What exactly did an Ayah do

[brigidmac]

Grave of the Packe family

[Viktoria]

Ayahs were often the one who fed the babies, they would have babies themselves but had to leave them and they were “ wet nurses “ to European babies .
It was thought that European women would not be strong enough in the hot enervating climate to feed their babies ,many upper class women did have such nurses in England .
They were not allowed to have their babies with them ,so you can imagine what a strong bond there was between them and the babies they nursed .
It was a cruel system , but acceptable at the time.

Viktoria.

[Wexflyer]

An Ayah did what you told her to do....

[brigidmac]

Ha ha Wex
I think that Sarah must have been picked up in 1909 in natal where the PACKE s 1st child was born
Then gone to Mauritius with the family where second child was born in late 1910
He was only 5 months old in 1911 census so she probably travelled to England
And would have had plenty of work over the next decade if she did stay with the family other children were  born in 1913 + 1916 & 1922

Other people in domestic service followed this family around and according  to local memories colonel
PACKE was a good payer
So I'm beginning to think Sarah could be the dark skinned nanny in the photo or is it a trick of the light
Does anyone have access to the 1921
Census to see how many domestic servants the family had and who  was the ayah nanny or nursemaid

[brigidmac]

Found the 1921 census
With Mrs Packe & 3 children age 7 .4 and 4 months

She has a butler  cook housemaid nursemaid + a trained children's nurse
Evelyn Mary LUCAS single woman aged 43

So that would be the lady in the photograph

[John915]

Good afternoon,

Only just read this so a few years behind. But to elaborate on YTs replies this is the definition of Ayah.

Origin

Anglo-Indian, from Portuguese aia ‘nurse’, feminine of aio ‘tutor’

John915