What do you call the bloke who announces the guests at a formal event?

[CharDeeMacDennis]

Just that, really. Google is giving me lots of answers but nothing definitive, and I know lots of MNers are well-up on their etiquette / knowledge of the upper echelons of society.

Context: posh military ball in the 19th century.

Many thanks if anyone can help!

Master of ceremonies?

Master of ceremonies? Not all that up on etiquette but that'd be my guess.

I want to say usher but I'm not sure if that is correct.

Compere?

Oh yeah master of ceremonies sounds much more like it.

Definitely master of ceremonies

Toastmaster - there is a whole British Society of Toastmasters. My brother had one at his wedding 25 years ago and the gentleman had the most amazing handlebar moustache!!

He was great as he got people organised way more quickly than the best man and ushers could do.

Yes, or toastmaster.

Toastmaster was the other term that I knew was eluding me!

Thanks all! Toastmaster and MC are in the ballpark, but they feel like bigger roles to me - they'd be at an event where there were other things happening, like speeches or skits or something? TM is particular also feels a bit more contemporary...

The time period is early 19th century, and the person in question is the guy who stands at the entrance and booms out "Lord and Lady Such-and-such and the Earl of Somewhere!" as they go in.

Maybe it was just done by a butler or something

I have been watching Downton Abbey and Carson the butler is the one who announces the guests when they arrive into the room.

Major Domo ?

A gobshite??

Oh God - please go with Aprilshowers suggestion

Master of Ceremonies or Maitre D (short for Maitre d'hotel)

maître d'hôtel
ˌmeɪtrə dəʊˈtɛl,French mɛtʀ dotɛl/
noun
noun: maître d'
1 the head waiter of a restaurant.
◦ the manager of a hotel.

I've just googled, and the only reference I can find to it is at a private party when it was done by a 'servant. I am guessing the butler, as others have suggested.

You could get a town crier

I would love to go with April's suggestion, but suspect I'd get into trouble

Yes, maybe it's just a butler then.

Toastmaster was what immediately sprung to mind. Although my auto correct kept trying to change it to postmaster.

Maitre d

Probably compère.

If the party is in your house, the butler does it, otherwise it's a maitre d'.

Or herald.