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Topic: Social/Domestic History Sources - 19th century (Read 947 times)
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Gadget
RootsChat Marquessate
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Posts: 18498
Three Wise Buoys, Wester Ross
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Hi
I'm a bit of a local/social history freak and have a vast collection of books, articles, etc. However, I can't find a really good source book on the 'everyday' lives of ordinary folk in the 19th century.
As a starting point, I always turn to a first year/A level history source - Cole and Postgate, The Common People, but this just doesn't give the information I want.
Anyone found any really good sources?
Gadget
Just found this that might be of interest:
http://www.victorianweb.org/history/sochistov.html
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kerryb
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Posts: 10181
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Hi Gadget
This website has interesting information about the life of domestic servants as well as other useful tit bits. Very enlightening!
http://www.household-management.com/household/chapter41.html
Kerry 
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Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.ukSearching for my family - Baldwin - Sussex, Middlesex, Cork, Pilbeam - Sussex, Harmer - Sussex, Terry - Surrey, Kent, Rhoades - Lincs, Roffey - Surrey, Traies - Devon & Middlesex & many many more to be found on my website .... www.kerrysfamilyhistory.co.uk |
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Gadget
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Posts: 18498
Three Wise Buoys, Wester Ross
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Thanks Kerry
I've had a look at that - it's very funny in places but it does have very detailed descriptions of what was expected of them. I have a footman who became a butler, two parlour maids, a laundress and a number of 'domestic servants'.
Does the course your planning to do from the Autumn have any general refs? 
Hi Old Rowley
Thanks for those refserences - I'll certainly follow them up. They look good to me
And thanks Casalguidi - I'll look at the site now
Sorry to be a bit of a nuisance asking this question but I do get so bored with endless tree stuff - it's the lives that are the important things to me.
Gadget
(Every time I try to post, someone is giving me info - thanks ever so )
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kerryb
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Posts: 10181
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Hi Gadget
Not sure about refs for the course I am doing yet, I've got to send the application in. If there are any that might be of interest I will let you know.
Kerry
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Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.ukSearching for my family - Baldwin - Sussex, Middlesex, Cork, Pilbeam - Sussex, Harmer - Sussex, Terry - Surrey, Kent, Rhoades - Lincs, Roffey - Surrey, Traies - Devon & Middlesex & many many more to be found on my website .... www.kerrysfamilyhistory.co.uk |
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Biker
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Posts: 4619
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Hiya
Ah a fellow social history enthusiast 
The works of Gissing are fictional but are reputed to be reasonably accurate portrayals of everyday working class/lower middle class life, there's a list here:
http://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/english/Gissing/Gissing_HomePage.htm
I've read most of them, Nether World is I think a very candid picture of working class life based around Clerkenwell London and most of the references are factual. The Odd Women is an interesting portrayal of working/lower middle class unmarried women, and their options (limited!). New Grub Street is also intresting from the point of view of the lack of mobility between classes (focusing on working vs lower middle generally).
There's also a book (name escapes me, but will look it up if you're interested) of actual autobiographies/diaries of working class people generally in the mid to late Victorian era - if memory serves me correct, things like Miner, Shopkeeper, Hand Loom Weaver, footman are included. It's quite expensive as it's been out of print for ages though. A must read though ... my copy has been lost 
Mayhew's work (and books co-authored by his brother I think) as Old Rowley suggested are seminal works of the time and rare sociological investigations/surveys into working class life. London Labour and London Poor is excellent.
Hope that helps, and good luck
Biker
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Headbanger Veron
RootsChat Veteran
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Posts: 541
My remarkable Mum 1917-2006
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This is a simply fantastic website Gadget - you can spend hours here - if you haven't seen it, do have a look!
http://www.victorianlondon.org/
Veron
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All census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.ukCurrently researching: ABRAHAMS (Essex/Woolwich), CARPENTER (Kent) CLEMENTS (London), CRADDOCK (Sheerness) HORTON (Birmingham) MUNCASTER (Whitehaven then Manchester, Scotland, Suffolk and Canada!) TANCOCK (Devon/Cornwall), WILSON (Edinburgh) among others..... |
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Gadget
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Posts: 18498
Three Wise Buoys, Wester Ross
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Thanks for all the refs. Would love the refs you're refering to Biker - need lots of reading matter up here in the gales, etc. Well that's my excuse if i really need one.
II have masses on Scottish stuff and quite a bit of local history on my Welsh borders area but I wanted to really try to get into my ancestors lives.
Love Mrs Gaskell and that genre but I've never liked Dickens. Very strange 
Anyway, thanks everyone.
Gadget
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« Last Edit: Friday 09 June 06 20:49 BST (UK) by Gadget »
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PassionPlay
RootsChat Senior
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Posts: 438
There was a hush in the passion play
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I'm a big fan of this site too and if you sign up for the newsletter you get loads of other interesting site links and it's an occasional mailing, you don't get inundated with spam!
There is a full transcription of Mrs Beeton's Household Management (1861) in here too, fascinating even if your ancestors do not fit the 'household' mould
THE BOOK OF HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT;
Comprising Information for the
MISTRESS, HOUSEKEEPER, COOK, KITCHEN-MAID, BUTLER, FOOTMAN, COACHMAN, VALET, UPPER AND UNDER HOUSE-MAIDS, LADY'S-MAID, MAID-OF-ALL-WORK, LAUNDRY-MAID, NURSE AND NURSE-MAID, MONTHLY, WET, AND SICK NURSES, ETC. ETC.
ALSO, SANITARY, MEDICAL, & LEGAL MEMORANDA;
WITH A HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN, PROPERTIES, AND USES OF ALL THINGS CONNECTED WITH HOME LIFE AND COMFORT.
BY MRS. ISABELLA BEETON.
Steph.
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Beer (Kent) Hall/Halle (Stafford/Enfield/Folkestone) Richards (Kent) Silk (Kent) Southan/Southen/Southern/Southon (Kent) And more (there are always more!)  All census info: Crown Copyright www.nationalarchives.gov.uk Join Stumble and lure others into Rootschat! |
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Gadget
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Posts: 18498
Three Wise Buoys, Wester Ross
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That looks one amazing site Annie, for lots of books not just History.
I'm slowly going through all the sites mentioned - the Victorian stuff is great - i'm sure I've used it before for graveyards  but hadn't bookmarked it. They are all now book marked.
Thanks
Gadget - off to do more reading
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Biker
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Posts: 4619
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Ye Olde Greye Cells are working a bit and remembered the book of autobiographies/diaries, it's called "Useful Toil" by J Burnett
Here's an Amazon listing with a bit of synopsis and has one of those cool Search Inside features ...
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0fc/
p.s. it's my birthday coming up shortly if you want to get a whip-round going LOL
Regards
Biker
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Gadget
RootsChat Marquessate
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Posts: 18498
Three Wise Buoys, Wester Ross
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That's a not too bad a price Biker - I'll order it. Thanks ever so
Gadget
(Here's a £5 to start the whip round )
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