A stillroom maid (presumably), serving
afternoon tea.
The still-room maid is a female servant who works in the
still room, a functional room in a
great house. She made preserves, including pickled eggs and vegetables, dried fruit, dried herbs and flowers, spice preparations, chutnetys, marmalades, and jams; beverages, such as tea, bottled drinks, and beer; and perfumes, candles, and home remedies.[4] She also prepared and served
afternoon tea; not just the beverages, but sandwiches and cakes.[5][6]
The still-room maid is a junior servant, and as a member of the
between staff, reports to both the
housekeeper and the
cook.[7] It was a high-status role; stillroom maids were often promoted to
housekeepers. In smaller households, the housekeeper would do the work in the stillroom herself,[2] and the stillroom sometimes adjoins the housekeeper's room.[8] Like the housekeeper, the stillroom maid was often exempted from wearing a uniform,[5] after uniforms became common.
The work of the still-room was originally done by the lady of the house, and later by more junior ladies of the household. It then passed to the housekeeper or cook, and thence to the stilllroom maid(s). Once common in houses with large staffs, the still-room maid is rare in the 21st century.
References
^Kreft, Karen (26 November 2020).
"The Stillroom Maid". Ticknall Life. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
^Fforde, Jean (1982). Castles in the air: the memories of a childhood in two castles. Brodick, Isle of Arran, Scotland: Kilbrannan Pub.
ISBN9780907939016., as quoted at
"Balintore Castle Restoration Project: The Still Room". Balintore Castle Restoration Project. 9 January 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
^home remedies, drinks, oils; later jams, preserves, pickles, gherkins, bottled drinks, and alcohols[1] herbal waters, teas, dried flowers and herbs, cologne, toilet water, medicines, candles, and mixing of spices[2] beers, cakes, pastries, jams, chutneys, marmelades, and pickles[3]