Carlisle Patriot, 17 Sep 1825 - Maid of All-work (1)

[petra.mi...@doctors.org.uk]

Saturday 17 Sep 1825   (p. 1, col. 5-6)

 

MAID OF ALL-WORK.

 

Few persons have a notion of the multifarious duties of this useful class of servants, of whom there are at least a million in the British empire. In an admirable volume which KNIGHT and LACEY have just published, on the duties of all classes of servants, from the housekeeper and Land Steward to the Scullery Maid and Helper in the Stable, we find the following curious and useful article on the simple Maid of All-Work. It is an amusing picture of modern domestic life in the middling classes, and creditable to the discrimination of Mr. and Mrs. ADAMS, the husband and wife, who have written the volume in question, after passing half a century in various service, and who, for 7s. 6d. have presented as much information as in every family will be worth hundreds per annum.

 

MAID OF ALL-WORK.

 

In small families where only one female servant is kept, the Servant of All-work will be required to do all the work of the house, which in large establishments is very properly divided into several departments.

 

This description of servant is usually taken from the industrious and labouring classes of the community, who are bred up with a view to the situation, having no other prospect or dependence; and are taught, from their earliest age, to assist in the management of the house, the care of the younger children, preparing the meals, making the beds, scouring, washing, and in every other branch of domestic business:—In short, no girl ought to undertake, or can be qualified for such a situation, who has not been thus bred up. And if, in addition to these preparatory qualifications, she comes from a sober, well-disposed family, and is of a tractable disposition, there can be but little doubt of her acquiring the good-will of her master and mistress, of qualifying herself for a superior service, and of finally succeeding in her sphere of life.

 

She will receive her first instructions from her mistress, or probably from the former servant, as to the peculiarities of the house, and will very soon, with attention, become versed in all.

 

Industry and cleanliness, with a determination to be useful, and to please, with speedily overcome all difficulties.

 

To rise early is indispensably necessary. "Those who would thrive, must rise by five." And, recollect, that "the servant who begins her work late, will have to run after it all day, but will never overtake it."

 

Every morning, the first business will be to light the kitchen fire, brush up and clean around the grate and fire-place, take up the ashes, sweep the floor and hearth, and having made all quite clean, rinse out the tea-kettle, and set it on the fire, with clean spring water, preparatory to the family breakfast; and also another kettle to heat water for household purposes. She next takes the tray, carpet-broom, hair-broom, hearth-rug, a clean dry duster, and the basket or box, containing the brushes, rags, leathers, brick-dust, scouring-paper, and other things for cleaning the grate and fire-place, and proceeds to the parlour, or sitting-room, to get that in order, before the family comes down to breakfast. She begins there by clearing away the candlesticks, dirty glasses, and such other things as may have been left there the preceding night. She then rolls up the hearth-rug, so that no dirt or dust may drop from it, as it is carried out to be shaken; she next turns back the carpet, with the drugget, baize, or other covering, if any, and lays down a piece of canvas, or coarse cloth, to keep the place clean; after which she rakes out the ashes from the grate, takes them up, and brushes up the dust and dirt; then rubs the bright bars of the grate, and the fire-irons, with emery paper, No. 3, or brick-dust; or if there be very fine steel stoves, fenders, &c. they should be first rubbed with oil, then with emery, till clear and bright, and afterwards with scouring paper, which is an excellent article to use every second or third day in summer-time, when stoves are not in constant use, as it will take off all the spots they may have acquired.

 

After the stove and fire-irons are cleaned, and the back and sides of the hearth are washed over with black lead mixed with water, and rubbed dry and bright with a hard brush, light the fire, and proceed to wash the marble hearth.

 

For this purpose, take a piece of flannel dipped in a strong, hot lather of soap and water, and having washed off the dirt, wipe it dry with a clean linen cloth. The jambs and chimney-piece need only be cleaned thus, once or twice a week, or as the custom of the family may be. Soap and sand, with cold water, will answer for washing free-stone hearths, &c. which must be afterwards wiped dry with a clean house-cloth. The next business will be to clean the brass-locks, finger-plates, and other brass furniture; for which see receipt. If the locks are stiff, or hang, put a very little sweet oil on the bolts with a feather; the same ought to be done occasionally to the hinges, latches, bolts, and locks of every door in the house. A few minutes thus employed, when necessary, will prevent most of the disagreeable noises of creaking hinges, rusty bolts, and useless locks.

 

For the finger-plates, and other brass ornaments, about the room, you must have pieces of pasteboard, with holes cut in them of the size of the respective article, to prevent soiling or rubbing the door or furniture to which they are fixed.

 

The carpet next requires attention; this must generally be swept with the carpet-mop, to clean off the lint and dust, but occasionally with the carpet-broom, or long-hair broom, first stewing it over with a few damp tea leaves, (which should always be saved for the purpose, when the tea-things are washed up.) Then remove the chairs, and other furniture, to the middle of the room, turn up the sides of the carpet, and sweep up all the dust and flue round the sides of the room before replacing the carpet.

 

Always rub and dust the chairs, tables, and other mahogany furniture, in the middle of the room, and return them to their places, one by one, as you finish them; this will prevent your scratching or soiling the walls or wainscot. The window-curtains and hangings may not require to be shaken and brushed every day, but the windows should be brushed with the long hair broom, and cobwebs and other filth, on the ceiling, and upper corners of the room, should be occasionally sought for, and removed. When she has swept the room, and rubbed and dusted the furniture, she must dust the window-frames, ledges of the wainscot, and doors, chimney-pieces, glass, china, and other ornaments, and having seen that every article is in its proper place, stir the fire, and taking all her brushes, &c. leave the room perfectly clean, and fit for the reception of the family at breakfast. She next proceeds (if the parlour be up stairs) to sweep and dust the stairs, which she does one by one, sweeping the dust from each into the dust-pan, and afterwards dusting the window and balustrade as carefully as she had done the room.

 

She should also sweep the passage in the same way. The floor-cloth in the passage, for the daily cleaning, need only to be swept and rubbed with a damp flannel first, and afterwards with a dry one. The steps, at the front door, should be cleaned every morning, after the passage is swept out, and the street-door, and the knocker, &c. must be cleaned or polished. The kitchen stairs also, and the steps at the back-door, if any, are to be cleaned. Above all, the kitchen must now be put in order.

 

 

[to be continued]