1920s: Aristocrats often have extensive family estates in which they live and employ a large staff of house servants, such as butlers, housekeepers, gardeners, cooks, and nannies. Wealth and status are the currencies in the competition to employ the very best servants in England.

1950s: The tradition of the house staff is waning. Some aristocrats and wealthy foreigners with homes in England keep a modest house staff.

Today: The tradition of the house staff is a luxury of the past, with the exception of the very wealthy and royalty. People's lifestyles have changed, and they take advantage of modern conveniences that make keeping up a household easier to do with less domestic help. Housecleaners and gardeners are more likely to work for several different employers and to live in their own homes.

1920s: The experience of World War I has made England eager to...