The history and responsibilities of the chauffeur: Do I need one?
What does a chauffeur do?
A chauffeur drives household residents to and from specified locations. Whether it’s a business meeting, airport run or school drop off, a private chauffeur can provide round-the-clock driving support, whilst also sometimes taking care of the personal security of the employer and family.
Their common duties include caring for prestige and luxury vehicles or vintage cars, planning routes and anticipating needs for pickups, drop-offs, or airport runs, loading and unloading of personal belongings, collecting corporate clients and delivering important documents and files.
Where do chauffeurs originate from?
The term ‘chauffeur’ dates back to 1899 and originates from the French word ‘chaufer’, meaning ‘stoker’. Stokers were people who were employed to shovel coal into the engines of the early steam-powered automobiles
As vehicles were so expensive to own and the maintenance was so difficult, cars were largely only owned by the wealthiest of society, and driven and maintained by a chauffeur.
The modern definition of a ‘chauffeur’ began to take shape once Henry Ford introduced the first mass-produced vehicle, The Model T, in 1908. Although the Model T didn’t use a steam engine, and so wouldn’t need a ‘stoker’, those with the means still preferred to have someone to drive for them- and it became an indication of prestige. By the mid 1910’s, the term chauffeur had come to mean a private driver (rather than someone that shovels coal!) and by the 30s people of means were driven by black-capped private chauffeurs. Since then, the chauffeur has remained a respected and valued addition to private household staff.
“Your master’s fun but your work. Do not forget that though the car is your employer’s hobby or his sport, it is your business in life, and you are there to see that he gets the proper use and enjoyment of it.”
Chauffeur’s Blue Book
Do I need a chauffeur?
If you have a fast-paced lifestyle, having a chauffeur can help alleviate pressure by taking care of your transport needs. They can take all the stress out of a regular professional commute, giving you more time to make important calls or reply to emails en route. In larger and busy households, being chauffeur-driven means that you never have to worry about an important meeting or social event clashing with the school run again!
If you’ve decided to proceed with hiring a chauffeur, use our Stafftax service to cover all your compliance needs including pensions, Contract of Employment and HR advice. With over 15 years of experience and a reputation for excellence, we offer an award-winning service that makes employing domestic staff easy and keeps you legally compliant as an employer.
