Working in service - respected or shameful?

Hi all

I was wondering - was working in service considered one of the lowest forms of employ, or was it well respected?

I can see that labourers were considered less (when Molesley works on the rails for example). Sometimes it seems that those in service are proud of it, and other times it seems sort of shameful…so what was the opinion on service work, in comparison to other opportunities (such as farmer etc.)?