What the Butler Saw

The book delves into the 'upstairs/downstairs' dynamic in English society over three centuries, highlighting the evolving relationship between the upper classes and their household staff. It utilizes literature, contemporary accounts, and household manuals to illustrate how the upper classes increasingly relied on a larger staff to manage various forms of domestic labor. This exploration reveals the social and cultural implications of this dependence on service and the changing perceptions of class and labor throughout history.