Gabriel - First Footman
Footmen:
Footmen were the ubiquitous method of getting anything done. Footmen announced visitors, served at meals, or may even be tasked with staying in the foyer, ready to open the door, or might each have a section of the house where they simply waited in the halls, ready to run errands or do whatever was needed. There was a hierarchy here as well – some tasks were more desirable than others. Footmen might also accompany a lady when she went shopping, ready to carry her parcels. Pretty much any time that someone pulled the bell rope to summon a servant to get something done, the one who answered was a footman, even if the task then required action by someone else.
As their duties also included elements of the bodyguard or bouncer, footmen tended to be tall and imposing. Since they dealt with visitors, employers also preferred footmen to be good-looking.Physical Description
Apparel & Accessories
Their employers only paid for the uniforms of the footmen—the fancy-dancy livery. The fancier the livery, the more status for the family. They even were given a stipend to pay for the powder for their hair. So the footmen, who made decent money, didn’t have to pay for anything. No wonder they often had a haughty attitude. And if they were over six foot tall? They got paid extra.
Wealth & Financial state
The footmen were paid, roughly, £26 (gp) a year (= about $2,600 today).
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