FOOTMEN'S TROUBLES.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 6, Issue 344, 1 April 1884, Page 6

FOOTMEN'S TROUBLES.

A letter from a footman appeared in the , ' Times ' the other day, describing the wretched way jin which are housed in the mansions of London. Commenting on this letter, " Dagonet " says in the ' Referee' : — I have just been a tour of the principal houses of the nobility, and the pen I hold trembles in my grasp as I attempt to describe the horrors I have seen. It is not my purpose to be graphic or sensational. My sole desire is to give tbe public an idea of the manner in whioh the male servants of the aristocracy are housed, in the hope that the public conscience may be awakened to the iniquity, and that social reformers may take up the " bitter cry " of these poor outcasts, and answer it satisfactorily. Case I.— John Blogga, footman to the Earl of Broadacres, a pale, tall, thin young man in the first stage of consumption, three years ago came from the country in all the health and vigor of early manhood. Sleeps in the dustbin, and complains bitterly that after he has gone to bed the kitchen refuse is often placed on top of him. He has bean taken away twice in a dust-cart by mistake. Complained to the butler, who referred him to his lordship. His lordship asked if he would like his lordship's bedroom. If he didn't like like the dust-bin, which had a nice comfortable lid, he could have a door-step. Advised him not to be too big for his place, and gave him a month's notice. I Case 2.— William Biggs, age sixteen, page , to the Dowager Duchess of Greenwich, ' looked very ill— eyes heavy, face leaden, coughed terribly, and spat blood. Asked ■' where he slept, and said " Up the chimney." Kemoved his jacket and showed terrible abrasions on his shoulders and back, caused by being subject to epileptic fits, and having them in the night while up the flue. .. Case 3.— Benjamin Grinham, under footman — kept scratching himself during inter-' . view — said he shared a kennel in the back yard with a big Newfoundland dog. Didn't like it because the dog kept his bones a long . time up in the corner, and, being savage, he (G riHham)didn't like to throw them out. Sometimes dog got out to look at the moon in the . night, and was awkward with Ms chain. Once it got round Grinham's throat,and nearly , throttled him. When the family were in the country, slept in the pigstye. Didn't like it, ' but no use complaining. All the'best families ' were alike in providing accommodation for -• male servants. „;•.> , :■■ Case 4. — Jeremiah Smith, valet to : Lord Pompanpride. Slept in the area, in an empty ' wine-case. Didn't mind so much in the sum* mer, but found it disagreeable in the winter. - Had to hang his clothes on the area railings i , when going to bed, and pay a policeman out.. . of his wages to watch them. Had 7 tp get up • and drsss in the pitch dark, for fear of being ".' taken into custody. Didn't complain, ; be- iil cause he did get the fresh air where he <_was ; might have been put to sleep inu.a ; wasse .* place. . ; - . , x .," ; '("" r These are a few cases culled froml one.' cIUI- '5 trict;in the most aristocratic <ju4rter K 6t J< •'■ London. It is to be hoped that. intaf^feyels^iiE tion of the horrors in our midstu^lVJV&rt fall upon apathetic ears, but that the nejws-^ papers, the magazines, the clergy, and th&° ( Lord Mayor will at once start a' 'crusade- ■ against a condition of things which iisa 1 ' scandal to the age and a blot upon the eseut»; ; cheons of the great nobles of the. IJ&ted', Kingdom, ' '.}'" u k- ■■■'-"*