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Home » Working Lives » Domestic servants/estate workers » Domestic servants

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  • Amiga Lorenza Couroneu de Patrocini Castillo was a servant to the opera singer Adelina Patti.
Amiga Lorenza Couroneu de Patrocini Castillo, 1893
Indenture for a child to be apprenticed in housewifery, Monmouth, 1670
A portrait of old John, servant at Aberpergwm, by George O. Delamotte, 15 November 1818
  • This warning to the 'young vulnerable woman' was issued by the North Wales Women's Temperance Union, probably during the 1920s. During that time, many young women left Wales to work as domestic servants in the towns and cities of England. As work and money was very scarce, particularly in the industrial communities of north and south Wales, many of these young women had little choice but to leave their homes in search of work. Organisations such as the North Wales Women's Temperance Union were keen to ensure that these young women secured suitable employment before starting out on their journeys from Wales. It had become increasingly apparent that some young women were getting into difficulty after accepting jobs with 'unscrupulous' or 'unsuitable' employers. A number of contact addresses in London, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and south Wales are noted at the bottom of this notice. The Welsh girls are urged to get in touch with these individuals before accepting offers of employment in any of the respective towns.
Warning issued to 'Young Vulnerable Women' by the North Wales Women's Temperance Union, c.1920s
  • This is an account of a fire at Nantmawr farm, near Llanrwst, in 1824 which was caused when one of the servants, who was carrying a rush candle, accidentally set fire to straw in the out-buildings. The fire caused considerable damage to the property and stock: 21 cattle died in the blaze and stores of barley and hay were destroyed. E. Owen, Melai, writes on behalf of the tenant and asks the landowner, Lord Newborough, and his representatives, to take the incident into consideration when the next rent payment is due. The following is a transcription of the letter: 'Dear Sir, It is with much concern I inform you of the Afflicting event that happened at Nantmawr last Friday night after the family retired to bed except the two servant women, the youngest of them went to a bing[?] before the cattle with a rush candle in her hand to fetch a little straw to light fire the next morning and as I find by her holding the candle in a careless manner the straw took fire and entered into a great Quantity of straw which was above the cow houses - it is supposed that she tried to put it out - untill the other woman gave the alarm, by that time the fire raged so violently, that out of 22 head of cattle only 5 could be brought out and those very much burnt except one - the horses were in the adjoining stable they saved them with much difficulty but the gears[?] are all destroyed, the Barn comes next in which they had upwards of 20 hobbets of barley some in sacks and the rest unwinnowed only 3 or 4 sacks were saved. A large stack of hay at the back of the building was entirely consumed, and also two stacks of Barley supposed to be about 30 hobbets which was all the barley they had - They were very fearfull ...'
Letter from E. Owen, Melai, to William Elias, Abbey, Llanrwst, regarding a fire caused by a reed candle, 18 January 1824 [image 1 of 3]
  • This letter was sent on 14 November 1844 by Catharine Davies, who was employed as a servant in Edge Hill, Liverpool, to her parents (Mr and Mrs Hugh Davies) of Erw Gron, Llanfairfechan. She tells them that she recently accompanied her mistress and the children on a trip to Cheshire 'Shire Caur' where she met some Welsh people. She complains that she is not able to attend chapel regularly. A young girl from Llandygái who is employed with a family nearby is able to attend chapel every other Sunday, but there are no children in the house where she is employed.
Letter sent by Catharine Davies, a servant girl in Liverpool, to her parents at Llanfairfechan, 14 November 1844 [image 1 of 4]