At Your Service - 19th Century Housekeeper

Housekeeper:-

Referred to as “Mrs.” by the other servants, whether she was married or not.

The housekeeper was second in command of the household, and the immediate representative of her mistress. 

Responsibilities:

In larger households the housekeeper’s sole duty is to engage, manage and dismiss the female servants, with the exception of lady’s maid, nurse and cook, whom the mistress engages. 

In smaller households, the housekeeper manages the stores, both ordering and dispersing them. 

In charge of:

She tends to the house linen, both repairing it and replacing it as necessary. 

She oversees

The china-closet

The stillroom department

Superintends the arrangement of bedrooms for visitors and their servants.

Her daily routine includes:

Overlooks the stillroom

Sees what china and linen is given out for breakfast,

Presides over the housekeeper’s room breakfast,

Gives out the stores for the day

Assist in washing china

Makes rounds of the bedrooms

Replaces supplies such as candles, writing paper and soap

Makes sure the rooms are clean and in order

Presides over the servant’s hall dinner

Arranges dessert for dinner

Makes tea in the afternoon, and makes the coffee for dinner. 

She also makes preserves and bottles fruit.

She keeps the household accounts

Does most of the needlework

Reported to the Mistress of the house.

Wages:

The housekeepers salary was 35 – 50 pound ($3,700 - $5,400) per year.