At Your Service ~ Land and House Stewards

Land Steward

Responsible for managing the farms, collecting rents and undertaking all those activities associated with making the estate profitable. This would be a highly-educated gentleman who was regarded not as a servant but a professional employee with a status higher than the family lawyer. In addition to an annual salary of 100-300 pounds ($11,000- $33,000) he would have a private house on the estate.

House Steward

The chief male domestic servant in a household. A House Steward is employed only in larger households where the accounts are too extensive for the Housekeeper to manage. The House Steward has a sitting-room for his duties of household accounting. He may also act as a Land Steward. Those households having Land Stewards give them their own separate dwelling. The House Steward engages men and women servants, with the exception of the family, ladies’ maids, nurses and valet. He pays their wages and dismisses them.  He orders household goods, pays the household bills and keeps the household books. He usually submits the household books to his master once a month for review. He does not wear livery. He is not considered a servant. Reports to the Master of the house. Fifty to 100 pounds ($5,500-$11,000) per year.