Situation Vacant: the Servant Problem in Edwardian England

"Mrs Hunt begs to forward the particulars of a servant"

Mrs Ellen Hunt's Servants' Agency was located at No. 86 High Street, Marylebone, London with additional premises on the Fulham Road. In 1901, when Ellen's 74 year old husband, George was described on the census as a retired printer, Ellen (two years his senior!) was still the proprietor of a 'registry office for servants'.¹ Even after her permanent retirement to the coast, the London agency continued to trade under Ellen's name.²

This Edwardian employment agency form is genealogical gold dust and a rare survivor - I have never seen another one!

It was sent by Mrs Hunt's agency to Ronald Hugh Wilson Robertson (1879-1917) in March 1907 and provided the 'particulars' of Arthur J Broadfoot of 2 Craven Mews, Ealing. According to the form, Arthur was aged 36, 5 foot 7½ inches tall, 10 stone 6 lbs and married with one child. He had been in the employ of a Miss Pontifex for four years, as her groom/gardener.



If, like I did, you try looking for Arthur J Broadfoot in the census, you won't find him. For all its apparent attention to detail, the Servants' Agency failed in one vital respect: his name! Considering the notoriously high registration fees charged by registry offices to any male applicants, this was a careless mistake.³

Eventually, I discovered that Arthur J was in fact Alfred James, born one of twins, in Liverpool in 1872, the son of Joseph and Susan Broadfoot.⁴ Alfred moved down to London⁵ shortly before joining the army, aged 19 in 1891. After active service in the Anglo-Boer War, he was discharged in May 1903⁶ and started work with Miss Pontifex soon after. His steady, live-in job enabled him to marry in December and his daughter Margaret was born the following year, in 1904.

On 27th March 1907 Ronald Robertson, wrote directly to the man he believed to be called Arthur Broadfoot, outlining his requirements, which included laundry work for Broadfoot's wife. Apart from the technical matter of whether Broadfoot could 'both ride and drive', Ronald wanted to know the age and sex of his child and whether he and his wife were 'both strictly sober'.

Alfred promptly answered all Ronald's questions, including the personal ones: his daughter was aged 2½ but 'very little trouble' and his wife was 31, 'a good cook or housemaid & would not mind doing washing'. 

In addition, Alfred asked a salary of £1 per week.

Ronald followed up on the reference, seeking reassurance that Broadfoot was 'a good man, honest & sober, willing to make himself useful'. On 10th April, Helen Pontifex of 58 Uxbridge Road, Ealing confirmed that she had never seen Alfred 'anything but sober'. Although he had always done anything she asked, she thought 'he would keep more to his work if he was under a man'. She confirmed that the wife was a good cook but she couldn't comment on her washing!




Sadly, the original invitation hasn't survived but it is obvious that Alfred went to Gloucestershire for an interview soon after Miss Pontifex's reply.

It didn't go well.

By 17th April, Alfred was requesting payment of his expenses:

travel from West Ealing to Badminton 9d
losing 1 days work 4s

total: 4s/9d

The final letter in this series was from Ronald and he was far from happy:

'In reply to yours of 17th I enclose a Postal Order for 4/9, do you think it quite fair to charge 4/9 a day for two or three hours when you are out of a job? Please acknowledge it.'




***Postscript*** 10th December 2014
If you are interested in servants' employment agencies then may I recommend the new post on 'A Visitor's Guide to Victorian England' by Michelle Higgs: 'Servants' Registries: How Victorian Maids Found their Places'

Footnotes
1/ 1901 Census TNA Ref: RG13/959/11 p12
2/ 1911 Census TNA Ref: RG14/5336/40B
See classified advertisements in The Times including 16 June & 22nd June 1905
plus an entry in the London Post Office Directory 1910
3/ Hansard: House of Commons Debate 3rd May 1906 vol.156 c.716: Servants' Registry Office Fees
4/ GRO Births on Ancestry.co.uk & Baptisms, St Mary Magdalene, Liverpool on 
Lancashire Online Parish Clerk Project 
5/ 1891 Census TNA Ref: RG12/8/109 p9
6/ Service Record for Alfred James Broadfoot on findmypast.co.uk TNA Ref: WO97/4418/82


© Emmy Eustace

Every Military Requisite

On 2nd April 1901, the London Gazette published the commission of 2nd Lieutenant Ronald Hugh Wilson Robertson (1879-1917) in the 1st (Brecknockshire) Volunteer Battalion, the South Wales Borderers.

Immediately after the announcement, no less than 5 companies were pitching for his business.

HJ Tucker, Military Tailor & Outfitter 137 Cheapside, London, EC.

HJ Tucker used a pre-printed and rather impersonal standard letter, accompanied by a generic estimate for a 2nd Lieutenant's uniform. The quote included the cost of a sword with either a 'best proved steel hilt and scabbard' or a more expensive plated version - 'to prevent rust'.

Hebbert & Co Ltd, Manufacturers of Army, Navy, Railway and Police Cloths, Clothing, Caps & Accoutrements. Head Office: Bethnal Green Road, London, E. Telephone No. 909 London Wall. 

Unlike Mr Tucker, Hebbert & Co were on the phone. Hebbert’s approach was more personal: a handwritten letter, signed by H G Brightwell of No. 24 Cecil Court, Charing Cross Road, London. 

They too enclosed a price list but this time specifically aimed at a 2nd Lieutenant in the Infantry Volunteers.

Note the difference in the price of gloves: doeskin versus dogskin.

According to his surviving correspondence, Hebbert & Co Ltd were rewarded with an order from Ronald Robertson - two years later, when he purchased a 'cloth cape' in October 1903.

J Fisher, Army and Volunteer Contractor 33 & 34 Artillery Place, Woolwich. 

Fisher specialised in second hand goods. His 'Circular' did not advertise a phone number nor did it contain a separate price list. Instead, J Fisher's 'Special' offer included an 'unsoiled' infantry officer's steel sword for £3/5s or one in nickel plate for a snip at £2.

Samuel Brothers Ltd, Military Tailors & Outfitters Sydenham House, 65 & 67 Ludgate Hill, London EC. Telephone No. 689 Bank. 

Like the other four companies, Samuel Brothers Ltd despatched their price list on 3rd April. It was accompanied by a fairly hurried looking handwritten letter, which stressed 'quality, workmanship & finish'. Uniquely, it drew the new lieutenant's attention to fellow officers (from his battalion) who were already Samuel Brothers' customers: Majors Powell & Jones, Captain Jowel and Quarter Master Dickey.  

Although they enclosed a handy 'Officers' Self-Measurement' guide (right), I think it unlikely that a young officer would ever attempt 'self-measurement' for his first uniform but it's a nice touch. 


The last and successful approach was made by: 

Hobson & Sons 'Officers Department', 1, 3 & 5 Lexington Street, Golden Square, London W. Telephone No. 3666 Gerrard. 

Hobson & Sons used a standard but professional, typed letter. It offered the Crickhowel based 2nd Lieutenant Robertson the convenience of using their agent Messrs Williams Bros Tailors of 145 Commercial Street, Newport for his measuring and fitting.

Ronald Robertson took quite some time to consider his options and eventually ordered his tunic and mess uniform from Hobson & Sons on 4th June 1901. Two days later, under the pressure of attending his first Brigade Camp at Porthcawl on 13th July, he submitted an order for the rest of his uniform:

Staggeringly, given the time frame, Hobson's managed to fulfil most of Ronald's order before he left for Brigade Camp. They only missed the deadline with the Great Coat and the Sam Browne Belts and Sword Knot, but these items were ready for delivery a week later. 

From an announcement in the Gazette to possession of your full kit, it was quick work!

***postscript***
Hobson & Sons are still in business

© Emmy Eustace