domestiche: gennaio 2008

mercoledì 30 gennaio 2008

martedì 29 gennaio 2008

lunedì 28 gennaio 2008

venerdì 25 gennaio 2008

mercoledì 23 gennaio 2008

martedì 22 gennaio 2008

domenica 20 gennaio 2008

The Edwardian Lady's Maid: Daily Duties

The Edwardian Lady's Maid: Daily Duties
Morning Duties
• You will be woken at seven o'clock by the Second Housemaid who will bring you tea, a Breakfast Tray, and hot water with which to wash. All the other Servants will take Breakfast in the Servants' Hall at a quarter-past eight; however, you will be assisting the Mistress of the House to dress at this time.
• Before the Mistress rises, you should put away any clothes from the evening before and prepare what she is to wear that morning.
• At eight o'clock you must wake the Mistress of the house by bringing her Tea and thin slices of bread and butter, a newspaper and any correspondence. You should run her bath, help her to dress and do her hair.
• Once the Mistress is fully attired, and only if you have time, you may assist the First Housemaid in dressing Miss Anson.
• Morning prayers are conducted in the Main Hall at a quarter-past nine. You should make every effort to attend.
• At half-past nine, while the Mistress and her Sister take their Breakfast, you must tidy the personal effects in their Bedrooms and arrange outdoor clothes should they choose to go riding or walking. v
• Throughout the day you must be ready to run any errands your Mistress requires.
• After the Family's Breakfast, if the Mistress intends to go out, you will need to assist her to change into her outdoor attire. It is customary for you to accompany the Mistress if she is going out.
• At eleven o'clock Tea is served in the Servants' Hall.
• The Servants' Dinner is served at Midday. You will take the meat course along with all the other Servants in the Servants' Hall before retiring to the Housekeeper's Room (Pugs' Parlour) for pudding, coffee and tea with the other Upper Servants.
Afternoon Duties
• After Dinner, providing your Mistress does not require your service, you may choose to busy yourself with needlework or repairs to the Ladies' clothing, or wash their underwear and personal garments.
• Providing you have the consent of your Mistress, you may take your leisure between half-past two and four o'clock.
• Tea is served in the Servants' Hall at four o'clock.
• The Mistress will require you to assist her to dress for Afternoon Tea, which will be taken at five o'clock.
• You should tidy the Ladies' Bedrooms once again, and begin to prepare their clothing for Dinner.
• From half-past six onwards you should make yourself available to assist the Ladies of the house to dress for Dinner. The Mistress of the house should always be the focus of your attentions; her Sister should only be assisted if you have the time and the Mistress is fully attired and in no further need of your service. Otherwise the First Housemaid will attend to her needs.
• Between eight o'clock and the Servants' Supper you should tidy your Mistress's Bedroom, ensure that her flowers are fresh, her cologne bottles are filled, her hairbrushes are cleaned and that she has an adequate supply of cosmetic preparations. Before you leave, you must iron the top sheet on her bed.
• Supper is served in the Servants' Hall at half-past nine.
• The remaining part of the evening is to be spent at your leisure, until the Mistress retires to bed when you will need to assist her undressing and loosen and brush her hair.
• Last thing at night you should place your boots outside your Bedroom door for the Second Footman to collect and clean and return to you first thing in the morning.

Maids

Maids

By Josh Stone

Maids perform typical domestic chores such as cooking, ironing, washing, cleaning the house, grocery shopping, walking the family dog, and taking care of children. In some countries, maids take on the role of a nurse in taking care of the elderly and people with disabilities. Maids are often expected to work at least fifteen hours per day. Many maids are required by their employers to wear a uniform. Today the maid may be the only domestic worker that upper and even middle-income households can afford. In the Western world, comparatively few households can afford live-in domestic help, usually compromising on periodic cleaners. In less developed nations, fewer educated women and limited opportunities for working women ensures a labour source for domestic work. Young girls working as scullery maids fell to the bottom of the servant hierarchy which meant they were mocked and ridiculed by upper servants and completely ignored by members of the household despite the fact that they slaved away each day at their work. The scullery maid reported (through the kitchen maid) to the cook or chef.

A between maid (also called hall girl, particularly in the United States) is a female junior servant in a large household with many staff. The position is largely defunct in the 21st century, as few households can afford great retinues of servants with the elaborate hierarchy of the past.

The term hall girl came from her chief duty, which was waitressing in the Servants' Hall. She was required to set the table and remove the dishes, as well as waiting at table. She may also have carried meals up to the head housekeeper, if, for example, that head of staff had breakfast or afternoon tea in her room(s).

The term between maid came from the fact that her duties came under the area of responsibilites of the housekeeper, butler and cook; if these individuals did not like one another the job of the between maid was a very difficult one.

In developed countries most families can no longer afford live-in help. In nations where there is still a ready supply of inexpensive labour the middle classes may still be able to afford servants. For these households, the remnant of the once grand position of head housekeeper is often a cook-housekeeper. The modern cook-housekeeper performs cooking and cleaning duties.