnight is eager to learn all kinds of etiquette details to enter the upper class. "They got rich overnight and really need someone to teach them to live like three generations of nobles." Kathleen Hughes, a British biographer, wrote, "What they need is not servants, but an introductory course on how to become rich."

Chris Murray, the senior housekeeper, is setting the clock. Source: Guangzhou Daily

Hui Ling college training senior housekeeper

"Having a senior housekeeper has now become a status symbol," said Shane Davoren, 49, a senior housekeeper. He pointed out that the current housekeeper is not as clear-cut as in the past, but is actually engaged in the work of "lifestyle manager" and "managing someone's life".

In Britain, there are three famous senior butler training schools. Some young British men can go out to look for jobs after receiving training in these schools for a week or two, and many of them have gone to the United States. Grey Collar College is one of the senior butler training schools. The school's secret weapon is Douglas Jerrod. The 72-year-old housekeeper worked as a housekeeper's assistant in the home of Lord beaverbrook, a famous British publisher, and later as a housekeeper for Archbishop Coventry and media tycoon Murdoch. He is experienced and knows the rules of doing things very well. His disciples are all over the world.

Recently, in order to meet the rising demand for senior butlers, the London City Industry Association and Buckingham Palace jointly launched the first butler qualification certification program in Britain. It is said that the starting salary of certified housekeepers is nearly 30,000 pounds, and the highest salary after entering the UK is 65,438+10,000 pounds.

Murray cleans cars for people. Source: Guangzhou Daily

2 million senior housekeepers in the world

According to the statistics of the British-based International Professional Butler Association, from London in Britain to new york in the United States, from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to Singapore in Asia, rich people all over the world are placing "orders" with senior British butlers, and some even offer an annual salary of 654.38 million pounds.

At present, there are 2 million senior butlers in the world, but according to the data of the International Professional Butler Association, this number "will not exceed the demand even if it doubles". "A new generation of billionaires want to live like the rich in the past, and senior butlers are simply in short supply." Charles mcpherson, vice chairman of the association, said.

The International Professional Butler Association has just sent a housekeeper to the Middle East to manage a palace, employee 153. Recently, a housekeeper was sent to Kazakhstan to serve a billionaire; Another housekeeper who works in the United States not only earns $200,000 a year, but also enjoys free accommodation, medical care and car benefits.