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{{short description|Female personal attendant}}
{{short description|Female personal attendant}}
{{for|the butterfly with this name|Vanessula milca{{!}}''Vanessula milca''}}
{{for|the butterfly with this name|Vanessula milca{{!}}''Vanessula milca''}}
[[File:Gatine Pariser Zofe.jpg|thumb|Illustration depicting a [[Paris|Parisian]] lady's maid in the 1630s. The illustration is made in the turn of the 18th-19th century, by {{ill|Georges-Jacques Gatine|fr|}} (1773–1848)]]
[[File:Vermeer Lady Maidservant Holding Letter.jpg|thumb|''Mistress and Maid'' by [[Johannes Vermeer]].]]
[[File:Vermeer Lady Maidservant Holding Letter.jpg|thumb|''Mistress and Maid'' by [[Johannes Vermeer]].]]
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A '''lady's maid''' is a female personal attendant who waits on her female employer. The role of a lady's maid is similar to that of a gentleman's [[valet]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Class and the Domestic Service System through Downton Abbey |url=https://repositori.udl.cat/bitstream/handle/10459.1/59779/cjimenezc.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220826225316/https://repositori.udl.cat/bitstream/handle/10459.1/59779/cjimenezc.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |archive-date=Aug 26, 2022 |website=Repositori Obert UdL}}</ref>

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A '''lady's maid''' is a female personal attendant who waits on her female employer. The role of a lady's maid is similar to that of a gentleman's [[valet]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://repositori.udl.cat/bitstream/handle/10459.1/59779/cjimenezc.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y|title=Class and the Domestic Service System through Downton Abbey}}</ref>


==Description==
==Description==
Traditionally, the lady's maid was not as high-ranking as a [[lady's companion]], who was a [[Retinue|retainer]] rather than a [[domestic worker|servant]], but the rewards included room and board, travel and somewhat improved social status. In the servants' hall, a lady's maid took [[order of precedence|precedence]] akin to that of her mistress. In Britain, a lady's maid would be addressed by her [[surname]] by her employer, while she was addressed as "Miss" by junior servants or when visiting another [[servants' hall]].
Traditionally, the lady's maid was not as high-ranking as a [[lady's companion]], who was a [[Retinue|retainer]] rather than a [[domestic worker|servant]], but the rewards included room and board, travel and somewhat improved social status. In the servants' hall, a lady's maid took [[order of precedence|precedence]] akin to that of her mistress. In Britain, a lady's maid would be addressed by her [[surname]] by her employer, while she was addressed as "Miss" by junior servants or when visiting another [[servants' hall]].


A lady's maid's specific duties included helping her mistress with her appearance, including make-up, hairdressing, clothing, [[jewellery]], and shoes. A lady's maid would also remove stains from clothing; sew, mend, and alter garments as needed; bring her mistress breakfast in her room; and draw her mistress's bath. However, she would not be expected to dust and clean every small item as that would be the job of a [[housemaid]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Article 046--Servants--Their Hierarchy and Duties|url=http://www.literary-liaisons.com/article046.htm|access-date=2021-03-27|website=www.literary-liaisons.com}}</ref>
A lady's maid's specific duties included helping her mistress with her appearance, including make-up, hairdressing, clothing, [[jewellery]], and shoes. A lady's maid would also remove stains from clothing; sew, mend, and alter garments as needed; bring her mistress breakfast in her room; and draw her mistress's bath. However, she would not be expected to dust and clean every small item, as that would be the job of a [[housemaid]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hoppe |first=Michelle Jean |title=Article 046--Servants--Their Hierarchy and Duties |url=http://www.literary-liaisons.com/article046.htm |access-date=2021-03-27 |website=Literary Liaisons}}</ref>


==Examples of lady's maids==
==Examples of lady's maids==
* [[Catherine Bellier]] (1614–1689), [[Première femme de Chambre]] to the Queen of France, [[Anne of Austria]].
* [[Catherine Bellier]] (1614–1689), {{Lang|fr|[[Première femme de Chambre]]}} to the Queen of France, [[Anne of Austria]].
* [[Maria Molina (courtier)|Maria Molina]] (17th-century), [[Première femme de Chambre]] to the Queen of France, [[Maria Theresa of Spain]].
* [[Maria Molina (courtier)|Maria Molina]] (17th century), {{Lang|fr|[[Première femme de Chambre]]}} to the Queen of France, [[Maria Theresa of Spain]].
* [[Juliana Schierberg]] (d. 1712), lady's maid to princess [[Hedvig Sophia of Sweden]].
* [[Juliana Schierberg]] (d. 1712), lady's maid to princess [[Hedvig Sophia of Sweden]].
* [[Nicole du Hausset]] (1713–1801), lady's maid to [[Madame de Pompadour]].
* [[Nicole du Hausset]] (1713–1801), lady's maid to [[Madame de Pompadour]].
* [[Juliane von Schwellenberg]] (1728–1797), lady's maid to [[Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz]], Queen of Great Britain.
* [[Juliane von Schwellenberg]] (1728–1797), lady's maid to [[Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz]], queen of Great Britain.
* [[Ingrid Maria Wenner]] (1731–1793), lady's maid to [[Sophia Magdalena of Denmark]], Queen of Sweden.
* [[Ingrid Maria Wenner]] (1731–1793), lady's maid to [[Sophia Magdalena of Denmark]], queen of Sweden.
* [[Julie Louise Bibault de Misery]] (1732–1804), [[Première femme de Chambre]] to the Queen of France [[Marie Antoinette]].
* [[Julie Louise Bibault de Misery]] (1732–1804), {{Lang|fr|[[Première femme de Chambre]]}} to the Queen of France [[Marie Antoinette]].
* [[Maria Perekusichina]] (1739–1824), lady's maid to empress [[Catherine the Great]].
* [[Maria Perekusikhina]] (1739–1824), lady's maid to empress [[Catherine the Great]].
* [[Jeanne Louise Henriette Campan]] (1752–1822), [[Première femme de Chambre]] to the Queen of France, Marie Antoinette.
* [[Jeanne Louise Henriette Campan]] (1752–1822), {{Lang|fr|[[Première femme de Chambre]]}} to the Queen of France, Marie Antoinette.
* [[Marianne Skerrett]] (1793–1887), the principal lady's maid (with the title "Dresser") to Queen [[Victoria of the United Kingdom]] between 1837 and 1862.<ref>Helen Rappaport: ''[https://books.google.se/books?id=NLGhimIiFPoC&pg=PA151&dq=queen+victoria+ladies+in+waiting&hl=sv&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiljvPVi8vqAhVsyaYKHXyfAiIQ6AEwAHoECAAQAg#v=onepage&q=queen%20victoria%20ladies%20in%20waiting&f=false Queen Victoria: A Biographical Companion]'', 2003</ref>
* [[Marianne Skerrett]] (1793–1887), the principal lady's maid (with the title "Dresser") to [[Queen Victoria]] of the United Kingdom between 1837 and 1862.<ref>[[Helen Rappaport]]: ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=NLGhimIiFPoC&dq=queen+victoria+ladies+in+waiting&pg=PA151 Queen Victoria: A Biographical Companion]'', 2003</ref>
* [[Bertha Zück]] (1797–1868), lady's maid to [[Josephine of Leuchtenberg]], Queen of Sweden.
* [[Bertha Zück]] (1797–1868), lady's maid to [[Josephine of Leuchtenberg]], queen of Sweden.
* [[Frieda Arnold]] (fl. 1854–fl. 1859), lady's maid to Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom between 1854 and 1859.
* [[Frieda Arnold]] (fl. 1854–fl. 1859), lady's maid to Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom between 1854 and 1859.
* [[Pepa Pollet]] (fl. 1870), lady's maid to [[Eugénie de Montijo]], Empress of France.
* [[Pepa Pollet]] (fl. 1870), lady's maid to [[Eugénie de Montijo]], empress of France.
* [[Marie von Flotow]] (1817–1909), the lady's maid and influential favourite of the Russian Empress [[Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark)]].
* [[Marie von Flotow]] (1817–1909), the lady's maid and influential favourite of the Russian Empress [[Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark)]].
* [[Anna Demidova]] (1878–1918), lady's maid to [[Alexandra Feodorovna (Alix of Hesse)]], Tsaritsa of Russia
* [[Anna Demidova]] (1878–1918), lady's maid to [[Alexandra Feodorovna (Alix of Hesse)]], tsaritsa of Russia
* [[Dame Von Deeds]], A Fiction Reference To [[Jeeves]] To [[Irene Adler]] Reference To [[Bertie Wooster]] From Cashville Series

===Fictional lady's maids===
*Susanna in [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Mozart]]'s 1786 opera ''[[The Marriage of Figaro]]''
*Martha Abbott, Mrs. Reed's maid in [[Charlotte Brontë]]'s 1847 novel ''[[Jane Eyre]]''
*Mrs. Firkin, Miss Crawley's maid in [[William Makepeace Thackery]]'s 1847 novel ''[[Vanity Fair (novel)|Vanity Fair]]''
*Joan Valentine in [[P. G. Wodehouse]]'s 1915 novel ''[[Something Fresh]]'', and Claire Lippett in Wodehouse's 1925 novel ''[[Sam the Sudden]]''
*Hildegarde Schmidt in [[Agatha Christie]]'s novel ''[[Murder on the Orient Express]]'' (1934), and Louise Bourget in Christie's ''[[Death on the Nile]]'' (1937)
*Clarice in [[Daphne du Maurier]]'s 1938 novel ''[[Rebecca (novel)|Rebecca]]''.
*Dora Moxton in [[Noël Coward]]'s 1951 play ''[[Relative Values (play)|Relative Values]]''
*Rose Buck and Maud Roberts in the television series ''[[Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 TV series)|Upstairs, Downstairs]]'' (1971–1975)
*Jeanette Robbins in the television series ''[[Dynasty (1981 TV series)|Dynasty]]'' (1981–1989)
*Mary MacEachran in the film ''[[Gosford Park]]'' (2001)
*Brigitte, Brigitta, Olivia, and Priscilla in the 2004 film ''[[The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement]]''
*Sophie Collins, Jessamine's maid in [[Cassandra Clare]]'s book trilogy ''[[The Infernal Devices]]'' (2010–2013)
*Anna Bates, Sarah O'Brien, and Phyllis Baxter in the television series ''[[Downton Abbey]]'' (2010–2015)
*Madri Visudharomn and Patravadee Varoprakorn in the ''[[Crazy Rich Asians (franchise)|Crazy Rich Asians]]'' franchise (2013–present)
*Gwynne in the 2015–2016 television series ''[[Galavant]]''


==See also==
==See also==
* [[Chamber Woman|Chamber woman]]
* [[Domestic worker]]
* [[Domestic worker]]
* [[French maid]]
* [[French maid]]
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* [[Handmaiden]]
* [[Housekeeper (domestic worker)|Housekeeper]]
* [[Housekeeper (domestic worker)|Housekeeper]]
* [[Maid]]
* [[Maid]]
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* {{Lang|fr|[[Première femme de Chambre]]}}
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* [[Handmaiden]]
* [[Valet]]
* [[Valet]]
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* [[Première femme de Chambre]]
* [[Kammarfru]]


== References ==
== References ==
<references />
<references />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lady's Maid}}


{{Authority control}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lady's Maid}}
[[Category:Maids| Lady]]
[[Category:Maids| Lady]]
[[Category:Domestic work]]
[[Category:Domestic work]]

Latest revision as of 15:57, 22 June 2024

For the butterfly with this name, see Vanessula milca.
Illustration depicting a Parisian lady's maid in the 1630s. The illustration is made in the turn of the 18th-19th century, by Georges-Jacques Gatine [fr] (1773–1848)
Mistress and Maid by Johannes Vermeer.

A lady's maid is a female personal attendant who waits on her female employer. The role of a lady's maid is similar to that of a gentleman's valet.[1]

Description[edit]

Traditionally, the lady's maid was not as high-ranking as a lady's companion, who was a retainer rather than a servant, but the rewards included room and board, travel and somewhat improved social status. In the servants' hall, a lady's maid took precedence akin to that of her mistress. In Britain, a lady's maid would be addressed by her surname by her employer, while she was addressed as "Miss" by junior servants or when visiting another servants' hall.

A lady's maid's specific duties included helping her mistress with her appearance, including make-up, hairdressing, clothing, jewellery, and shoes. A lady's maid would also remove stains from clothing; sew, mend, and alter garments as needed; bring her mistress breakfast in her room; and draw her mistress's bath. However, she would not be expected to dust and clean every small item, as that would be the job of a housemaid.[2]

Examples of lady's maids[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Class and the Domestic Service System through Downton Abbey" (PDF). Repositori Obert UdL. Archived from the original (PDF) on Aug 26, 2022.
  2. ^ Hoppe, Michelle Jean. "Article 046--Servants--Their Hierarchy and Duties". Literary Liaisons. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
  3. ^ Helen Rappaport: Queen Victoria: A Biographical Companion, 2003
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