Page (servant)

A group of legislative pages at the Ontario Legislative Building in Toronto, circa 1893.

A page or page boy is traditionally a young male servant, but may also have been used for a messenger at the service of a nobleman or an apprentice knight. The origin of the term is uncertain, but may either from the Latin pagius (servant), possibly linked to peasant or an earlier Greek word παῖς (pais = child)

The medieval page

In medieval times, a page was an attendant to a knight, i.e., an apprentice squire. A young boy served as a page for about seven years, running messages, serving, cleaning, and even learning the basics of combat, and the lord he was working for would usually treat him fairly but they went through intensive training. A page could be generously rewarded if he or she did a great act of service.The lord sometimes gave the page private combat training from the age of seven until he was fourteen. At age fourteen, he could graduate to become a squire, and by age 21, perhaps a knight himself. Similar pages served in castles and great houses, fetching things and running messages for aristocrats and royalty. These boys were often the scions of other great families who were sent to learn the ways of the manorial system by observation. Their residence in the house served as a goodwill gesture between the two families involved and helped them gain political contacts for their adult lives. A reference to this kind of page is found in the Christmas carol Good King Wenceslaus: "Hither, page, and stand by me, if thou know'st it, telling..."

This type of page is almost unheard of today outside of royal residences, although the functions and status of legislative pages are a clear continuation of the earlier role.

The modern household page

Boys of humble background might also gain a similar place in a great house. According to the International Butler Academy, these pages were apprentice footmen. Unlike the hall boys, who did heavy work, these pages performed light odd jobs and were liveried when the aristocrat was entertaining.

The decorative page

During and following the Renaissance it became fashionable for black boys and young men to be decorative pages, placed into fancy costumes and attending fashionable ladies and lords. This custom lasted for several centuries and the "African page" became a staple accoutrement of baroque and rococo style.

Page Boy with silver collar, Dutch 17th century

The character is frequently illustrated in literature and film, particularly periodwork:

• In the Grace Kelly film, To Catch a Thief, an undercover detective wears the costume of her "African page" to a costume ball.
• Valentine Nwanze played an "African page" attending James Graham, Marquess of Montrose in the film Rob Roy.
• "Koko", the fictional manservant of an opera diva, is cast as her African page in A Nut at the Opera by Maurice Vellekoop.
• Decorative pages feature in a drawing room scene in Persuasion.
• In the 2012 historical drama film A Royal Affair Christian VII has an African page boy named Moranti

See also: Lawn jockey

Legislative pages

Many legislative bodies employ student pages as assistants to members of the legislature during session. Legislative pages are secondary school or university students who are unpaid or receive modest stipends. They serve for periods of time ranging from one week to one year, depending on the program. They typically perform small tasks such as running errands, delivering coffee, answering telephones, or assisting a speaker with visual aids. Students typically participate primarily for the educational benefit.

The following examples illustrate the range of legislative page programs:

Canada

• The Canadian House of Commons Page Program employs part-time first-year university students who work roughly 15 hours a week and are paid approximately $12,000 (CDN) for a one-year term. They perform both ceremonial and administrative duties and participate in enrichment activities such as meetings with MPs and government leaders. They also meet with student groups to explain the workings of the House of Commons and their duties as Pages. The Canadian Senate Page Program is similar.
• The Legislative Assembly of Ontario employs 7th and 8th grade students for periods of two to four weeks during the legislative session. Participants must be high-achieving students who take leaves of absence from their schools while they serve as pages. Duties of pages include acting as messengers in the legislative chamber. They also have opportunities to learn about provincial government and the lawmaking process.

United States

• Both houses of the United States Congress have formal page programs. In both the House and Senate programs, pages are high school juniors from throughout the country. The application process is very competitive. Pages serve for periods of several weeks during the summer or for a full school semester during term. They live in dormitories near the Capitol and attend special schools for pages, but are always present on the Senate and House floor during session to assist the proceedings as needed.
• In the Virginia General Assembly the pages range from young males and females 13-15. They assist Senators and Delegates with deliveries and errands.

See also

• Page of Honour
• Slave collar