1. General Household Chores:
Child servants were responsible for a multitude of general household tasks. These could include:
- Cleaning and sweeping floors, furniture, and carpets.
- Dusting and polishing furniture and ornaments.
- Cleaning and maintaining fireplaces and hearths.
- Washing dishes and kitchen utensils.
- Preparing meals, especially simple tasks such as peeling vegetables or washing dishes.
- Carrying water from wells or pumps.
2. Childcare:
Many child servants were also tasked with taking care of younger children in the household. They would:
- Help dress, feed, and bathe younger children.
- Play with and entertain them, including activities like reading stories or playing games.
- Sometimes act as a companion or even tutor for the younger children.
3. Laundry and Ironing:
Child servants often assisted in laundry tasks, including:
- Washing and rinsing clothes by hand in washtubs.
- Hanging laundry on clotheslines to dry.
- Ironing clothes with heavy irons heated on the stove or fireplace.
4. Errands and Outside Work:
Child servants were also sent on errands and performed tasks outside the household, such as:
- Running messages and delivering packages.
- Attending to errands at the market or shops.
- Cleaning the garden, tending to flower beds, or collecting wood.
5. Assistance in Specialized Tasks:
In some households, child servants might assist in specialized tasks, depending on the family's needs. These could include:
- Helping in the kitchen with meal preparation or baking.
- Assisting in the garden with planting, weeding, or harvesting.
- Providing support to the lady of the house with needlework or sewing.
6. Additional Chores:
Child servants might also be required to perform additional tasks, such as:
- Cleaning and polishing shoes and boots.
- Lighting candles and oil lamps.
- Fetching buckets of water for household use.
- Assisting in setting up and clearing the dining table.
It's important to note that the working conditions for child servants were often harsh and exploitative. They worked long hours, received little to no pay, and often endured verbal or physical abuse from their employers. The living conditions were often cramped and unhygienic. Victorian society largely accepted and normalized child labor, despite the suffering and exploitation it entailed.