Servants worked from 15 to 18 hours a day, with only half a day off per week. Meals and lodging were included, but pay was low.
Did Victorian servants get days off?
They worked long hours with very few breaks. It was normal for servants to be given only one day off a month! Only wealthy Victorians could afford to have servants. They often lived in large houses with many rooms and huge gardens.
What did maids do in Victorian times?
The housemaid was responsible for keeping the house clean and in order. She was meant to do much of this out of view of the family and so had to rise very early in the morning to complete her work. It was also necessary to keep to a very strict routine to ensure that all the work was done.
Did servants ever get a day off?
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.
How much were servants paid in Victorian times?
The average servant earned a mere 25 pounds a year or $2,700 in today’s economy. Cheap labor is what made large staffs possible. It was impossible to categorize every type of servant at the turn of the century.
When did ladies maids stop?
Such loyalty and long-standing employment between a lady’s maid and the lady of the house was common. The early 20th century started to see a decline in the use of a lady’s maid though the contrast of the lives of the staff and family on these estates still intrigues.
What age did girls go into service?
They were usually recruited between the ages of 10 and 13, after they had been through some elementary schooling. Many employers hoped for the servants they hired to have at least some elementary literacy and numeracy.
What did Victorian servants eat?
The servants had their dinner at midday , in contrast to the family’s lunch served at one. This midday-meal consisted of roast or boiled meat served with vegetables, followed by a dessert of apple tart, plum pudding, or cake.
Did servants have free time?
While employers might define their servant’s duties carefully, there was no set time schedule. Free time was minimal—perhaps one day off a month. Often there was no clear agreement about off-duty time, so that servants could be on call every hour of the day and night.
What are male maids called?
Answer. The masculine gender of a maid is the Manservant.
Were servants balls a thing?
The servants’ ball has had a long tradition in the country house estates of Britain and only really died out with the onset of the Second World War. They were a cultural melting pot where popular music of the day would be performed alongside traditional country dance tunes.
Where did ladies maids sleep?
Under-servant Bedrooms: Male and female domestics had separate servant bedrooms for sleeping. Female domestics were usually provided with bedrooms either in the attic, uppermost story, or over servant offices, which were accessible by a back stairway.
Did servants live upstairs or downstairs?
In the latter half of the 19th century, servants slept in attic bedrooms. These were often cold and damp in the winter and hot in the summer, with little light coming in from small windows. Some male servants slept downstairs to guard the family silver. The furnishings in servant quarters were basic and essential.
How much was a loaf of bread in Victorian times?
A loaf of bread cost about 3 d (pennies). Most of the week’s money was spent on bread leaving little for other necessities. The weekly shop could also include milk, cheese and potatoes. Poor families could only afford meat once a week – this would have been saved for Sunday lunch.
Were butlers well paid?
Butlers, housekeepers, and chefs were amongst those most highly paid, whereas hall boys and tempys (temporary maids) often received the lowest wages.
How much did a ladies maid make?
She notes that a housekeeper for a zillionaire may earn up to $60,000 a year (the industry median salary is less than $20,000), but a “lady’s maid” can take in $75,000. Full-time butlers can earn $70,000 a year, and some who travel around with a family on yachts or private jets could earn as much as $200,000 a year.
How did Victorian maids wear their hair?
Victorian ladies often styled their hair in simple chignons or coiled or interwoven plaits. (Petit Courrier des Dames, 1861.) A simple chignon or “bun” was another option for the Victorian lady of more moderate means. All that was needed was a handful of pins.
What did ladies maids do all day?
Traditionally, a Lady’s Maid oversees the maintenance of her employer’s wardrobe, draws her bath, lays out her clothes, serves her meals when required, and keeps her client’s quarters tidy; this role is also changing with the times.
Where did Scullery Maids sleep?
attic floor
Housemaids, scullery maids and kitchen maids slept on the attic floor of the house. Two to a room, in some houses they even shared beds.
Were butlers allowed to marry?
Employers generally prefer their butlers to be single. It is felt that butlers with wives can be torn between their loyalties towards their families and their master. A butler without any family commitments of his own is therefore able to devote himself entirely to the needs of the family he serves.
What were female servants called?
A maid, or housemaid or maidservant, is a female domestic worker.