Footmen's Troubles.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 128, 29 April 1884, Page 2

Footmen's Troubles.

A letter from a lootmnn appeared m the " Times " the other day, describing the wretched way m which footmen are housed m the mansions of London. Commenting on this letter, " Dogonet " says m the " Referee" : — i I have jist Keen a tour of the principal town houses of the nobility, and the pen 1 hold trembles m my grasp as t attempt to describe the horrors I have seen. It is not my ' pnrpes33o be graphic or sensational.- My sole desire is to give the public an idea of the manner m which th» male-servants of the aristocracy are housed, m the hope that the public conscience* naay be awakened to the iniquity, %nd that social reformers may take up the " utter cry" of these poor outcasts, and answer it satisfactorily. Case I.— John Bloggs, r footman to the Earl of Broadacreej a.''<pMd,Ttall, thin young man m the first stago of consumption, th«,ee years ago 'came from the country m all the health and vigor of early manhood... Sleeps m the dustbin, and complains' bitterly that after he has gone to bed the kitchen refuse is often placed; on ; (tjog'jqQhim. He has been taken away J lwi<je m a dust cart by mistake. Complained to the butler, wh referred him to his lordship. His lordship asked if he would like his lordslripV bedrbomYs If he didn't like the dustbin, which had a nice comfortable, lid, .,; he could have a door-s f .ep. Advisod him not to be too big for his place and gave him a month's notice. Case 2. — 'William. Biggs, ase 16, i page to the Dowager Duchess ofGroenj: wieh, looked very ill—eyes heavy* face leaden, coughed terribly, and spat Blood. Asked where he } slept, . . said -, « Up the chimney." He removed his jacket and showed terrible abrasions .an-bis jhouldeis and back, "caused by~beiug subject to epileptic fits, and having them m the night while up the flue. Case 3 -^Benjamin Grinham, under footman— -kept scratching himself at interview — said Ke sha» ed a kennel m the back yard- with a ; Mg'laud dog. Didn't like it because the dog kept his-bones a long time up m the corner, and, being savage he (Grinham)xhWl like; to thro wr4toem out. Sometimes the dog 'gob* out to look at the moon at night, and was awkward with' his chain. 1 Once i go't r It'round Griuhara's throat,- ami. nearly throttled him. When the family wWe m the i country, slept m o pigstye v Didn't like it, but no use comptoWiigXnj&l the best of families were alike iv providing accommodation for male servants? Case L— Jeremiah Smith, valet to Loni Pompanpride. Slept m the area, man open .empty wine-case. Don't mind so much inthe summer, but found it, disagreeable iv the winter. Had to hang his clothes on the area railings when going to bed, and pay a policemau out of his wages Id watch them. Had to get up and di«sß m the pitch dark, for fear of being taken iuto custody. Didn't complain biefcause ho did get the fresh air where he wasj might have been pui to sleep m a worse 1 place. . These are a few cases 'culled from one district m the most aristocratic, quarter of London. It is to. be hoped that the revelation of Ihe horrors m our midst will not fallupou apathetic ears* but that the newspapers, : th&' r ''maj§a7:ines, the clergy, and the' L6rd : Mayor will afc once start a 'crusade against a condition of things which is a scandal to the age and a blot upon the cscuicKeofts 1 of the the great nobles of the United KiugI doni.