There are problems in comparing the relative value of sums of money at different dates.
Indicators of relative value must assume some standard “basket of goods”, with
weightings for expenditure on various items. With different purchasing patterns between
individuals, and changing purchase patterns over time, any such assumption is questionable.
Figures are given in shillings/pence. Cash wages exclude extra payments for piecework, hay and corn harvests, overtime, and the value of allowances in kind.
Date
Wage
Date
Wage
Date
Wage
Date
Wage
Date
Wage
1850
9/3½
1862
11/1
1874
13/11½
1886
13/4
1898
14/1½
1851
9/2½
1863
11/0
1875
14/0
1887
13/2½
1899
14/4
1852
9/3
1864
11/0½
1876
14/1½
1888
13/2½
1900
14/10
1853
9/11
1865
11/3
1877
14/1½
1889
13/4
1901
14/11
1854
10/8
1866
11/6
1878
14/0½
1890
13/6
1902
14/11½
1855
10/11½
1867
11/11
1879
13/8½
1891
13/9½
1903
14/11½
1856
11/0½
1868
12/0
1880
13/7½
1892
13/10
1904
14/11½
1857
10/11½
1869
11/8½
1881
13/7½
1893
13/9
1905
15/0
1858
10/9½
1870
11/10½
1882
13/7½
1894
13/8
1906
15/1
1859
10/8½
1871
12/1
1883
13/8
1895
13/8½
1910
15/4
1860
10/11
1872
12/8½
1884
13/7½
1896
13/9
1914 (June)
16/9
1861
11/1
1873
13/4
1885
13/5½
1897
13/10½
1825
Yearly wages of Domestics in the household of a Country Gentleman
As Hints to the Formation of a Household, or the Reformation of an Establishment, we insert the following
list of the number and description of Servants that are usually employed, according to Income; viz.-
Income per Annum
£100 or Guineas
A Widow or other unmarried lady
may keep a Young Maid Servant at a low salary; say from 5 to 10 Guineas a year.
£150 to £180
A Gentleman and Lady without Children
may afford to keep a better Servant-Maid, at about 10 or 12 Guineas.
About £200
A Gentleman and Lady without Children
A professed Servant-Maid of All-Work, at from 12 to 14 Guineas.
£300
A Gentleman and Lady with one, two or three Children
Two Maid-Servants.
£400
A Gentleman and Lady with one, two or three Children
Three female Servants, or two and a Boy; viz — A Cook, House-Maid and Nursery-Maid;
or else, instead of the latter, a Boy, — with a Gardener occasionally.
£500
A Gentleman and Lady with one, two or three Children
Three females and a Boy; viz — A Cook, House-maid, and Nursery-Maid, with a Boy as Groom,
and to assist in the House and Garden. A Gardener occasionally.
£500 to £600
A Gentleman and Lady with Children
Three females and one Man; viz — A Cook, House-maid, and Nursery-Maid, or other
Female-Servant; with a Livery-Servant, as Groom and Footman. A Gardener occasionally.
£600 to £750
A Gentleman and Lady with Children
Three females and two Men; viz — A Cook, House-Maid and another Female Servant;
a Footman and a Groom, who may assist in the Garden, and a Gardener occasionally.
£1000 to £1500
A Gentleman and Lady with Children
Four Females and Three Men; viz — A Cook, two House-Maids, a Nursery-Maid, or other
Female Servant; A Coachman, Footman, and a Man to assist in the Stable and Garden.
£1500 to £2000
A Gentleman and Lady with Children
Six Female and five Men-Servants; viz — A Cook, Housekeeper, two House-Maids,
Kitchen-Maid, and Nursery-Maid, or other Female Servant; with a Coachman, Groom, Footman,
Gardener, and an assistant in the Garden and Stable.
£2000 to £3000
A Gentleman and Lady with Children
Eight Female and eight Men-Servants; viz — A Cook, Lady's-Maid, two House-Maids,
Nurse, Nursery-Maid, Kitchen-Maid, and Laundry-Maid; with a Butler, Valet, Coachman, two Grooms,
a Footman, and two Gardeners.
£3000 to £4000
A Gentleman and Lady with Children
Nine Female and eleven Male Servants; viz — A Housekeeper, Cook, Lady's-Maid, Nurse,
two House-Maids, a Laundry-Maid, Kitchen-Maid and a Nursery-Maid; with a Butler, Coachman,
two Grooms, Valet, two Footman, two Gardeners, and a Labourer.
£4000 to £5000
A Gentleman and Lady with Children
Eleven Female and thirteen Male Servants; viz — A Housekeeper, Cook, Lady's-Maid,
Nurse, two House-Maids, Laundry-Maid, Still-Room Maid, Nursery-Maid, Kitchen-Maid, and Scullion,
with Butler, Valet, House-Steward, Coachman, two Grooms, one Assistant Ditto, two Footman,
three Gardeners, and a Labourer.
We have been favoured with the following as the present Household Establishment of a respectable Country Gentleman, with a
young family, whose Net Income is from 16.000l. to 18,000l. a Year, and whose expenses do not exceed 7000l.; viz.-
Domestic
Guineas
Domestic
Guineas
Domestic
Guineas
House-Keeper
24
Female Teacher
30
Lady's-Maid
20
Head Nurse
20
Second Nurse
10
Nursery-Maid
7
Upper House-maid
15
Under House-maid
14
Kitchen-Maid
14
Upper Laundry-Maid
14
Under Laundry-Maid
10
Dairy-Maid
8
Second Dairy-Maid
7
Still-Room Maid
9
Scullion
9
A French Man-Cook
80
Butler
50
Coachman
28
Footman
24
Under Footman
20
Lady's Groom
12
Groom — His Liveries and a Gratuity
Nursery-Room Boy — Clothes and a gratuity
Head Game-Keeper — 70 guineas a year, and 13s. per Week for Board-wages; a Cottage and Firing
Under Game-Keeper — one Guinea per Week
Gardener — 40 Guineas a year, and 13s. per Week for Board-wages; a House and Firing
Assistant Gardener — 12s. per Week
The Board wages of Servants in general, when the family is absent, is 10s. per Week, for the females, and 12s. per Week
for males. — Perhaps all the servants on a large establishment may be reckoned at an average of 10s. per Week,
expense, for Board. The Men are allowed a Pot of Ale per day, and the Women a Pint, besides table-beer.
THE FOLLOWING TABLE OF THE AVERAGE YEARLY WAGES paid to domestics, with the various members of the household placed in the
order in which they are usually ranked, will serve as a guide to regulate the expenditure of an establishment:-
When not found in Livery.
When found in Livery.
The House Steward
£40 to £80
-
The Valet
25 to 50
£20 to £30
The Butler
25 to 50
-
The Cook
20 to 40
-
The Gardener
20 to 40
-
The Footman
20 to 40
15 to 25
The Under Butler
15 to 30
15 to 25
The Coachman
-
20 to 35
The Groom
15 to 30
12 to 20
The Under Footman
-
12 to 20
The Page or Footboy
8 to 18
6 to 14
The Stableboy
6 to 12
-
When no extra allowance is made for Tea, Sugar, and Beer.
When an extra allowance is made for Tea, Sugar, and Beer.
The Housekeeper
£20 to £45
£18 to £40
The Lady's-maid
12 to 25
10 to 20
The Head Nurse
15 to 30
13 to 26
The Cook
14 to 30
12 to 26
The Upper Housemaid
12 to 20
10 to 17
The Upper Laundry-maid
12 to 18
10 to 15
The Maid-of-all-work
9 to 14
7½ to 11
The Under Housemaid
8 to 12
6½ to 10
The Still-room Maid
9 to 14
8 to 12
The Nursemaid
8 to 12
5 to 10
The Under Laundry-maid
9 to 14
8 to 12
The Kitchen-maid
9 to 14
8 to 12
The Scullery-maid
5 to 9
4 to 8
These quotations of wages are those usually given in or near the metropolis; but of course, there
are many circumstances connected with locality, and also having reference to the long service on
the one hand, or the inexperience on the other, of domestics, which may render the wages still
higher or lower than those named above. All the domestics mentioned in the above table would
enter into the establishment of a wealthy nobleman. The number of servants, of course, would become
smaller in proportion to the lesser size of the establishment; and we may here enumerate a scale
of servants suited to various incomes, commencing with-
About £1,000 a year - A cook, upper housemaid, nursemaid, under housemaid, and a man servant.
About £750 a year - A cook, housemaid, nursemaid, and footboy.
About £500 a year - A cook, housemaid, and nursemaid.
About £300 a year - A maid-of-all-work and nursemaid.
About £200 or £150 a year - A maid-of-all-work (and girl occasionally).
1914 - 1980
Average Minimum Wages paid to Ordinary Agricultural Labourers for Basic Hours
Figures are given in pounds/shillings/pence to 1971, pounds:pence subsequently.
The figures are the national minimum wages under the Corn Production Acts 1917 and 1920, the
Corn Production (Repeal) Act 1921, and the Agricultural Wages (Regulation) Acts 1924 and 1940.
From 1972 they are the statutory minimum for “ordinary” hired regular whole-time men.
Date
Min. Wage
Basic Hours
Date
Min. Wage
Basic Hours
Jan 1914 - Dec 1914
£0/16/9
~58
Oct 1949 - Sep 1950
£4/14/0
47.0
Jul 1918 - May 1919
1/10/6
52
Oct 1950 - Sep 1951
4/19/4
47.0
May 1919 - Apr 1920
1/17/10½
-
Oct 1951 - Sep 1952
5/8/1½
47.0
Apr 1920 - Aug 1920
2/3/0½
-
Oct 1952 - Sep 1953
5/13/9½
47.0
Aug 1920 - Aug 1921
2/6/10½
-
Oct 1953 - Sep 1954
6/0/0
47.0
Oct 1921 - Sep 1922
1/13/9½
49.9
Oct 1954 - Sep 1955
6/4/10
47.0
Oct 1922 - Sep 1923
1/8/0
50.7
Oct 1955 - Sep 1956
6/12/8
47.0
Oct 1923 - Sep 1924
1/8/0
50.7
Oct 1956 - Sep 1957
7/1/0
47.0
Oct 1924 - Sep 1925
1/10/1
51.0
Oct 1957 - Sep 1958
7/9/4
47.0
Oct 1925 - Sep 1926
1/11/6
50.1
Oct 1958 - Sep 1959
7/15/7
47.0
Oct 1926 - Sep 1927
1/11/8
49.9
Oct 1959 - Sep 1960
7/18/5
46.4
Oct 1927 - Sep 1928
1/11/8
50.2
Oct 1960 - Sep 1961
8/6/8½
46.0
Oct 1928 - Sep 1929
1/11/8
50.2
Oct 1961 - Sep 1962
8/12/7
46.0
Oct 1929 - Sep 1930
1/11/8
50.6
Oct 1962 - Sep 1963
9/1/9
46.0
Oct 1930 - Sep 1931
1/11/7½
50.4
Oct 1963 - Sep 1964
9/9/1
45.1
Oct 1931 - Sep 1932
1/11/3
51.0
Oct 1964 - Sep 1965
9/18/10½
45.0
Oct 1932 - Sep 1933
1/10/9
51.1
Oct 1965 - Sep 1966
10/7/11½
44.3
Oct 1933 - Sep 1934
1/10/8
50.4
Oct 1966 - Sep 1967
10/13/11
44.0
Oct 1934 - Sep 1935
1/11/5½
50.1
Oct 1967 - Sep 1968
11/5/10
44.0
Oct 1935 - Sep 1936
1/12/0
50.6
Jan 1968 - Dec 1968
11/11/0
44.0
Oct 1936 - Sep 1937
1/12/9
50.3
Jan 1969 - Dec 1969
12/8/0
44.0
Oct 1937 - Sep 1938
1/14/2
50.2
Jan 1970 - Dec 1970
13/3/0
43.1
Oct 1938 - Sep 1939
1/14/8
50.2
Jan 1971 - Dec 1971
14/16/0
42.0
Oct 1939 - Jul 1940
1/19/5½
50.2
Jan 1972 - Dec 1972
16:20
42.0
Oct 1940 - Sep 1941
2/8/5
50.2
Jan 1973 - Dec 1973
19:50
42.0
Oct 1941 - Sep 1942
2/17/10
50.2
Jan 1974 - Dec 1974
21:80
40.1
Oct 1942 - Sep 1943
3/0/0
49.9
Jan 1975 - Dec 1975
28:50
40.0
Oct 1943 - Sep 1944
3/3/11½
49.4
Jan 1976 - Dec 1976
36:50
40.0
Oct 1944 - Sep 1945
3/7/10½
49.4
Jan 1977 - Dec 1977
39:00
40.0
Oct 1945 - Sep 1946
3/12/2
48.4
Jan 1978 - Dec 1978
43:00
40.0
Oct 1946 - Sep 1947
4/0/10
48.0
Jan 1979 - Dec 1979
48:50
40.0
Oct 1947 - Sep 1948
4/10/0
48.0
Jan 1980 - Dec 1980
58:00
40.0
Oct 1948 - Sep 1949
4/12/2½
47.5
Adams 1825 The Complete Servant
Beeton 1859-61 Book of Household Management
Brown and Hopkins 1955 Seven Centuries of Building Wages Economica , Vol 22
Department of Employment and Productivity 1981 British Labour Statistics: Historical Abstracts, 1886-1968
Lund et al 1982 Wages and Employment in Agriculture: England and Wales, 1960-80 Government Economics Services Working Paper, No 52, March 1982
Mitchell 1988 British Historical Statistics Cambridge University Press
Williamson 1982 The Structure of Pay in Britain, 1710- Research in Economic History, 7
