Good morning and welcome to Brodsworth Hall.
I am the butler here.
My name is David Chuck.
But you can call me Mr Chuck.
The master of this house, Mr Thellusson
is currently returning from a yachting expedition, but I am told
that you have some questions for me, and I am prepared to answer them,
providing you keep a respectful tone and do sit up straight.
Straighter than that please.
Very good. Now, who's first?
Hello, I'm Khaseem and I'm 11 years old.
Pleased to meet you.
What is your question?
What is a butler and what does one do?
Simply put, it's my job to attend to Mr. Thellusson and his family's every need.
Now, that could include answering the door to guests.
That could mean delivering messages.
That can mean making certain
that the larder and the wine cellar are all fully stocked.
At every meal I supervise service.
I must remain vigilant to make certain
that every guest's wine glass is filled when required.
And of course, I must bring extra bottles up from the wine cellar when required.
The wine cellar, to which I keep the key.
Maintaining Brodsworth Hall is a matter of personal pride
for every member of the household, from the footman
right up to the housekeeper and myself.
The very highest standards are set
and if those standards are not met,
then it's up to me to rectify the situation.
And Mr. Thellusson has entrusted me with one of his most precious purchases,
his stunning collection of silverware.
There are 42 separate pieces.
And it's my job to keep them clean, to polish them up,
to place them on the table when such an event calls for it of course.
Once the silver is cleared, I clean it again to a sparkling finish
and then lock it securely in a cupboard, to which, again
I have the only key.
In truth, I don't think a butler's work is ever done for I
am at Mr Thellusson's beck and call every hour of the day.
Thank you, Mr. Chuck. Goodbye.
You're very welcome.
Now, if you will excuse me,
I must be about my checks, so I shall meet you in the dining room.
Oh, hello there.
Welcome to the dining room.
Now, who has another question for me?
Hello, I'm Simi and I'm 11 years old.
Hello there. What's your question?
Who owns this house?
Well, this house is owned by Mr. Charles Sabine Augustus Thellusson.
He inherited the place in 1859, but well,
you'd hardly recognize that property with the building that stands here today.
You see, he had the original hall knocked down and had this magnificent,
more modern building built in its place with all of the finest furnishings
and the most delicate decorations
and all of the latest modern appliances and conveniences.
For example, we have gas lighting.
I know it's good, isn't it?
You're going to have light at a moment's notice and all fueled
by the gas works right here on the estate.
Due to the fine quality of the textiles and the fabrics on the furnishings,
you'll often see that the curtains are drawn, or at least shades
drawn down across them to protect the fabric from harsh sunlight.
Likewise, you'll sometimes see that the furniture
is covered over with dust covers when it's not in use.
The house was designed by
Mr Phillip Wilkinson, an architect from London.
Now he used limestone quarried right here on the estate
and some from further afield.
He also used some of the original stonework from the original hall.
We're standing right here in the dining room but Brodsworth Hall
also has a drawing room, billiards room, a library.
In the summer – well in a good summer, at least,
we could even hold events outside in the gardens that surround the hall.
There are more than 50 rooms in the place,
including at least 15 bedrooms for the family and their guests.
And that's not even to mention the servants' bedrooms,
including my bedroom, because, of course, I live here as well.
Thank you, Mr. Chuck, goodbye.
You're very welcome.
Now, you must excuse me, because I do have work to be doing.
Perhaps I'll see you in the servants' quarters.
Oh, hello again.
More questions, is it?
Come on. Don't be shy.
We're below stairs here, so no need to be quite so formal.
Hello, my name is Chloe and I'm eight years old.
Well, hello there.
What's your question?
Who are you in charge of?
Right. Well, the majority of the household staff fall under the command of either myself
as the butler or of the housekeeper, Mrs. Hay.
Let's see - there is the cook, there's the kitchen maid, there's the two nurses for
Mr and Mrs. Thellusson's children.
There's all of the gardeners and the ground staff,
but they're not actually under my command.
I'm not in charge of them.
And then, of course, I have particular responsibility for the footmen.
The footmen. Three of them.
And I tell them that I expect the very highest standards
of service and quality for the Thellussons.
But I'll be honest with you.
It's not unknown for them to try and take shortcuts on their duties
or even avoid their duties altogether.
I think I don't know, but I do.
And I take note of every infraction
Still, overseeing all of these staff,
along with my own duties and making certain that the Thellussons,
every needs are met and kept a very, very busy.
every needs are met,
Thank you. Goodbye.
You're very welcome.
Now, shall we move on to the dressing room?
Hello again. Still with us I see.
I say anyone would wonder whether you're looking for a job in service yourself.
What's your name?
Hello, I'm Jack, and I'm 13 years old.
And do you have a question for me?
Why do you live?
Well, I don't live in this room, that's for certain.
Now, you've already visited me in the butler's pantry,
and that's perfectly placed for me to do my job.
It's close to the servants' quarters.
It's close to the wine cellar and it's close to the front door.
So I can answer the bell should visitors come calling.
My bedroom is also in the servants wing,
similarly situated, so I can answer the family's needs at a moment's notice.
The perks of having a slightly larger bedroom
and of course, a private pantry also come, of course, with extra responsibilities.
That means I have to look after the Thellusson family and answer
Mr Thellusson's needs at any time of day or night,
which is, of course, my pleasure and my privilege.
Thank you, Mr. Chuck, goodbye.
Now, you really must excuse me.
Master Thellusson willl be back at any time
and he will doubtless be requiring my assistance, so goodbye.