Page 15 - Copshaholm Curriculum Book_2015

The Victorian Home 6

many people thought it terribly unsanitary for the outhouse to be brought inside. They
warned about the dangers of sewer gas, claiming that it caused deaths! It was because
of these fears that the toilet was, in some Victorian homes, separated from the
bathroom and placed in its own room: the water closet. Some toilets were often
decorated and sculpted.

The Attic

Unlike the dark, tiny crawl spaces we call attics today, Victorian attics were large,
often comfortable areas, fairly well lit by windows. Very often, part of the attic was used
to store rugs and furniture, while the rest was used as living quarters for the servants.

Often, a married couple would be hired to serve as cook and butler to the household.
Between them, they were responsible for all the cooking, cleaning and general
maintenance of the house. Of course, a large household would have employed more
than just two servants. It was not an easy life, for their work was strenuous and time-
consuming, but they were given room and board, in addition to a modest salary. Some
couples saved enough money over the years to retire from service and start their own
households.

A sewing machine would be located in the attic (or on the top floor of the house).
The servants and the ladies of the household did routine mending. When the lady or
her children needed new clothes, visiting seamstresses would come to the house to
design and sew new apparel. If a grand wedding was being planned, seamstresses
would often stay with the household for several months preparing the ladies’ gowns and
clothes for the children. Gentlemen and older boys generally ordered and purchased
their cloths at a tailor’s shop.

Old clothes and fabric scraps were never thrown away as they could be cleverly
used again. Both quilts and braided rugs were made from recycled fabrics.

The Basement

Today we use our basements as catchalls to store all kinds of things that we are not
currently using or that we intend to dispose of eventually. Sometime part of the cellar is
converted into a game room with a Ping-Pong table and dartboards.

The basement was a very practical area in the Victorian home. Very often a second
wood and/or coal burning stove and a sink area were installed in the basement so the
cook could preserve fruits and vegetables and bake during the summer without heating
the rest of the house.

It was also an area where all the clothes were washed and ironed. In 1858,
Hamilton Smith patented the first mechanical washing machine. Until then, women had
the backbreaking chore of scrubbing all clothes and linens by hand. Imagine trying to
scrub out something as big as a bed sheet!

Ironing was also a chore. Though pretty much the same shape as today’s irons,
most old-fashioned irons were heated by being placed on a hot stovetop and a few by
being filled with hot coals. It was hard to regulate the iron’s heat. Women had to be