An usher is a person who welcomes and shows people where to sit, especially at a church, theatre or when attending a wedding. Princess Museum Edmonton Ushers

History

The word comes from the

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

ostiarius An ostiarius, a Latin word sometimes anglicized as ostiary but often literally translated as porter or doorman, originally was a servant or guard posted at the entrance of a building. See also gatekeeper. In the Roman Catholic Church, this "por ...

'' ("porter", "doorman") through Norman French, and is a cognate of the French ''

huissier The French word ''huissier'' (" doorman", from ''huis'', an archaic term for a door) designates ceremonial offices in France and Switzerland. France In French government ministries and Parliament, a ''huissier'', which can be translated as u ...

''. Ushers were servants or

courtier A courtier () is a person who attends the royal court of a monarch or other royalty. The earliest historical examples of courtiers were part of the retinues of rulers. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the official r ...

s who showed or ushered visitors in and out of meetings in large houses or palaces. In the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

, a variety of titles for courtiers in the Royal Household include the word ''usher''. In

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

and

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

, from the early sixteenth century until at least the end of the nineteenth century, the term denoted an assistant to a schoolmaster or head-teacher; an under-master, assistant-master. In such use, however, the term is now rare.

Duties

Ushers assist visitors by formally showing the way in a large building or to their appropriate seats. This may coincide with a security role. At weddings, friends of the groom and bride may be recruited to direct guests at the ceremony, and generally be available for assistance. In churches at the beginning of service, ushers welcome, greet and assist people to their desired or available pews. Ushers operate as Security and maintain order. Additional duties include collecting of the offertory and Communion escort if the ushers belong to a

Ministry Ministry may refer to: Government * Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister * Ministry (government department), a department of a government Religion * Christian ...

within the church. Ushers help those in attendance at entertainment and sporting events in theatres and stadiums. Duties include checking tickets, directing people to their assigned seats, distributing programmes, answering questions and assisting people in finding restrooms and refreshments. According to the

United States Department of Labor The United States Department of Labor (DOL) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government. It is responsible for the administration of federal laws governing occupational safety and health, wage and hour standards, unemploym ...

, ushers, lobby attendants and ticket takers earn an average wage of $8.41 an hour and $17,500 a year. Approximately 102,000 are employed in this line of work. Most of these workers are employed by the motion picture and video industries, secondly they work in the performing arts and sporting events venues. Other jobs also come under the name 'Usher', such as baseball field personnel. A field usher coordinates not only the baseball diamond grounds but also the stadium itself. Ushers are also expected to help with security and to ensure that only people with proper authority have access to backstage areas. Ushers also monitor the crowds and can summon security when needed. In

cinema Cinema may refer to: Film * Cinematography, the art of motion-picture photography * Film or movie, a series of still images that create the illusion of a moving image ** Film industry, the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking ...

s and theaters, it was common for ushers to check tickets and show people to their seats to watch the film being shown. If actually during the film, when lights were dimmed, the usher would shine a

torch A torch is a stick with combustible material at one end, which is ignited and used as a light source. Torches have been used throughout history, and are still used in processions, symbolic and religious events, and in juggling entertainment. In ...

to light the row of seating in question.

References

{{reflist Theatrical occupations