Lizzie Borden Society Forum

I was reading thru some old posts and one of the duties listed for Bridget was cooking. Is this right? I thought she had light duties like ironing and sweeping. The other question I have is her pay wage. Read where it was $ 4.00 dollars. I thought it was $2.60, while most maids $1.50. Which is right.

Yes, snokkums:

Here's an interesting site which may answer some of your questions.

Much on Victorian Servants. A bit of a porthole into what was expected of the "help". It's a British perspective , but then again so was the elite in Lizzie's home town, thus many of the customs are probably the same and carried over across the pond, especially in the 19 century.

http://www.ourwardfamily.com/victorian_servants.htm

Hi Snokkums -- By any chance do you remember where you read about Bridget's wages?

This is what Bridget said about her chores. She testified she did the washing, ironing and cooking, swept the front entry hall once every two weeks, and washed the windows once or twice a month. She had nothing to do with any of the bedrooms on the second floor.

Abby did the dusting in the downstairs rooms and she and Emma took care of the spare room, while Abby, Emma, and Lizzie took care of their own rooms, and Lizzie tended to the sweeping and cleaning of the parlor.

So it sounds like the other women in the home took care of the general housework and Bridget did the heavy work (e.g. laundry and window washing) cooked the meals, and washed the dishes. At one point Bridget refers to Mrs. Borden bringing Morse’s dishes in to the kitchen when he’d finished his meal so we can see how Abby seemed to partner Bridget in these domestic chores. Abby also shopped for the groceries. (Source: Bridget Sullivan’s Preliminary Hearing and Trial testimony and Emma Borden's Inquest testimony.)

Diana-- I was reading Masterson book "Lizzie didn't do it" and read in the there what her wages were. Thanks for the website mbhenty. About to go check it out now.

Thanks, Snokkums ... you're right, it's on page 150. That's one of my favorite Lizzie books, by the way.

Went to the website mbhenty. What a hoot! love it. Espcially where it gave the rules the servants had to follow. It was great. Thanks.