The lady’s maid was a servant who attended to the appearance of middle- and upper-class ladies. Her duties included helping her mistress with her hair, cosmetics and wardrobe. Lower-class and poorer women would not have had the means to hire staff. Instead, they would have dealt with all aspects of their appearance and the running of the household. Here we look at what being a lady’s maid involved and the skills needed to be a proficient personal servant.
The Lady’s Maid
The lady’s maid was a personal servant employed by the mistress of the house. Therefore, she would report directly to – and only to – her mistress.
In the UK, the mistress would usually refer to her lady’s maid using her surname. However, in some other countries, her first name may have been used instead.
All the servants of the household would call the lady’s maid “Miss”. The lady’s maid would refer to her mistress as “Milady”.
Pay & Perks
The lady’s maid position came with pay, perks and status. It was a senior servant position, just like the housekeeper, butler and head gardener were. Other servants would look upon a lady’s maid with relative respect.
As well as receiving a wage, the lady’s maid would also have her own room, full board and accompany her mistress on any travels (both at home and overseas). She would also receive her mistress’s cast-off clothes to do with as she pleased.
No uniform was worn (unlike the lower servants), but simple, clean and neat attire was expected.
The lady’s maid was the female equivalent of the valet – who was the manservant to the gentleman of the house. A royal household, or one with substantial wealth, would have employed the services of several personal attendants.
Character & Skills
A good lady’s maid was cheerful, honest, discrete, organised and obedient. Likewise, she had to possess many skills, including a good standard of reading and writing, hairdressing, dressmaking, needlework, millinery and cosmetic knowledge.
Duties of a Lady’s Maid
Hairdressing
The washing, brushing, trimming, and styling of her mistress’s hair would be one of the most important duties of a lady’s maid.
Rich women could employ the regular services of a hairdresser. However, the lady’s maid would be expected to be proficient in hairdressing between those appointments.
Training may have been provided for those who needed it, or the lady’s maid could organise lessons for herself. Ultimately, keeping up with the latest hair fashions was important.
Hair fashion was extremely important for the mistress of the house. Certainly, her hairstyle could be changed several times during the day. For example, she may start with an appropriate morning style and later change to something more elaborate for an evening function.
Furthermore, the lady’s maid would also keep the brushes and combs clean. Appropriate cleaning methods would be used to ensure the items were not damaged in the process.
Until plastics became more common in the early 20th century, hair accessories and dressing items were made from various natural materials such as bone, tortoiseshell, metal, horn, leather and wood. Consequently, all needed careful handling.
Any false hair or transformations (the name used for wigs) used would be under the care of the lady’s maid.
Cosmetics & Personal Care
The lady’s maid would deal with all aspects of preparing her mistress’s toilet, including drawing a bath and organising hot water for washing.
Likewise, she would buy or make all the cosmetics required by her mistress. It included dealing with the perfumers and other suppliers and having recipes for making hair washes and pomades.
Wardrobe
The lady’s maid would assist her mistress with dressing and undressing. She would lay out the clothing and accessories required during the day for all activities taking place. Activities could include riding, walking, hunting, driving, social outings, and any evening events.
In addition, she would maintain her mistress’s entire wardrobe, including everything from dresses and shoes to undergarments, hats, and gloves. It would involve removing stains, brushing off any dirt, ironing, darning, mending and altering garments as needed.
Subsequently, the lady’s maid needed to know how to deal with different materials and jewellery. Also, how to wash fine linens, silks and lace.
The lady’s maid may also have made dresses for her mistress, which meant buying all materials with the suppliers. Because of this, she needed to keep abreast of the latest fashions and accessories.
