This separate staircase kept the family’s living quarters strictly separated from those of the staff, to ensure the maximum of privacy for the family. This separation was a great luxury, but there was also something old-fashioned and 19th-century about it. Staff were a necessity, but they should be seen and not heard. Outside the tradesmen's entrance there was a sign saying “deliveries” and stating that goods could not be delivered at lunchtime or dinnertime when the maids were too busy to come to the door. The door could also be opened using a button from the kitchen above; just about everything was electric in this house. The goods were then placed in the lift and transported upstairs or downstairs.