Charles MacPherson, a former chief butler and founder of a butler training school, shares invaluable household management tips drawn from his extensive experience. He dives into the evolution of domestic service, explaining its decline and resurgence. MacPherson emphasizes the importance of a 'butler's book' for home organization, offers surprising cleaning tips, and highlights often-overlooked tasks like dishwasher maintenance. He also discusses the benefits of a systematic cleaning approach and how to effectively manage household essentials for a well-run home.
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insights INSIGHT
History of Domestic Service
Domestic service, once the second largest employer in the UK, declined in the mid-20th century due to modern conveniences.
It has resurged since the 1980s due to increased wealth concentration, becoming a lucrative career.
insights INSIGHT
Professionalism in Domestic Service
19th and early 20th-century butlers and domestic servants authored detailed guides, demonstrating their professionalism.
Mrs. Beeton's 1861 "Book of Household Management," considered the first self-help book, taught the rising middle class household management.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Entering the Butlering Profession
Charles MacPherson's entry into butlering began with a chance encounter with a wealthy family while he was in the catering business.
His employer taught him the intricacies of butlering, from driving etiquette to stain removal, and he quickly rose to the position of major-domo.
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Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management is a Victorian classic that provides extensive advice on managing a household. It includes sections on cookery, household organization, the responsibilities of various servants, budgeting for meals, medical advice, and legal matters related to household management. The book contains over 1800 recipes and practical information on topics such as animal husbandry and childcare. It was originally published in 24 newspaper columns from 1859 to 1861 and later compiled into a single volume in 1861.
The Butler Speaks
A Return to Proper Etiquette, Stylish Entertaining, and the Art of Good Housekeeping
Charles MacPherson
In 'The Butler Speaks', Charles MacPherson provides a beautifully illustrated guide to proper etiquette and stylish entertaining. The book covers topics such as the history of service, types of butlers, hosting dinner parties, table settings, and modern table manners. It also includes practical tips on housekeeping, making it a valuable resource for anyone looking to refine their home management skills.
It's a tough job to manage a household. Things need to be regularly fixed, maintained, and cleaned. How do you stay on top of these tasks in order to keep your home in tip-top shape?
My guest knows his way all around this issue and has some field-tested, insider advice to offer. Charles MacPherson spent two decades as the major-domo or chief butler of a grand household. He's also the founder of North America's only registered school for butlers and household managers and the author of several books drawn from his butlering experience, including The Butler Speaks: A Return to Proper Etiquette, Stylish Entertaining, and the Art of Good Housekeeping.
In the first part of our conversation, Charles charts the history of domestic service and describes why the practice of having servants like a butler and maid ebbed in the mid-20th century but has made a comeback today. We then turn to what average folks who don't have a household staff can do to better manage their homes. Charles recommends keeping something called a "butler's book" to stay on top of household schedules and maintenance checklists. We then discuss how to clean your home more logically and efficiently. Charles shares his golden rules of house cleaning, the cleaning task you've probably neglected (hint: go take a look at the side of the door on your dishwasher), his surprising choice for the best product to use to clean your shower, how often you should change your bedsheets, and much more.
The Art of Manliness 
