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Ahousekeeper — also callednecessary woman — is a person responsible for the supervision of a house's cleaning and kitchen staff, particularly being in charge of all female staff. The housekeeper may also perform some light catering and cleaning duties. This female role is on a social parity with that of the malebutler.
In thegreat houses of the eighteenth, nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the housekeeper could be a woman of considerable power in the domestic arena.[citation needed] The housekeeper of times past had her room (or rooms) cleaned by junior staff, her meals prepared and laundry taken care of, and with the butler presided over dinner in theServants' Hall. Unlike most other servants, she was addressed asmistress ormissus regardless of her marital status.
The housekeeper is generally hired by and reports to thelady of the house. The extent to which the housekeeper supervises other staff varies from household to household. In general, the staff of a grand dwelling is divided into departments, with the housekeeper in charge of all the female staff with the possible exception of thekitchen staff, who report to thecook, and the between staff, who may report to thebutler; in these cases the cook and butler reported directly to the lady of the house.
In other households, particularly those of the very wealthy who maintain several residences, the housekeeper is the ultimate head of household staff and may hire and/or fire junior staff, subject to the approval of the lady of the house, and make recommendations for senior staff. In this case, the cook and butler report to the lady of the house through the housekeeper.
The housekeeper, also called anecessary woman, was a position in the UK'scivil service androyal household.[1][2] The duties were menial, housekeeping work such as emptyingchamber pots.[3]
Today's head of household staff in a great house lives in much the same manner, although fewer households can afford large retinues of servants with an elaborate hierarchy.
In developed countries, fewer families can afford live-in help as they once did. Fewer hereditary grand households exist due to increasing costs of running large estates, increased domestic mechanisation requiring less labour, and improvements in education for all children — noticeably making a difference in theinter-war period — though a considerable number do exist in places such as theUnited Kingdom. Fewer families employ staff due to advances in technology and the lack of need to exhibit social status.
In nations where there is still a ready supply of inexpensive labour (e.g. Tanzania), themiddle classes may still be able to afford servants. For these households, the remnant of the once grand position of head housekeeper is often a cook-housekeeper. The modern cook-housekeeper performs cooking and cleaning duties.
In countries such as theUnited States, the United Kingdom, andFrance there has been a rise[when?] in people employing domestic staff.
The following is a list of fictional characters who perform the role of a traditional housekeeper that supervises other servants.
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