Early 20th c. Brit aristocracy

aruna · Apr 6, 2012

I have a few questions, concerning the second son of an Earl and his family.
How would he normally be addressed by others of his status, by servants? How would his wife and daughters be addressed by servants, equals, suitors etc?

firedrake · Apr 6, 2012

Here you go. Debretts

aruna · Apr 6, 2012

Thanks! However, that stops at "How to address the Younger Son of an Earl", and I am mostly interested in the daughter of a younger son of an earl. Would she be "Miss Knight" or "Miss Anne" to other people, non-relatives, servants, etc? Going with my instinct, I would guess at "Miss Knight" by strangers and "Miss Anne" by servants, but my instinct might be wrong...
What about her nanny? Would Nanny, a very close servant, simply call her Anne? He governess?

Shakesbear · Apr 6, 2012

Dhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forms_of_address_in_the_United_Kingdom#Daughters.2C_granddaughters_and_great-granddaughters_of_peersaughters of Earls are addressed as Lady Sarah or whatever their first name was. More detail here:

ULTRAGOTHA · Apr 6, 2012

aruna said:
Thanks! However, that stops at "How to address the Younger Son of an Earl", and I am mostly interested in the daughter of a younger son of an earl. Would she be "Miss Knight" or "Miss Anne" to other people, non-relatives, servants, etc? Going with my instinct, I would guess at "Miss Knight" by strangers and "Miss Anne" by servants, but my instinct might be wrong...
What about her nanny? Would Nanny, a very close servant, simply call her Anne? He governess?

His eldest daughter is "Miss Knight". His other daughters are "Miss Firstname Knight" when addressing them in person by people not in the household. (Miss Knight and Miss Firstname for servants.)

This is for adult children. If the children are still in the school room it might be Miss Firstname for all of them.

(These rules apply to all other non-titled gentry as well.)

aruna · Apr 6, 2012

Thanks all! I guess I've got it now.

blacbird · Apr 6, 2012

As an aside, Victor Hugo provides an acid-dripping satirical chapter in his greatly-neglected novel The Man Who Laughs, in which he elaborates the complex ritual of how to address superiors in English society.

caw

Early 20th c. Brit aristocracy

aruna

On a wing and a prayer

firedrake

practical experience, FTW

aruna

On a wing and a prayer

Shakesbear

knows a hawk from a handsaw

ULTRAGOTHA

Merovingian Superhero

aruna

On a wing and a prayer

blacbird