In the late nineteenth century many families in Britain were involved in the
world of 'Upstairs Downstairs'. Either they had a family member who was in
service of the household itself included at least one maid, so that by the end
of the Victorian era approaching a third of all women in England and Wales had
been a domestic worker at some time in their lives. Yet although the occupation
employed so many people, it is difficult in the twenty-firth century to discover
just what their lives were like.
This book seeks to give guidance to researchers wishing to find out about
relatives who were in service of who had themselves employed domestic staff.
Contents:
Foreword
Figures
1. Servant Keeping
- Introduction
- Who Were the Servant Keepers
2. The Daily Round: Indoor Servants
- General Background
- The Daily Round of the Female Servants
- The Daily Round of the Male Servants
3. The Daily Round: Outdoor Workers
- Landed Estates
- Garden Staff
- Stable Workers
- Gamekeepers and Foresters
4. Hiring, Firing and Moving On
- Getting a Place and Keeping It
- Registry Offices
- Training
5. Social Relationships
- Leisure and Pleasure
- Misfortunes, Misdoings and Misconduct
A Summary of Sources
Suggested Reading
References
Index
