A lady's maid is a female personal attendant who waits on her female employer. The role of a lady's maid is similar to that of a gentleman's

valet A valet or varlet is a male servant who serves as personal attendant to his employer. In the Middle Ages and Ancien Régime, ''valet de chambre'' was a role for junior courtiers and specialists such as artists in a royal court, but the term "va ...

Description

Traditionally, the lady's maid was not as high-ranking as a

lady's companion A lady's companion was a woman of genteel birth who lived with a woman of rank or wealth as Affinity (medieval), retainer. The term was in use in the United Kingdom from at least the 18th century to the mid-20th century but it is now archaism, arc ...

, who was a retainer rather than a

servant A domestic worker is a person who works within a residence and performs a variety of household services for an individual, from providing cleaning and household maintenance, or cooking, laundry and ironing, or care for children and elderly ...

, but the rewards included room and board, travel and somewhat improved social status. In the servants' hall, a lady's maid took precedence akin to that of her mistress. In Britain, a lady's maid would be addressed by her

surname In many societies, a surname, family name, or last name is the mostly hereditary portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family. It is typically combined with a given name to form the full name of a person, although several give ...

by her employer, while she was addressed as "Miss" by junior servants or when visiting another servants' hall. A lady's maid's specific duties included helping her mistress with her appearance, including make-up, hairdressing, clothing,

jewellery Jewellery (or jewelry in American English) consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment such as brooches, ring (jewellery), rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be attached to the body or the ...

, and shoes. A lady's maid would also remove stains from clothing; sew, mend, and alter garments as needed; bring her mistress breakfast in her room; and draw her mistress's bath. However, she would not be expected to dust and clean every small item, as that would be the job of a housemaid.

Examples of lady's maids

* Catherine Bellier (1614–1689), to the Queen of France,

Anne of Austria Anne of Austria (; ; born Ana María Mauricia; 22 September 1601 – 20 January 1666) was Queen of France from 1615 to 1643 by marriage to King Louis XIII. She was also Queen of Navarre until the kingdom's annexation into the French crown ...

. * Maria Molina (17th century), to the Queen of France,

Maria Theresa of Spain Maria Theresa of Spain (; ; 10 September 1638 – 30 July 1683) was Queen consort of France, Queen of France from 1660 to 1683 as the wife of King Louis XIV. She was born an Infante, Infanta of Spain and Portugal as the daughter of King Philip IV ...

. *

Juliana Schierberg Juliana Sophia Schierberg, known as ''Julianchen'' (died 1712) was a Swedish favorite. She was the personal chamber maid and influential confidante of Princess Hedvig Sophia of Sweden and known for her influence and political activity. Juliana Sch ...

(d. 1712), lady's maid to princess Hedvig Sophia of Sweden. * Nicole du Hausset (1713–1801), lady's maid to

Madame de Pompadour Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour (, ; 29 December 1721 – 15 April 1764), commonly known as Madame de Pompadour, was a member of the French court. She was the official chief mistress of King Louis XV from 1745 to 1751, and rema ...

. * Juliane von Schwellenberg (1728–1797), lady's maid to

Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Sophia Charlotte; 19 May 1744 – 17 November 1818) was List of British royal consorts, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland as the wife of King George III from their marriage on 8 September 1761 until her ...

, queen of Great Britain. * Ingrid Maria Wenner (1731–1793), lady's maid to Sophia Magdalena of Denmark, queen of Sweden. * Julie Louise Bibault de Misery (1732–1804), to the Queen of France

Marie Antoinette Marie Antoinette (; ; Maria Antonia Josefa Johanna; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last List of French royal consorts, queen of France before the French Revolution and the establishment of the French First Republic. She was the ...

. * Maria Perekusikhina (1739–1824), lady's maid to empress

Catherine the Great Catherine II. (born Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst; 2 May 172917 November 1796), most commonly known as Catherine the Great, was the reigning empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796. She came to power after overthrowing her husband, Peter I ...

. *

Jeanne Louise Henriette Campan Henriette Campan (Jeanne Louise Henriette; ''née'' Genet; 2 OctoberMadame Campan, ''Memoirs of the Court of Marie Antoinette, Queen of France'', 1752 16 March 1822) also known as Madame Campan, was a French educator, writer and Lady's maid. In t ...

(1752–1822), to the Queen of France, Marie Antoinette. * Marianne Skerrett (1793–1887), the principal lady's maid (with the title "Dresser") to

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...

of the United Kingdom between 1837 and 1862. Helen Rappaport:
Queen Victoria: A Biographical Companion
', 2003 * Bertha Zück (1797–1868), lady's maid to Josephine of Leuchtenberg, queen of Sweden. * Frieda Arnold (fl. 1854–fl. 1859), lady's maid to Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom between 1854 and 1859. * Pepa Pollet (fl. 1870), lady's maid to

Eugénie de Montijo Eugénie de Montijo (; born María Eugenia Ignacia Agustina de Palafox y Kirkpatrick; 5 May 1826 – 11 July 1920) was Second French Empire, Empress of the French from her marriage to Napoleon III on 30 January 1853 until he was overthrown on 4 ...

, empress of France. * Marie von Flotow (1817–1909), the lady's maid and influential favourite of the Russian Empress

Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark) Maria Feodorovna (; 26 November 1847 – 13 October 1928), known before her marriage as Princess Dagmar of Denmark, was Empress of Russia from 1881 to 1894 as the wife of Emperor Alexander III. She was the fourth child and second daughter of ...

. * Anna Demidova (1878–1918), lady's maid to

Alexandra Feodorovna (Alix of Hesse) Alexandra Feodorovna (, born Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine; 6 June 1872 – 17 July 1918) was the last Empress of Russia as the consort of Tsar Nicholas II from their marriage on until his forced abdication on . A granddaughter of Quee ...

, tsaritsa of Russia

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lady's Maid Lady Domestic work Ladies maids

Description

Examples of lady's maids

See also

References