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Much of the allure of the Victorian era is attributed to the lavish lifestyles of the wealthy. In order to maintain the large houses and extravagant lifestyles, wealthy Victorians were reliant on a number of servants. The women who made up the servant class in Denver were first generation immigrants. So many of the girls were Irish that the name Bridget became a slang word for the servant's class. The Brown family employed five servants in their upper middle class home, and some of the large mansions employed over 100. Although the Denver papers criticized Margaret for treating her servants well, servants had very hard lives.

Servants typically worked a 16-hour day, six days a week with one night off a week. A general servant in 1900 made $3.00 a week plus room and board. This was a good wage considering the opportunities for lower class women at this time. The conditions of a servant's employment depended entirely on the family for whom she worked. A servant girl was expected to give her life to the household. Most girls did not have close friends nor did they marry and have children. Employers dictated every aspect of their lives and behavior was strictly monitored. Male servants had a bit more freedom and afforded a slightly higher social role in society.

A typical day for a general servant began at 6 a.m. and did not end until 9 p.m. The morning began by starting the stove and readying the kitchen for the cook. Cooks maintained a higher status in the household, and the general servant was required to help her in addition to her own duties. Before breakfast the general servant was required to dust the first floor of the house, set the table and lay out the morning paper. She would then serve breakfast to the family. After breakfast, she would wash the dishes, sweep and wash the floors, change the sheets, dust all the rooms on the second floor and answer the phone and the door. On top of these daily chores there were additional tasks assigned to each day of the week. For example, Monday and Tuesday were laundry day; Wednesday was silver polishing day, etc. A servant's time off was spent mending and sewing for the family.

Emerging modern technology for housewives was not offered to servants. The upper class believed that the girls were unworthy of any luxuries and considered them to be lazy and ungrateful. Most servants suffered leg and foot problems from standing on hard, cold floors for long periods of time. They also suffered from skin disorders caused by the harsh cleaning products they used daily.

The servant class is an intriguing aspect of Victorian culture that is not well known. To learn more about the lives of servants visit "The Bridgets" - Servant's Lives in Colorado exhibit April 23-May 26 at the Molly Brown House Museum. In addition to the exhibit the museum will be presenting a living history play that illuminates these untold stories. Show dates are April 23, 25 and 27th. Please call 303 832-4092 x16 for more details.