Story: Household services

Staff of the big house (1st of 2)

Staff of the big house

The domestic staff of the Rhodes’ family’s house, Meadowbank, in North Canterbury. The woman on the right is probably the housekeeper or cook. Those with caps are probably parlour maids, whose duties included waiting at table and answering the front door, and the others are probably general maids who worked in the kitchen and scullery (where dishes were washed). The white apron was standard dress for 19th-century servants.

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Private collection, Terence Hodgson

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How to cite this page:

Jane Tolerton, 'Household services - Servants in the 19th century', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/21768/staff-of-the-big-house (accessed 20 April 2024)

Story by Jane Tolerton, published 11 Mar 2010