Extract from 'Not in Front of the Servants - Domestic Service in England 1850-1939' by Frank Dawes
"Yet even they were not as badly off as the children who went into service half a century earlier. Elizabeth Simpson, born March, 1853, was one of them. At the age of ten she was sent as a kitchen maid to a large house near Harrogate in Yorkshire. She had to get up at 4 a.m. to scrub the stone floors of the dairy with cold water and turn the butter churns until her little arms ached. For most of the year she rose in the dark and worked by the light of a single candle which she pushed ahead of her as she moved across the stone flags on her knees.
She was kept hard at work throughout the day, black-leading grates, lighting fires, polishing floors with the slops from the chambermaid’s pail to make them shine, waiting upon the other servants, until at 9p.m. she crawled back to bed, again, for most of the year, by candlelight. It was a rule, strictly enforced, that she must never be seen by any of the family. If, by some mischance, they happened to meet, she must not speak to them, but curtsey and disappear as quickly as possible."
Few, if any, of these children could read or write, so we have no way of knowing how they felt. We can only guess at the effect on a child of ten of being taken away from her family and put into this harsh environment. A letter written home by a maid in service at Edgware in 1870 is an all too rare example of a servant’s thoughts:
My Dearest Mother,
I do not know how to thank you enough for your kindness in doing the aprons for me. I should never of got them made for myself for I have not made the print dresses yet that I told you about when I was home last. I must try and finish them this week for I am sick and tired of seeing them about. I have been so driven at work since the fires begun I have had ‘ardly time for anything for myself. I am up at half past five and six every morning and do not get to bed till nearly twelve at night and I feel so tired sometimes I am obliged to have a good cry. I do think I should have been laid up if it was not for the Cod Liver Oil I am taking it is very nasty but I think it does me good it is very dear half a crown for a pint and it is so nasty. I reach my heart up nearly at the thought of it.
Mrs. Graves the cook is very kind. She as help me with my work in the morning. I would never of been done if she had not and these Nurse she as never said so much as are you not well not even offered to do a thing for me but I am much better now so I not trouble her. Dear Mother I should of ask you over next week only we are going to have two dinner parties one on Tuesday the other on Thursday and we shall be so busy so you must come after it is over. I have saved a small piece of plum pudding for you and will save some mince pies and I thought you would like a little dripping so I have sent all Mrs. Graves has to spare and I dearsay next week she will have some more. You must let me know if you would like it and I will send it ...Dear Mother I can give you plenty of mending when you have time and I should so like to see you but I cannot get away just now so you must come and see me soon. I let you know when to come for I have got lots of things to tell you. Dear Mother you have heard that poor William is dead and I know you did not like me writing to him but he was always very kind to me and it seems very hard for him poor fellow and he ill so long.
Hardly anyone to write to him or go and see him and he was always very pleased to hear from me and he asked a friend of his to write to me as he was not able hisself. I do not know who this his that as been writing to me he comes from Sudbury Park very near to where William’s mother lives. They wrote to me to go to the funeral but I could not go though I should very much of like to, he ask to see me just before he died. I hope dear Mother you will not be cross with me for writing this and when I see you I will tell you more which I have not time to write now hoping you are all quite well and baby better.
With fondest love to all I remain your ever
Affect. Daughter,
Harriet Brown
Please do me a nice long letter one day this week excuse paper as it all I have."