Regency Reader Questions: Lady’s Maids and Marriage

By | |

Moniker/Name
Sue
Source of Question
Research
Your Question
In the case of unmarried women who were wealthy enough to have a ladies maid, what happened to the maid when said woman got married? Would she usually follow her mistress to the new household? Or did she stay working for the same family and the woman hired/was assigned a new ladies maid from the staff of her husband’s household?

Thanks for your question, Sue, and for being a Regency Reader!

This is one of those “it depends” answers, as there are a lot of variables that influence the outcome.

First, a young lady must be of a wealthy enough family to have a lady’s maid in the first place. For that maid to travel with her, it would also require the lady’s maid not to be in service of anyone else, like sisters. Here is a handy chart that shows how income influenced household staff size:

ON HOUSEHOLD SERVANTS AND THEIR DUTIES PY THE LATE MRS PARKES An establishment of the third rate suited or with the occasional use of a charwoman EXTENT OF ESTABLISHMENTS OF SERVANTS Es STABLISHMENTS of servants cons dered according to their extent may be classed under the following rates An establishment of the first rate such as may be supposed to form the household of a nobleman of high rank number from twenty to twenty four domestics WOMEN Housekeeper A lady's maid for each grown up lady of the family Cook Upper housemaid Laundry maid Under housemaid Under laundry maid Still room maid Kitchen maid Scullion MEN House steward Groom of the chamber Valet to each gentleman in the family Man cook Butler Gentleman's footman Lady's footman Under butler Gentleman's coachman Lady's coachman Couriers outriders Grooms in number accord ing to the stud Under servants errand boys steward's boy To this establishment that of the nursery see Nursery may be added when requisite In an establishment of such magnitude the duties of its members are per fectly distinct Order and subordination must neces sarily be maintained in it by the proper administra tion of the household laws and by the observance of household etiquette or anarchy and confusion instead of convenience and comfort would be found within this miniature world An establishment of the second rate suited to incomes of 5000 or 4500 per annum WOMEN Housekeeper Lady's maid Upper housemaid Cook Laundry maid Under housemaid Under laundry maid Kitchen maid Scullion MEN Butler Valet Two footmen Under butler Two coachmen Two grooms In this establishment the butler performs the duties of the house steward as well as those of his own to incomes of 4000 or 3500 per an num WOMEN Housekeeper Lady's maid Cook Upper housemaid Laundry maid Under housemaid Kitchen maid In this establishment of women servants the under housemaid is expected to assist the cook in serving dinner and the laundress on ironing and mangling days Butler Footman MEN Under butler Coachman Groom The butler here per forms the duties of the valet as well as those of the house steward An establishment of the fourth rate for in comes from 2000 to 1500 per annum WOMEN Housekeeper Cook Housemaid Laundry maid cooking and to act if required as lady's maid also Butler Footman Coachman In this establishment the housekeeper is ex pected to superintend the Groom MEN An establishment of the fifth rate for an income of 1000 or 1200 per annum Cook Housemaid Under housemaid when serving her din ner Ex One man servant pected to assist the cook An establishment of the sixth rate Income from 700 to 600 per annum Cook Housemaid Foot boy An establishment of the seventh rate In come 500 to 450 per annum Cook Housemaid An establishment of the eight rate Income 300 to 250 per annum One maid servant One girl An establishment of the ninth rate Income 200 to 150 per annum A maid of all work Incomes still less will admit of a girl only The Country Gentleman’s Magazine (1869).

As it indicates, even in very wealthy families it was not uncommon for a young, unmarried lady to not be assigned their own maid.

If the lady in question was marrying a wealthy man, then it is likely she would either promote a housemaid to the cause, or hire her own lady’s maid upon marriage. More modest situations, she might not have a lady’s maid (see above) but only a cook, one maid of all work, and footman or boy.

Generally, I think the vast majority of young ladies would consider hiring a lady’s maid a rite of passage as a married woman and therefore not pull over someone from their parent’s household. However, there were probably occasions, including second marriages, where a lady’s maid might travel with the lady to her new household. If, in the scenario you posed, she was wealthy enough to have been assigned her own maid as a young lady, there is no reason to think she wouldn’t bring the lady’s maid to her new household, especially if there were no sisters to consider and the maid did not have any attachments to the previous household.

I hope that is helpful!

Ask us more questions about the Regency in our Regency ? page.

Appreciate our research?  Please share with other readers, leave your comments, buy a book through one of our links on reviews, or buy us a cup of tea!

Sources:

The Country Gentleman’s Magazine …. (1869). United Kingdom: S. Marshall & Company.

The Duties of a Lady’s Maid: With Directions for Conduct, and Numerous Receipts for the Toilette. (1825). United Kingdom: J. Bulcock.

The Family Friend. (1855). United Kingdom: S.W. Partridge & Company.

Tagged , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

One Response to Regency Reader Questions: Lady’s Maids and Marriage

  1. Christine Smith says:
    January 18, 2024 at 6:08 am

    That is really interesting, thank you