Servants' Stories: Life Below Stairs In Their Own Words, 1800-1950

by Michelle Higgs

Overview

True accounts by domestic servants though a century and a half of British history revealing what their lives were really like—includes illustrations.
 
Step into the world of domestic service and discover what life was really like for these unsung heroines (and heroes) of society. Between 1800 and 1950, the role of servants changed dramatically, but they remained the people without whom the upper and middle classes could not function. Through oral histories, diaries, newspaper reports, and never before seen testimonies, domestic servants tell their stories, warts and all—Downton it isn’t!
 
You’ll read about revenge on a mistress with a box of beetles; the despair and loneliness of a fourteen-year-old maid; the adventure of moving to London to go into service; and an escape from an unhappy home life—as well as the “servant problem” and how servants found work; how National Insurance began to improve their lot; the impact World War I had on domestic service; and what was done to try to make the occupation appealing to a new generation.
 
Praise for Michelle Higgs’ previous books
 
“Enjoyable and well-written social history.” —Who Do You Think You Are?
 
“Daily life is recounted with both historical detail and sympathy, aided by numerous first-person accounts.” —Your Family Tree

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781473871649
Publisher:	Pen & Sword Books Limited
Publication date:	01/31/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	192
Sales rank:	848,414
File size:	18 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Michelle Higgs is an established author and has previously written on a variety of topics, including the P&S research guide, Tracing Your Servant Ancestors. This new title would tie-in with her previous book and allow linked promotion, potentially boosting sales of the earlier book.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements vii

List of Illustrations ix

Introduction xi

Part I 1800-1850 1

Going into Service 3

General Servant, Housemaid and Cook Mary Ann Ashford 16

Footman and Butler William Tayler 24

Maidservant, Scullion and Pot-girl Hannah Cullwiek 33

Part II 1850-1900 41

The 'Servant Problem' 43

Housemaid and Cook Louise Jermy 55

Housemaid and Parlourmaid Elizabeth L. Banks 63

Nursemaid, Housemaid and Cook Amy Grace Rose 72

Butler John Robinson 79

Part III 1900-1914 87

Edwardian Domestic Service 89

General Servant and Housemaid Alice Eleanor Furman 100

Kitchen-maid Cis Parker 103

General Servant Jessie Stephen 106

Part IV 1914-1950 109

The Impact of War 111

Between-maid and Housemaid Mollie Prendergast 123

General Servant Edith Hall 128

Between-maid and Parlourmaid Queenie Harris 133

Housemaid Cissie Ewen 138

Nursery Maid and General Servant Marian Isobel Taylor 142

General Servant, Parlourmaid and Lady's Maid Dolly Davey 145

Housemaid Elsie 153

Housemaid Lily Kerry 155

Houseboy and Cook David Dixon 162

Maidservant Daphne Jones 167

Nursemaid and General Servant Amy Jones 170

Bibliography 175

Index 178