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A large majority of working-class girls in Victorian England entered
domestic service at a young age. Many began searching for placement by the
time they had reached the age of twelve or thirteen, and by mid-century, the
age when girls began searching for placement dropped to even younger ages,
some girls were as young as eight years old when they first hired on! Most
domestic servants were from a rural background because country boys and
girls were considered more manageable and adaptable, as well as harder
working than urban children.
The young servant’s first position was usually in a local country household before being placed into service in an urban household some 20-30 miles away because most employers did not wish to take into employment domestics from their own immediate area. They feared the young girls would take gossip about the family back to the local community; or they might have suitors following after them; or they might, at the first opportunity, run away back to their own homes. It would be in this first position where a young girl could gain a little experience by helping with household chores, cooking, or taking care of children.
As noted in the 1871 census, almost 20% of all “nurses” in full-time domestic service were under the age of 15. In fact, on the 1871 census, there were 710 girls listed that were employed as nurses, who were under the age of ten!
For
most of these very young girls, life away from their own homes would be very
different for them. These first insignificant positions taught
the girls some of the strict household standards they could expect in their
future placements. Even in the most unpretentious middle-class home,
life was apt to be undeniably more demanding than they had experienced in
their own cramped and impecunious living situation. Many of these
children would be placed in homes without even knowing the proper names of
and uses for the common kitchen utensils and pieces of furniture that they
would be expected to clean. For most, this lack of knowledge was
simply due to having never seen or used these items in their own lives, and
this particular difficulty was most evident when children who came from
orphanages and workhouses were placed into services. Although these
youngsters were no strangers to hard work (having been expected to scrub
floors, walls, and clean heavy rough wooden furniture in the orphanage),
they had not a clue about the handling of expensive and delicate china
pieces, or how to balance a tea tray, etc. Sometimes the girls were
just considered “stupid” because they were unfamiliar with the precious
items found in even the humblest of middle-class homes. Because of
this, it was not uncommon for “better” families to avoid hiring
workhouse girls. Typically, it was among artisans, small shopkeepers, and
other employers where these young girls were most likely to find work.
As soon as a servant had received his or her placement, the daily rounds of hard work immediately began. Hard work was, of course, the only way in which to accomplish the cleaning of a Victorian home.
Specific tasks were carried out, as defined by the strict , yet necessary daily routines of each staff member.
Each individual position carried its own list of expectations, which the servant was required to meet.
An advert from a newspaper from the 1800's
Here is an example of some of the rules that the servants had to follow
1 - When being spoken to, stand still, keeping your hands quiet, and always look at the person speaking.
2 - Never let your voice be heard by the ladies and gentlemen of the household, unless they have spoken directly to you a question or statement which requires a response, at which time, speak as little as possible.
3 - In the presence of your mistress, never speak to another servant or person of your own rank, or to a child, unless only for necessity, and then as little as possible and as quietly as possible.
4 - Never begin to talk to the ladies or gentlemen, unless to deliver a message or to ask a necessary question, and then, do it in as few words as possible.
5 - Whenever possible, items that have been dropped, such as spectacles or handkerchiefs, and other small items, should be returned to their owners on a salver.
6 - Always respond when you have received an order, and always use the proper address: “Sir”, “Ma’am”, “Miss” or “Mrs,” as the case may be.
7
- Never offer your opinion to your employer.
8 - Always “give room”: that is, if you encounter one of your
betters in the house or on the stairs, you are to make yourself as invisible
as possible, turning yourself toward the wall and averting your eyes.
9 - Except in reply to a salutation offered, never say “good morning” or “good night” to your employer.
10 - If you are required to walk with a lady or gentleman in order to carry packages, or for any other reason, always keep a few paces back.
11 - You are expected to be punctual to your place at mealtime
12 - You shall not receive any Relative, Visitor or Friend into the house, nor shall you introduce any person into the Servant’s Hall, without the consent of the Butler or Housekeeper.
13 - Followers are strictly forbidden. Any member of the female staff who is found to be fraternizing shall be immediately dismissed.
14
- Expect that any breakages or damages in the house shall be deducted from
your wages.
Female Servants Wages
In Victorian times, live-in servants, who had all their expenses (food, lodging, clothes etc) taken care of, earned as little as £10 a year, (which is only the equivalent of £77 in today's money).
Because most mistresses preferred their personal maids to be young (and this was reflected by the lady’s maid’s salary growing smaller each year she grew older)
Here is a list of the average wages of female servants - These figures were collected by the Board of Trade in the 1890's.
| Age | Annual Wage | |
| Between Maid | 19 | £10 - 7s |
| Scullery Maid | 19 | £13 |
| Kitchen Maid | 20 | £15 |
| Housemaid | 21 - 25 | £16 - 2s |
| Parlour Maid | 25 - 30 | £20 - 6s |
| Cook | 25 - 30 | £20 - 2s |
| Lady's Maid | 30 - 36 | £24 - 7s |
| Cook / Housekeeper | 40 | £35 - 6s |
| Housekeeper | 40 | £52 - 5s |
In 1888 Butlers earned £45 per annum and had no expenses except clothes. They would make up their income from such perks as tradesman offering discounts to receive continued orders. Butlers would also collect the end of candles and one bottle of wine for every six opened.
The Servants Social Life
In the early 1800s, servants slept in the kitchen or in cupboards under the stairs. Later in the century, they were given the attics as bedrooms, which were cold, damp and dimly lit. Often, however, men continued to sleep downstairs to guard the plate.
After 1900, steps were made toward improving the condition of servants’ rooms, mostly in an attempt to make going into service more attractive to young girls, but employers still forbade their domestic staff from displaying in their rooms any pictures or decorations, and other personal belongings. In addition, they assumed the right to search through their servants’ belongings whenever they chose. Employers were instructed - “a servant’s bedroom should have as few articles in it as are consistent with comfort”. This meant that the limited furnishings in a servant’s room might only include a simple, small wooden bed; a wooden ladder-back chair; a simple dresser; and a basic washstand.
Like the servants' bedrooms, furnishings in the Servants’ Hall were simple and in ornate, as well, consisting only of the basics and essentials. There would have been a large central table with ladder-back chairs all around, perhaps some dressers along the walls, and light was provided by candles or oil and kerosene lamps. Although most large Victorian household utilized gas lighting, it was reserved for use “Upstairs”.
Of course there was a large open fire in the Servants’ Hall, which kept the domestic staff warm, if and when they found a moment to gather in front of it. The daily work of servants was strenuous and laborious, and the hours were long, but for many domestics, in spite of an exhausting workload, life was not always melancholy and woe. There were pleasures to be had at times, and there were moments of joy and contentment.
One
of the most common and difficult obstacles for servants to overcome was the
loneliness and isolation they felt. For most servants, “social life
below stairs” was restricted to contact only with one or two fellow
servants, or possibly extended to include a couple of delivery men who came
to the house on a regular weekly basis. Despite the often boring and
frequently frustrating nature of their positions, most servants took pride
in their work, and provided efficient and skilful services to their
employers. Still, their work was monotonous, and most often,
thankless. Because of this, any type of entertainment, leisure activities,
or time off was greatly appreciated by the staff.
In the earlier part of the century, servants were given no regular time off,
but had to ask permission for even short periods of personal time, which of
course, was typically frowned upon by their employers.
Sometimes time off was given as a reward for good work done, but could just as easily be taken away as punishment. By the 1880s, servants were given a half-day off on Sundays, starting after lunch (and only if all their chores for that morning had been completed), and they were usually given one day off each month, starting after breakfast, and again, their chores all had to be finished first.
By about 1900, an evening a week was added for many servants, but this took place more often in households with more than one servant so that they could “cover” for each other.
By
the 1890s, servants also received one week’s holiday per year (in later
years this increased to two weeks), and because home-sickness and loneliness
were so prevalent among servants, many tried to save up all year long in
order to afford the train fare home during this break. The cost of
travel meant that many servants might not see their friends and families for
several months or even years!
In
many households there was a strict rule against servants having visitors,
but in most cases, callers continued to make covert visits, especially when
the master or mistress was not at home.
Indeed,
when “no one was looking” there existed, especially in larger houses, a
special pleasure below stairs known as “The High Life”. This was
the time when servants (especially the male staff) played cards, (and
sometimes even, when their bookmakers visited). This was the time when the
domestic staff had pillow fights; when there was laughter; when there was
music, fiddling, piano-playing, dancing and singing; when some servants got
drunk; when some played practical jokes on each other, and some flirted with
each other—and when some even went as far as to “cohabitate” with each
other.
Although many employers felt they were all too generous by allowing their
servants any leisure time at all, many were kind hearted enough to ensure
some simple pleasures for their staff, such as a sunny sitting room for
reading, for example, or a piano in the servants’ hall.
On
their days off servants would go out for walks; visit friends and relatives;
go to tea gardens or into the city to music halls. But, the
ever-strict requirement that they be back on duty at 9 or 10 o’clock p.m.
frequently cut their leisure time short, and because employers enforced a
“no followers” rule, female employees always
had to meet their boyfriends secretly.
Naturally there were cases, especially in larger households, when unions were made between female and male staff members. Should the relationship have become known, however, one or both of the employees would have been dismissed. Granted, there are documented exceptions to this rule, sometimes with the servants even gaining the approval and encouragement of their employers, but for the most part, breaking the “no followers rule” generally carried severe penalties for domestics, especially when the rule was broken with fellow employees.
A
great majority of female domestic servants did get married, of course.
On the average, they were about 25 years old when they married. By the time
of marriage, they had, on average, been in service for some twelve years,
and had been placed in between three to five situations. Once they
married, however, girls who had been in domestic service found few ways in
which to earn money. They could not go back to their jobs as live-in
servants, because they were married, and were now expected to care for their
husband and children.
Attitudes regarding domestic service began changing toward the end of the 19th century, but even by 1911, domestic service was still considered the largest employer for women and girls.
There
were, of course, by far fewer servants in proportion to families in the
1900s than there had been in the 1880s.
A Victorian Kitchen A Victorian Kitchen Range
Always
referred to as “Mrs.” by the other servants, whether she was married or
not, the housekeeper was second in command of the household, and was the
immediate representative of her mistress. It was necessary for the
housekeeper to have an understanding of accounts. She was expected to
keep an account book where she accurately and precisely noted all sums paid
for any and every purpose, the current expenses of the house, tradesmen’s
bills, etc. These accounts were balanced and examined by the Mistress.
The housekeeper was responsible for maintaining order in the house and directing the female staff. She allocated duties and made sure that they were satisfactorily completed. In addition to overseeing the female staff, the housekeeper was also in charge of the household linens. She kept inventory, and made sure that the family and staff always had a clean supply of linens and bedding. The housekeeper was responsible for the inventory of other household necessities, such as soap and candles, sugar, flour and spices. As well, she supervised the china closet and the stillroom department, where cordials and preserves were made and stored. In addition, she was to see that all the furniture in the house was cleaned and polished, and she attended to all the necessary marketing details, and ordering goods from the tradesmen.
The Lady’s Maid was hired by and reported directly to the mistress of the house, rather than the Housekeeper. Because her position necessitated a close proximity to her mistress, the lady’s maid was often mistrusted and generally disliked by the lower servants, who possibly felt that she was haughty, or might “tattle” on them. Often, this treatment of the lady’s maid caused her to feel isolated, as if she didn’t quite fit into either world: her position allowed privileges of comfort and luxury not enjoyed by the lower servants, yet no matter how high-ranking her position was, her station remained among the “poor domestic servants”.
To
qualify for the position, the lady’s maid was to be neat in appearance;
have stronger verbal skills; be pleasant; be able to read and write well; be
proficient with her needle and handwork; and was expected to tell the truth,
without gossiping. Honesty was an absolute necessity, as the lady’s
maid would be handling her mistress’ clothing, jewels and personal items.
The daily duties of the Lady’s Maid included helping her mistress dress
and undress, and maintaining her mistress’ wardrobe, including laundering
the most delicate items and using her dressmaking skills to create new
articles of clothing for any and all occasions. In addition, the lady’s
maid prepared beauty lotions for her mistress’ delicate skin, and she
styled her mistress’ hair.
Although the tasks and duties of the Lady’s Maid were not as physically taxing as those of the lower servants, she was most definitely at her mistress’ bidding—all day, every day—and she maintained a certain fear of losing her place as she aged. Because most mistresses preferred their personal maids to be young (and this was reflected by the lady’s maid’s salary growing smaller each year she grew older), unless the position of “Housekeeper” became available and she could step into it, (although this method of promotion was not very popular with the other servants), the future of the middle-aged lady’s maid was indeed grim.
A
professed cook would not do any general housecleaning, nor any ‘plain
cooking’, and her ingredients would generally be prepared for her by the
kitchen staff. In larger homes, where there was a “Professed Cook”,
she was assisted by both kitchen maids and scullery-maids, whose duties
included lighting the kitchen fires early in the morning, and cleaning the
kitchen for Cook’s use during the day. In some households, it was
the responsibility of the senior kitchen maid to cook meals for other
servants, while Cook focused her attention on provisions for the household
“above stairs.
The busiest times of the day for the cook were the morning and the early
evening. In the morning hours, Cook would first meet with the mistress
of the house for her to re- view and approve menus, then she would prepare
soup for the following day, as soup was “not usually meant to be eaten the
same day it was made”. Next, Cook would prepare the jellies,
pastries, creams and entrées required for the evening meal, and then
luncheon was prepared for those “above stairs”. The afternoon
hours allowed Cook a little bit of down time, unless guests were staying in
the house, or if a dinner party was to be held. Then, on such
occasions as these, servants found no time for rest. The hours between 5:00
p.m. and 10:00 p.m. were extremely hectic for Cook. Once dinner had been
served, Cook’s work for the day was finished, and the remainder of the
clean up and chores fell to the kitchen maids and scullery maids.
These remaining chores, in and of themselves, were extremely laborious, as a
full dinner for 18 people could easily produce some 500 separate items of
china, glassware, kitchenware and cutlery that needed to be cleaned
The
“Plain Cook”, unlike the aforementioned “professed cook”, would have
general housekeeping duties to perform, many which were not related to
cooking at all, especially in households where there were no kitchen or
scullery maids. She might be expected to dust and sweep the dining
room or parlor, light the fires, sweep the front hall and/or door-step, and
even clean the grates—all in addition to maintaining the work of the
kitchen. She would need to rise early, 6:00 in the summer months, and
6:30 in the winter, to light the kitchen fire, and then complete all her
work upstairs before cooking breakfast. Plain Cooks were usually expected to
only cook simple meals. For example, for luncheon, she might serve a
joint of meat, vegetables and pudding. For dinner, she would prepare
much the same meal, or she might vary it by serving fish, vegetables,
potatoes and tarts.
Following dinner, the plain cook would need to clean the dishes, and scour tables and kitchen counters, and perhaps mop the kitchen floor so that it would be clean for the next morning. These were all tasks that the scullery maid would typically perform, but in a household where there was no scullery maid, these chores were left to the plain cook. She was to see to it that all these duties were completed before going to bed, and finally, it was her responsibility to see that the kitchen fires had burnt low; that the gas (in homes that had gas) in the kitchen and passages was turned off; and that the basement doors and windows were securely fastened. At last, she could retire for the night.
Under the supervision of the Housekeeper, there were several house maid positions, including parlour maids, chambermaids, laundry maids, still-room maids, “between maids”- these maids performed double-duty as both kitchen and housemaid, and maids-of-all-work. These were the employees who really maintained the house.
Each
had their own set of duties and responsibilities, which included lighting
fires and keeping them stoked, bringing up clean hot water for washing and
bathing, and removing the dirty water after (four times a day—before
breakfast, at noon, before dinner, and at bedtime); emptying and cleaning
chamber pots; thoroughly cleaning all the public rooms of the house, making
beds, sweeping, dusting and cleaning the bedrooms, as well as all the other
rooms and areas of the house, scrubbing floors on their hands and knees,
sweeping ashes, cleaning and polishing grates, candlesticks, marble floors
and all the furniture,, brushing carpets and beating rugs, washing loads of
laundry, which needed to be soaked, blued, washed, rinsed, rinsed again,
wrung out, hung to dry and then ironed.
The housemaid’s work was back-breaking and exhausting, more so than we can truly imagine.
There
were lamps to clean and fill, each and every day, and because the working
area was in the basement, maids frequently had to lug hot water up to the
third floor of the house where the bedrooms were. In addition, in
order to tend the fires in the house and keep them lit, a maid also had to
carry loads of coal up each flight of stairs to all the fireplaces in the
house.
Indeed, the housemaid’s day was long, intensive and painfully strenuous, beginning at 6:00 a.m. when she rose and dressed, then made tea for the Lady’s Maid and Housekeeper and served them by 6:30 a.m. on until 10:30 p.m. or later, when she could finally retire for the night with the house completely in order and ready for her to start all over again the following day.
In smaller households, they might only have afforded one servant: a “maid-of-all-work” the most common form of English domestic servant.
She was typically a very young girl, whose day began at 6:00 or 6:30 a.m. and ended about 11:00 p.m.
She was expected to carry out, all on her own, the work that in larger households was completed by a full range of very busy servants, that is, the work of: the housemaids, nursemaid, parlour maid, chambermaid, cook, lady’s maid, etc.
With all the scrubbing, cleaning, cooking, caring for children sweeping, dusting, and on and on, that was required by each of those positions
Scullery maids worked in the kitchen, assisting the kitchen maids and the cook.
They were in charge of scrubbing pots and pans, and cleaning dishes and utensils after each meal of the day, as well as afternoon and evening tea.
These young girls fell at the very bottom of the ladder in both status and respect, yet they slaved away each day, while the upper servants mocked or ridiculed them and members of the household literally paid them no attention at all.
The butler wore gentlemen’s period-fashions.
He was often a distinguished figure of a man with an imposing presence, which demanded respect from his subordinates. The list of duties required by the butler varied with the position and status of his employer.
In
smaller households, the butler’s work was fairly difficult. He hired
and dismissed the lower staff (male), and he was personally responsible for
their conduct. He was to be certain that all the work of the staff ran
smoothly, and that any issues were quickly handled.
If the house contained a plate room, it was usually located near the butler’s
pantry. Each night the butler would need to be sure it was securely
locked. Either the butler or the footman was expected to sleep nearby,
as guard. In the morning the butler passed out the pieces of plate
that needed to be cleaned, and occasionally he cleaned them himself, at the
same time he cleaned the household’s ornamental items of silver.
The butler was responsible for the arrangement of the dining table and the announcing of dinner. Together with the footmen, he waited at table. It was the butler’s job to carve the joint of meat, and to remove the covers from other dishes. He served wine and set out each additional course. While dessert was being enjoyed, the butler made sure that the drawing room—where the family would soon retreat for coffee or tea—was in order.
He made sure that lamps or candles were in proper working order, and that the fire was warmly glowing.
He
then returned to his pantry and awaited the ring of the bell, which
signalled he may return to the company.
He would then announce that the drawing room was ready. Once the family had settled into the drawing room, the butler would hand around cups and saucers, while the footman followed behind, carrying a pot of tea or coffee. The butler’s final tasks of the day were to see that all doors and windows were locked; that the plate was safely secured; and that all the fires in the house were safe.
Directly
below the butler was the footman. If more than one footman was
employed, they were distinguished as “First Footman”, “Second Footman”,
etc., and they were typically placed in rank according to their height, size
and good looks. Most footmen were over six-feet tall, and additional
inches could add additional income. Often footmen were matched in size
to maintain conformity in their joint appearance, and they were trained to
act in unison, or in perfect harmony.
The
footman’s position was indeed multifarious, and included a wide variety of
duties that ranged from accompanying the mistress in her carriage as she
paid calls or went shopping, to polishing the household copper and plate; or
from waiting at table, to cleaning knives, cutlery, shoes and boots.
the
duties of the ‘First Footman’ (who was frequently referred to as “James”
or “John”, no matter what his real name might have been), would have
included acting as the Lady’s personal footman. That is, among his
other duties, he would have prepared her early morning or breakfast tray;
cleaned her shoes; brushed any mud off her dress hems and riding habits;
paid small charges of her traveling expenses such as toll gates and handsome
cabs (he could reclaim these expenses from the House Steward); and if she
owned a dog, he would be the one to take it for a walk. He would also
accompany her when she went out in the carriage, sitting on the box with the
coachman (then in later days, with the chauffer), and would open and close
for her the carriage door, as well as the door to any stores she entered,
unless there was already a doorman. He waited for her return, carried
any packages for her, and once he helped her back into the carriage, he
covered her knees with a blanket or fur rug. When the mistress went
calling and no one was at home, she waited in the carriage while the footman
left her visiting card at the front door.
The
‘Second Footman’ acted as valet to the eldest son, and sometimes to the
master, himself. He was responsible for laying the luncheon table; he
cleaned all the mirrors in the household; he carried coal and wood, and
similar tasks, unless there was a “Third Footman’, in which case jobs of
heavier labour would fall to him while he gained experience in pursuit of
advancement in rank.
Other
general duties of the footman included trimming lamps; running all errands;
carrying coal; lighting the house at dusk; cleaning silver and gold;
answering the drawing room and/or parlour bells; announcing visitors;
waiting at dinner; attending the gentlemen in the smoking room following
dinner; and attending in the front hall as dinner guests were leaving.
Because of their public exposure at dinner and to guests, footmen were expected to be the most presentable of the male servants. In addition to there being an “ideal height” requirement for footmen, they were also assessed on their appearance in “full livery” (Uniform), which for outdoors consisted of an ornate tail coat, knee breeches, stockings, white gloves, buckled shoes and powered hair with cocked hat. For indoors their livery was sometimes a bit less formal. Instead of a tail coat and buckled shoes, they usually wore a dress coat and pumps. Later in the century it was more common to see a uniform o f white tie and tails with brass buttons that were stamped with the family crest.
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