Definition: Kitchen Maid

A kitchen maid's salary was slightly more than that of the scullery maid. She got a a pricely sum of £15.00 per year (about $30.00). Her day started at 6.30am but generally ended at 9.30pm.

In large households, the head kitchen maid is an under-cook and assumes many of the plain-cooking responsibilities. In small households, the kitchen maid prepares vegetables, game and poultry, does the dairy-work, and bakes the bread. If there is no stillroom maid, she makes the cakes for luncheon, tea and dessert and the rolls for breakfast. She keeps the kitchen clean and keeps things in order.

She is only allowed upstairs once a day, to attend Morning Prayers. Otherwise she spends all her time between her bedroom in the attic and the Kitchen. She usually dines in the kitchen with the scullery maid.

Definition: Scullery Maid

So what exactly does a Scullery Maid do?


According to the dictionary, the word "Scullery" comes from :

"Old French escuelerie, from escuelier, keeper of dishes, from escuele, dish, from Vulgar Latin *sctella, alteration (influenced by sctum, shield) of Latin scutella, salver, diminutive of scutra, platter."

Scullery maids were the lowest ranking of the female servants. They had the most physical and demanding tasks in the kitchen. Being at the bottom of the servant hierarchy meant they were mocked and ridiculed by upper servants and completely ignored by members of the household.

Duties included, cleaning the floor, stoves, sinks, pots, pans and dishes. They would rarely handle the fine china due to the expense if they were damaged. They were sometimes expected to collect water and empty females servants chamber pots.

They worked from 6.00am in the morning to 11.30pm at night with poor wages to compensate them. All this for £13.00 per year (about $26.00 per year)

If the household was not wealthy enough to employ a junior parlour maid and a scullery maid, they may employ a ‘tweeny’. They were nicknamed 'tweenies' because they worked 'between stairs' in the basement helping the cook or upstairs in the family rooms with the parlour-maid. She would usually get a Sunday afternoon off but was expected to attend church in that time. She would get one week's holiday a year.

History : Domestic Servants

To be ‘in service’ involved hard work, very little time off and was not well paid, but generally it was a secure job, and live-in servants could be sure of a roof over their heads and food to eat.

Domestic servants were divided into upper and lower classes

Upper Servants
Butler, Footman, Governess, Skilled Cook, Housekeeper, Senior parlour-maid, Head house-maid and Lady's maid,

Lower Servants
Scullery-maid, Kitchen-maid, Laundress, Nursemaid, Housemaid, Stable-boy

Only wealthy persons employed male domestics since there was a servant tax on them.

History: Registry Office

In 1851 domestic service was the second largest occupational group in Britain with over one million servants.

Registry Offices were places where servants would place their particulars in the hope of being employed by a suitable household.

They were divided into three classes.

1. Those which take fees from both servant and mistress.
2. Free registries, where the mistress pays the fee and the servant pays nothing.
3. Registries for foreign servants. Lodgings are provided until they obtain situations. Sleep five or six in a room, two or three in a bed, for sixpence a night.

Some of the registries were respectable and safeguarded servants. However some were only interested in the fee and bundled girls off into situations without inquiries as to where they were going or who is to be their mistress.

Girls were warned against advertisements of situations with high wages and little work.

Scams were rife where a gentleman would keep a dozen good looking girls on the premises to see mistresses. An engagement was made and the fee was paid but the girl did not enter the situation. When the mistress complained and tried to reclaim the fee, the gentleman refused and made excuses saying it wasn't his fault that the girl did not keep to the engagement.

The greatest number of frauds take place in foreign registries.

Advertising English situations with glowing colours, agents would bring girls in from the continent promising high wages and passage money. The girls would sign an agreement and their boxes sent arriving before the girls themselves.

These boxes contain all their worldly goods. On arrival, they are requested to pay for their passage and consequently have to sell their clothes and such to pay for the journey. After a bill is run up for board and lodging, the girls have little choice but to become prostitutes to settle their debts.

http://www.victorianlondon.org/

"The Rules"

I am so happy to be free of "The Rules". Each and every day whilst in service, these have been the rules by which I have had to live by:

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.

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It's so good to be free!