Penkridge WI: 'A most enjoyable start to 2025!'
It has been a sociable and fun start to 2025. Our new programme started on 15 January with a celebration lunch. This event was very successful with everyone agreeing that they had enjoyed a very tasty meal served by helpful staff and we hope to make it an annual event.
Our first meeting held in the Reading Room was on Monday, 3 February with 31 members attending and proved to be extremely entertaining. The talk was given by Jo Goldby. Dressed in the attire of a Lady’s Maid, her subject was titled, Between Stairs: The Life of a Lady’s Maid. Jo had acquired plenty of knowledge of this subject as she had played the part for many years at both Calke Abbey and Warwick Castle. She was a lively and entertaining speaker full of anecdotes regarding the life of Lady Mary Curzon, Baroness of Keddleston, an American heiress who married George Curzon the future Viceroy of India.
We learnt that a Lady’s Maid was a female servant who served as a personal attendant to her female employer, usually the Lady of the House. The role included her own private room and board as well as travel as she would accompany her mistress when she went away. Usually, she would buy a fan to show where she had been. She would be addressed by her surname by her employer and Miss by junior servants. She had to help her mistress with dressing, organising her clothes, mending and altering garments, bringing her breakfast in her room each morning and running her bath. Once worn, a Lady’s Maid would inherit her mistress’ clothes. It was a very secure job, usually for life.
This has been a most enjoyable start to 2025. The next meeting is the AGM on March 3.
