The daily worker., 1927-03-05
Slaves of the Kitchen

I F you leave the great teeming slums Of the pro-
letarian East End, of London, and make your way
west, you must eventually arrive in the favored
quarter of Belgravia. This is a quarter of large
quiet squares filled with shady streets and carpeted
with well-kept grass. They are not public squares
however, only the occupants of the stately houses
surrounding these small parks have keys to enter
the gate in the iron fence surrounding them.
Belgravia- from Belgrave Square, in its
centreis in the southwestern part of London near
buckingham Palace, that great ugly pile of brick
and stone where resides the royal family It is the
most Select" part of the metropolis
discreet quietude pervades these leafy squares,
with their great houses of grey stone drab stueco
Not many pedestrians to be on the streets.
The inhabitants always ride, IN their automobiles.
Here may be solitary policeman, majestcaly
marching. Or brightly painted motor wagon stops
to deliver goods from some famous store.
When the front door to one of these mansions is
opened, you have a glimpse of a tall, clean-shaven
man-servant, of white-capped, white-aproned
black-skirted nlaid-servant. If you pass early in
the morning. you viii note the servant girls, in their
working overalls cleaning windows, washing the
white stone door-steps
In these great houses, as many eight to a
dozen domestic workers often employed These
comprise. cook parlor-maids kitchen-maids butler,
footmen, chauffcurs and page-boy. The houses were
built about hundred and fifty years ago and
although solid enough in construction they are most
difficult to work in, from the point of view of do
mestic workers. They were built in the days when
domestic labor unaded by labor-saving devices
simplifed by the good sense of the architect in
planning his house.
The servants part of the house is in the base
ment. Here are the kitchen and scullery, and, in
the larger establishments, the Servants hall" This
latter is a room, in the basement part of the
house which enjoys practically no daylight, and
where artificial light is used all day during winter
This room is elegantly furnished with all the broken
or rejected furniture from the upper portion of Tire
house. Here the servants enjoy their social life"
They Sleep either in the basement, or in small
rooms at the top of the house. in the attics. And
lucky is the domestic worker who has room to
herself!
The household slaves are permitted to have one
evening free per week On these free evenings how
ever. they must return home before certain hour
usually eleven O'Clock ck-or be locked out for the
night as they are not allowed door-key And,
unless very satisfactory excuse is forthcoming to
be locked out is generally punished by dismissal
I1nus servants, desiring to attend church, are
usually given Sunday mornings or evenings free
on alternate Sundays But it is understood that they
really must go to church, and not deceive their
employers by just taking walk in the fresh air!
Tho hours of labor among these domestic serfs
are about IA per day. They rise at six in the morn
ing and are on duty until eleven or later at night
And when their employers giving ball or other
social functions they may be kept up until two or
three in the morning, and, in the bargain they
have the job Of clearing up the remains Of the party
the following day.
II the large country houses of the rich, similar
conditions prevail. The average small country es-
tate has about twelve domestic servants Their
hours are about Is per day. Often their sleeping
quarters are of most primitive nature especially
when large number Of guests are entertained and
room must be made for them and for the personal
servants they bring with them.
On some of the larger estates over fifty servants
are employed, including many men, who work as
chauffeurs, buffers, foetnen, Wallets and gardeners
These slaves are the witnesses of the most gorgeous