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Gladys
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That has slipped by me...Very interesting!
I'll look for Gladys in Mr. Quin.
Found a new one: Gladys (Evans) Roberts, parlormaid in Why Didn't They Ask Evans?
Gladys.......a maid at the Jolly Roger hotel in "Evil Under The Sun"...............and Gladys the maid in "Pocket Full of Rye".
I have read that housemaids were often renamed if their actual name was considered too 'above their station', so that a girl named Maria, for example, might be called Gladys, which was considered more suitable. Perhaps a lot of these 'Gladys' were really undercover Lavinia's or Charlotte's!
That's amazing! I never realized there were so many Gladys! Susan-- that seems such a weird thing to do! Wouldn't there be a lot of confusion if one housemaid wants to talk to another??!!
I assume they had a few 'suitable' names Ashwath, Gladys being one of them that was deemed appropriate for the staion of housemaid.
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Probably Carolyn. That was just my point, they were not always the real names of staff. A pretty housemaid called Lydia could come into contact with guests of the same name - easier to rename her something non threatening and unnattractive.
Another Gladys. This time she's in N or M? as a maid accused of stealing a photo from a boarder's room. Poor Gladys has no lines to defend herself...
Susan wrote: "I have read that housemaids were often renamed if their actual name was considered too 'above their station', so that a girl named Maria, for example, might be called Gladys, which was considered more suitable..."Susan, do you remember where you read that? It sounds kinda weird, but in an interesting way. Almost like they thought of their servants as interchangeable... "My last maid was named Flora, so rather than remember some new name, I'm going to call you Flora." wow...
Andy, that's not too far off the mark - some households apparently had maids who were always given a certain name, to avoid confusion! I have read it in social history books about being in service. I also recall in Upstairs, Downstairs that the maid was renamed "Rose" as the name she gave was French and considered inappropriate (that's probably incorrect, someone will know for sure). I believe it was fairly common practice in large households, although probably less so after WWI when 'help' was harder to get and to keep. I can imagine that the lady of the house might feel a pretty maid might be less of a threat if her name were Gladys or Agnes - although I doubt it worked!
I was thinking of Upstairs/Downstairs when I was reading this as well I remember that happening in one of earliest episodes. It was Sarah who was supposedly French and named Clémence which was completely unsuitable so Lady Marjorie told her she was going to be Sarah and it stuck.
I am looking forward to looking for Gladys' and I suspect this plain name business might well be the reason but what an interesting tidbit.
Of course it was Cathryn - many thanks.
This is off-topic, but it's about the naming of servants. If you've seen the movie Gosford Park, you might remember that at a large country house party, the servants were called by their employers' surnames.
Cathryn wrote: "I was thinking of Upstairs/Downstairs when I was reading ..."Not enough that you guys get me buying more books, but now you have me buying more DVDs too? (sigh)
I just finished watching the first episode at Amazon and ordered the first season. Thanks, Cathryn.
I did love Gosford Park. The servants had the status of their employers in the servants hall as well, didn't they?
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I loved that movie!
So due to this conversation I got interested in domestic service and decided to read 'Below stairs' which I am still waiting on at the library and 'Rose, my years in service' hoping they would shed some light on the subject. I finished Rose and though there was a Gladys (a cook in the first house Rose worked in) and I enjoyed the story it did not offer a lot of information on requirements in service so I am holding out hope for Below Stairs, it is about a kitchen maid rather than a lady's maid so maybe there will be more insight.
Found another Gladys! She's the third housemaid in the story "The Under Dog."
Cathryn wrote: "So due to this conversation I got interested in domestic service and decided to read 'Below stairs' which I am still waiting on at the library and 'Rose, my years in service' hoping they would shed..."I'm curious to know what you learn about domestic service!
Yet another maid/servant named Gladys in Sleeping Murder. "'Long time ago,' he said fretfully. 'Can't remember names. Chap from India - nice chap...I'm tired, Gladys. I'd like my tea.'"
Great observation! Wasn't the maid in Pocket full of rye also called Gladys? I agree with the comments about renaming maids to suit the convenience or rules of the household. If anyone has read books by Enid Blyton a lot of maids in her series were also named Gladys! ( Also, interesting fact: ladies' maids had to be called Mrs. Lastname whether or not they were married! )
There is a Gladys in Christie's final mystery Postern Of Fate. This Gladys is shop clerk who is bad with math and possibly dishonest with the till.
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in the 13 problems there were a lot of gladys.most of the gladys were not very bright, a maid, hopelessly in love
and died.
poor gladys
Gladys is mentioned in the first chapter of Giant's Bread. When a nursemaid's name is changed from Isabel to Susan a few chapters later, a character explains,"'There are names that are suitable to the gentry and names that are suitable for servants. That's all there is to it.'"
It sounds kinda weird, but in an interesting way. Almost like they thought of their servants as interchangeable... Anndy, this isn't exactly false. In London, to this day, there is a Gentleman's Club where all the butlers are called John or something like that.
I just reread One, Two, Buckle My Shoe and found a prominent Gladys. Gladys Neville, dental assistant.
Gladys Hill, parlormaid in "The Affair of the Pink Pearl" Partners in Crime (1930)