employment records

[babykate]

If a woman had her occupation down as"housekeeper" in 1900's would that mean she worked in some stately home type environment or ran a boarding house? Would employers have kept records back then?

[conahy calling]

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01f2p/

Some housekeepers from Census. I just entered Murphy, occupation Housekeeper age 30 female to get these.  Many priests employed a housekeeper. 

[aghadowey]

'Housekeeper' is often a woman in the family who was looking after the house. Here's just one emaple from the above link but there are several others in that small batch alone-
www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Cork/Drishane/Mill_Lane_Upper/437481

If a woman had her occupation down as"housekeeper" in 1900's would that mean she worked in some stately home type environment or ran a boarding house? Would employers have kept records back then?

You should be able to tell if either of these were the case. If running a boarding/lodging house then there should be boarders/lodgers in the household and she might be listed as the Head. If a stately home there will be lots of servants and rooms.