A DAY IN THE LIFE
Sheila Parker, housemaid, who worked at Tranby House.
Sheila Parker was 14 when she joined the staff of Tranby House in 1937 as a housemaid.
Sheila would have carried out these tasks everyday (though the front steps were not scrubbed in frosty or freezing weather) and she had an afternoon off each week.
All the work was done by hand – there was no electricity. She was paid 7sh/6d a week – that 37½p to us.
6:00 am Rise, wash and dress.
Clean out the ashes from the kitchen range
Collect cleaning equipment: bucket, scrubbing brush, floor cloth, monkey soap (cake of abrasive powder).
Scrub front steps.
Tea.
Brush carpet, scrub tiles.
Clean study:
Clean ashes from fireplace and set fire, polish fire surround, fender and fire irons. Dust.
7:30 Breakfast (bacon, eggs, bread, tea).
8:00 take hot water upstairs for bathing.
Make own bed.
Clean bedrooms, dressing rooms, sitting room and landing area.
Mid morning - hot cocoa. Clean page boy’s room
Further cleaning.
1:30 pm Lunch.
Wash dusters and cleaning cloths.
Clean bedroom.
Tea.
9:00 Turn down beds and put hot water bottles in beds.
9:30 Hot cocoa.
Bed.
The material on this page is based on the reminiscences of Sheila Byron (nee Parker): Below Stairs at Tranby House published by AWAKE, 2015.
AWAKE is the Analby, Willerby & Kirk Ella U3A Local History Group.