Victorian London's middle-class housewife : what she did all day / Yaffa Claire Draznin.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Draznin, Yaffa, 1922-

Series:

Contributions in women's studies ; no. 179.

Contributions in women's studies, 0147-104X ; no. 179

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Middle class women--England--London--History--19th century.

Middle class women.

Housewives--England--London--Social conditions.

Housewives.

London (England)--Social conditions.

London (England).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (255 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Distribution:

London : Bloomsbury Publishing, 2024

Place of Publication:

Westport, Conn : Praeger, 2000.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Through a detailed description of the life and activities of the middle-class married woman of London between 1875 and 1900, this study reveals how housewives unwittingly became engines for change as the new century neared. In marked contrast to the stereotypical depictions of Victorian women in literature and on television, Draznin reveals a woman seldom seen: the stay-at-home housewife whose activities were not much different than those of her counterparts today. By exploring her daily activities, how she cleaned her home, disciplined her children, managed her servants, stretched a limited budget, and began to indulge herself, one discovers the human dimension of women who lived more than a century ago. While most studies of this period consider values, aspirations, and attitudes, this book concentrates on actions, what these women did all day, to provide readers with a new perspective on Victorian life. Late-Victorian London was a surprisingly modern city with a public face of well-lit streets, an excellent underground railway system, and extended municipal services. In the home, gas stoves were replacing coal ranges and household appliances were becoming more common. Having both money to spend and a strong incentive to buy the new laborsaving devices, ready-to-wear clothing, and other manufactured products, the middle-class matron's resistance to change gave way to a rising consumer culture. Despite her nearly exclusive preoccupation with home and family, these urban women became agents for the modernization of Britain.

Contents:

Cover

Victorian London's Middle-Class Housewife

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

PART I THE MCMW'S BACKGROUND, 1850-1875

CHAPTER 1 Growing Up Female in Mid-Century England

NOTES

CHAPTER 2 Greater London in 1875: A Resident's View

CHAPTER 3 The MCMW's Spouse and the Couple's First Home

CHAPTER 4 The Matron's Appearance: Her Looks and Her Clothing

PART II THE REALITY: LIFE IN GREATER LONDON, 1875-1900

CHAPTER 5 The Housewife as Lowly Domestic: Cleaning the House and Doing the Laundry

CHAPTER 6 The Housewife as Specialized Domestic: Preparing the Meals and Clothing the Family

CHAPTER 7 The Housewife as Employer: Managing the Servants

CHAPTER 8 The Housewife as Financial Manager: Balancing the Budget

CHAPTER 9 The Housewife in Her Maternal Role: As Bride, Potential Mother, and Pregnant Wife

CHAPTER 10 The Matron as Guardian of the Family's Health

CHAPTER 11 The Matron as Nurturer of the Children: Early Child Care and Education

CHAPTER 12 The Matron as Social Secretary and Activities Coordinator

CHAPTER 13 The Matron as Morals Arbiter: Managing the Family's Religious and Charitable Obligations

CHAPTER 14 The Matron as Her Own Person: Satisfying Personal Needs Within and Outside the Home

CHAPTER 15 The Middle-Class Housewife as Shopper: The Emergence of Late-Nineteenth-Century "Consumerism"

PART III THE END OF THE CENTURY: CONCLUSION

CHAPTER 16 London in 1900: A World City Reluctant to Change

CHAPTER 17 The Middle-Class Housewife in 1900: Inadvertent Agent for Change

Appendix: Victorian Money

Bibliography

CITED REFERENCES

OTHER SOURCES, READINGS

Index

About the Author.

Recent Titles in Contributions in Women's Studies.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (p. [193]-203) and index.

ISBN:

9798216032014

9780313002571

0313002576

OCLC:

614714941