Words at Play : 7 Downton Abbey Terms Americans Are Not Familiar With
The term footman originally applied to servants who ran alongside their masters who were on horseback – servants who were literally on foot. This practice changed over time as these servants were required to run before the master's carriage. By the 1700s, the duties of footmen became somewhat less athletic and included assisting the butler serving at table, answering the door, and running errands.
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