Olive - Housemaid No.2
Woods
Human
Housemaid:
Housemaids were the standard kind of maid. Responsible for keeping the house clean and tidy. Each maid will be allocated certain rooms to keep clean – dust and mess free, with everything in its place, and making sure that there is always coal in the coal scuttle beside each fire place, ready to go, lighting the fires, heating water for washing and bathing and carrying it upstairs to the bedrooms. The also cleaned chamber pots, changed bed linens, drew the curtains, and scrubbed the floors. The larger the house, and the wealthier the owner, the smaller number of rooms that each maid will likely have to look after, and the more maids there will be. Large households divided the housemaids into upper and lower maids. The upper housemaids performed the duties that required direct interaction with the family and visitors. Like footmen, they were therefore expected to be more presentable in terms of appearance and manners. They might also be in charge of decorating. Lower housemaids were responsible for heavier and dirtier work. Personality:
Oh Olive... she's a dreamer. Not in a dreamy, creative daydreamer kind of way. More like completely bored of everything life has to offer and wiles away her time time pining for a different life- one of excitement, adventure, and fun! The only thing protecting her from getting in over her head in trouble is the fact that she is probably from a small town in the country, never left until hired into service, and has no real concept of what the real world is really like. Her niavety keeps her safe, and bored. She compliments this lack of experience with a lack of professional ettiquette, sometimes found sitting to rest half way through a task, talking with the black cat that hangs out in the servants quarters, or taking impromptu naps on the Family's new daybeds! As the Housekeeper, Mrs. Whitaker says, "She's harmless, but darn all if she isn't clueless!"
Physical Description
Apparel & Accessories
When becoming a maid of any sort—whether kitchen or chambermaid— the individual had to provide her own uniforms. A black dress and white apron for formal occasions when she was seen by the public, and a simpler dress to wear when she was doing the hard work. This would cost between £4-5(gp) (equivalent to £228-285 today, or $354-442.) (In 1900, with a yearly wage of only £22 pounds (£1255/ $1948) she had to spend nearly 20% of her first year’s wage on her uniforms.)
Wealth & Financial state
Whether kitchenmaid or chambermaid, they earned a yearly wage of about £22 (gp) a year (=$2200 today).
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