Victorian Household Hints: Useful Hints & Tips to Keep a Well Managed Household

by Elizabeth Drury

Here are just two of the tips of the period that can be found in this charming book. A Cure for EaracheProcure an ordinary clay pipe, and insert a wad of cottonwool in the bowl, then drop six or eight minims of chloroform on to the wool, and cover with a similar ward, insert the pipe stem just within the ear passage, and gently blow down the bowl of the pipe.To Prepare a Floor for a DanceTo prepare a floor for a dance, it should be swept and scrubbed, and then, when dry, well sprinkled with powdered boracic acid, which should be rubbed in thoroughly, the children of the house may with advantage be allowed to dance on it, or to slide up and down, for nothing polishes a floor better than a few pairs of active feet.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Kirsten]

A fascinating look at Victorian domestic life. Each chapter outlines the role played by different servants in a well-to-do household, and provides contemporary tips culled from various receipt-books on all manner of household tasks, from making jams and pickles, to cleaning kitchen ranges, washing leather, to a whole host of things that simply wouldn't occur to us today. Fascinating, and often alarming - Baby not well? Never fear, there are all sorts of homemade remedies. All you need is a little opium, white lead, or sulphuric acid!

[Voirrey]

This is both informative and fun - and very useful if you ever want to write anything set before the days of detergents, electricity, and so on!