how would someone advertise for a servant in the 1880s in Northants?

[Ahmed_U]

hi all,

I am just curious - how would someone employ a servant in Northants in the 1880s? I know there can be many different ways, I am just trying to determine what was probably the most common way.

I am assuming that word-of-mouth was quite common. But were there places where advertisements would be placed for servants? like local newspapers? post offices? local church? if adverts were very rare, and it was largely through word-of-mouth, then I guess there is some point in me carrying on with my research to try and establish a possible link between a servant and the house she worked in. Otherwise, I might as well not bother!

Thank you.

Ahmed

[stanmapstone]

In the 19th Century there were 'Register Offices' which was the commonly used name for employment agencies, and servants looking for new positions would register with them.
The Universal Register Office was founded by Henry Fielding and his half-brother John in 1750. For a small fee, by registering their names with the office servants and apprentices would find masters. Several other such offices opened later in the century, and proliferated in the 19th. century and most towns had one. The term seems to have disappeared towards the end of the century to be replaced by Employment Agency.

From Dickens "Nicholas Nickleby"
"'Egad' said Nicholas, "I'll try that Register Office again."
"There seemed to be the very same placards in the window that he had seen before. There were the same unimpeachable masters and mistresses in want of virtuous servants, and the same virtuous servants in want of unimpeachable masters and mistresses...."

People also advertised in newspapers, both for servants and more often for positions as servants. If you have access to "The Times" digital archive you will see many such adverts
Stan

[celia]

Ahmed
But were there places where advertisements would be placed for servants? like local newspapers?

I see lots of ads in the olds newspapers,for servants in the wanted columns.They don't seem to be called servants in most of them.I suppose it depends on the type of they were,
If a person described themselves as a servant i would imagine it would mean no particular experience needed.So might be a post office add.On the other hand if a cook,farm manager or Gardiner was wanted.It would go in a newspaper,It will be very hard to find out where your ancestor worked.Unless you have any clues


Celia

[Spidermonkey]

Another popular way of employing people was through a Hiring Fair.  Twice a year, the fair would be held and all people who wanted to work would be gathered into one place so that potential employers could size them up and pick who they wanted to employ.

[Ahmed_U]

Many thanks all.

In the 1881 census, the farmer John Stevenson in Kettering has a domestic servant, May Peck, who although stated as being 15, is actually a bit younger. I am trying to establish how May Peck ended up being his domestic servant.
In 1881, her parents (Samuel Peck and Jemima Peck) are living in Bythorn, Hunts, with their other children. In 1871 they were living in Ruxholme, Lincs. Judging from the birth of their children, they were living in Eaton Socon, Beds in around 1875, and Little Barford, Beds around 1878. However, it might well be that the mother went to those places to give birth, as they had family there, and so the birth were registered there? I don't know.

I know both of John Stevenson's wives were from Lincs, but they weren't really very close to Ruxholme, so I have not been able to establish a link through Lincs.

Samuel Peck was an agricultural labourer, but I have been unable to establish who employed him.

Anyway, thank you all for your help.

Ahmed