Letters to the Editor

Congratulations on the newsletter, very well worded intro letter and the new format looks great. Good to see you keeping at the forefront. PS

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“The Butler is a profession to be respected, but, the Butler should respect another profession…that of the lawyer who should review the employment contract prior to accepting the position. As an attorney for 39 years, I can attest that the best time to discover your boss is [less-than-desirable], is before you start working for him.” WM

Ed: Thank you for the benefit of your experience, Mr. M. I agree for new-to-the-game butlers; more-experienced ones generally know what to look for in a contract but can surely benefit from legal advice, too.

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Concluding the correspondence with Alex Parker for his article on Batman’s Batman:

Alex: Did you know that a “batman” is a 19th-century word for a military officer’s valet? So the phrase “Batman’s Batman” is a double entendre that I didn’t even catch.

Ed: Yes, I did—sorry, I did not realize this was an unknown element. In the 19th and 20th centuries, army batmen provided a feeder-line for private-service valets and even butlers.

The Institute is dedicated to raising service standards by broadly disseminating the mindset and superior service expertise of that time-honored, quintessential service provider, the British Butler, updated with modern people skills, and adapted to the needs of modern employers and guests in staffed homes, luxury hotels, resorts, spas, retirement communities, jets, yachts & cruise ships around the world.