What's in a name?

[PossumPie]

One of the most precious things we have is our name. We are called by it from birth and it identifies who we are. How depersonalizing it would be to have someone call you "Maggie" simply because you used to have a servant girl named Maggie and you were used to using that name. It seems the elder Bordens understood the depersonalizing nature of this and called Bridget by her real name, but Emma and Lizzie called her Maggie. I may be over-thinking this, but it seems to make Bridget a non-person--an anonymous tool. Any thoughts?

[camgarsky4]

Below is an excerpt from an on-line article on 1800 Victorian Domestic Servants.
The Life of Domestic Servants in Victorian England
FROM THE LECTURE SERIES: VICTORIAN BRITAIN
December 1, 2017
By Patrick Allitt, PhD, Emory University

"It was quite common to have a certain name associated with a certain job. The scullery maid is called Mary. If you hire Gwyneth, you call her Mary because she is the scullery maid. You couldn’t even depend on maintaining your name for the purposes of your working life."

Specific to New England & Fall River, Pg. 71 in Jennings Journals, Benjamin Cowgill references his "girl Maggie".

I imagine the prior maid was called "Maggie" even if her name was Rebecca or Janet.

That said, Bridget had lived there for almost 3 years and Abby called her Bridget. So yes, the sisters were rude and arrogant. I suspect the sisters called her Maggie because that is how their higher-end 'friends' referred to their domestic help and when you aspire to be someone else, one tends to replicate behaviors.

Part of their little 'lifestyle envy' world they wanted to live in.

[Stefani]

According to Michael Martins, Maggie was a common name given to all Irish house servants. He said Mrs. Brigham referred to them as "Maggies" --- that is, it was a commonly used term in Fall River.

To us, to me, it sounds incredibly rude. But not to late nineteenth century sensibilities.

[swinell]

While certainly rude and dehumanizing, as Stefani pointed out it probably wasn't a cause of serious contention. From Book 1 of the trial, pgs. 220-221:
"Q (By Mr. Robinson): You were called Maggie?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: By Miss Emma and Miss Lizzie?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: But that was not unpleasant to you?
A: No, sir, it was not.
Q: Not at all offensive?
A: No, sir.
Q: Did not cause any ill-feeling or trouble?
A: No, sir.
Q: Did Mr. and Mrs. Borden call you by some other name?
A: Yes, sir, called me by my own, right name."

So, according to that it wasn't too offensive to her. Then again, later on pg. 221 she says that it was a "pleasant family" to be in and that she never saw any discord among the family which...I have a hard time buying so...take that as you will

[camgarsky4]

Agree with all. Good info!