History society enjoys interesting insight into Calke Abbey

KAREN Kreft gave the Shepshed History Society an excellent and very interesting insight on the lives of servants and those in particular at Calke Abbey during the 1800 and 1900’s at the group’s October meeting.

It was the custom to employ staff who lived many miles away Karen began to explain, in order to stop local gossip abounding about the local gentry. And she went on and told many tales of the private lives of the overworked servants and what their duties entailed and the endless hours they had to work. Footmen however were the least overworked servant, always employed for their handsome appearance and height, the taller they were the more wages they got. They would spend endless hours just looking ornamental in between serving at table and doing menial tasks for their masters.

In depth tales followed of the servants lives were given and a sorry tale in particular was told of a 14 year old scullery maid who in 1913 when plucking a goose accidentally set herself on fire when using methylated spirits to singe the down from off the bird.Tragically she died soon afterwards and Sir Vauncey Harpur Crewe immediately banned this practice from taking place in his home from then on.

Servants of course dwindled down after the first world war finished when more well paid jobs and less hours became available in factories that were springing up all around the country. By 1924 when Hilda Mosley the last Harpur Crewe was to inherit the estate, the staff was drastically reduced to a mere minimum and life on the grand estate was never to be the same again.

The next meeting on November 12 will be given by Bill Pemberton and his subject to be Leics & Swannington Railway. Newcomers welcome.