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The women who wrote these diaries worked hard, but not to earn money. Although they had paid help in their homes, such as maids and seamstresses, they also did a lot of the housework themselves. Managing a household was a job in itself because many people lived in the house and there were always frequent visitors.
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Mother sewing up little boy's pants,1904
John Boyd fonds
Reference Code:C 7-4-0-0-32
Archives of Ontario, I0003740
Woman's Work is Never Done
Today we buy what we need at any convenient time. In the 19th century these women prepared foods that were only available seasonally and made most of the clothes for their family. After her mother’s death, Marty Hastie managed the household, at first with help, and then on her own.
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“The more I do the more I see to do & it keeps me going as hard as I can …” |
![Photo: Murphy family and friends at Hanlan's Point, Toronto Island, [ca. 1901]](pics/13699_family_on_porch_520.jpg)
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Murphy family and friends at Hanlan's Point, Toronto Island,[ca. 1901]
Photographer unknown
Rowley Murphy collection
Reference Code: C 59-1-0-7-1
Archives of Ontario, I0013699
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Domestic servant getting dinner ready,1906
M. O. Hammond fonds
Reference Code: F 1075-9-0-8, S 9103
Archives of Ontario, I0028040
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“Busy canning cherries, Jennie helping to stone them. Boiling ½ my
vinegar. … Bottled & sealed vinegar Busy in my raspberry vinegar still.” Milne, August 2, 3, and 5, 1869 “Busy at my rug & knitting sock in the evening. Jan 29: Finished rug. Started 2nd sock for Em. Cut my lilac print. Busy at my lilac print dress, Cut Wm.’s shirts.” Milne, January 17, 28, 29; February 1; March 14-15; April 28, 1870 |
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“The worst of it is we, Miss M & I, have no time to think of keeping cool
or resting but its work work all the time over the hot stove in that little hole
of a kitchen, which is like an oven itself, or ironing & when that is over there
is no end of sewing, mending & dusting besides Harold to put to sleep, dress
& amuse.” |
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“The last time I wrote about my housekeeping I was in very good spirits. I
had not had a long enough trial of it, but today I was pretty low spirited. The
more I do the more I see to do & it keeps me going as hard as I can keep to
things in proper order, & often I get thoroughly exhausted … Sometimes
I feel as bright & lively as a cricket working around & thinking what a
splendid little housekeeper I make, then I will get discouraged & be in despair
for a while ...” |
Domestic servant, Beatrice, ironing, 1906
M. O. Hammond fonds,
Reference Code: F 1075-9-0-13, S 9572
Archives of Ontario, I0028034
Working on the Farm
Frances Milne not only managed all the housework, childcare, and sewing but also did many of the farm tasks. She spent a lot of time preparing meals for both live-in farm hands and seasonal workers. Every year she hired a seamstress to come to the house and help with the sewing.
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“Busy preparing for the [barn] raising tomorrow, beheaded 2 geese for it.”
“Busy day preparing for butchering tomorrow.” and “Killed 7 hogs
and got them salted before dark. … Got them all killed before dinner. Margaret
& I got on very well alone & quite delighted that this job is over.”
“ … baking in the afternoon preparing for a lot of men tomorrow.” |
![Photo: Men raising a barn, [ca. 1905]](pics/3941_barn_raising_270.jpg)
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Men raising a barn, [ca. 1905]
Marsden Kemp fonds
Reference Code: C 130-6-0-12-5
Archives of Ontario, I0003941
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Miss Annie Swan, Dressmaker;
85 King Street West, Cobourg, 1910
Photographer unknown
George S. Mitchell Collection
Reference Code: C 4-0-0-0-13
Archives of Ontario, I0007389
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“William & I stuffed mattress. We sewed it all & did it very nicely.
… We both tied the twine. Didn’t finish today. |
Frances recorded Miss Hood’s days of work and pay for 1868 on an end page of her diary.
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A page from Frances Milne’s diary, 1866
Frances Milne fonds
Reference Code: F 763, MU 866
Archives of Ontario
![Photo: Woman and two young children standing in a farm yard, with chickens, [ca. 1900]](pics/13795_kids_chickens_520.jpg)
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Woman and two young children standing in a farm yard, with chickens, [ca. 1900]
Photographer unknown
Rowley Murphy collection
Reference Code: C 59-2-0-0-2.
Archives of Ontario, I0013795
The Milne Farmhouse
![Photo: Home of W. A. Milne in Scarborough, [ca.1885]](pics/28047_farmhouse_520.jpg)
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Home of W. A. Milne in Scarborough, [ca.1885]
Reference Code: S17135
Archives of Ontario, I0028047
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