Victorian Mumsnet

[PlayOnWurtz]

Brought over from another thread...

AIBU to think I've left it too late by starting my ds in the mining profession at 5?

How old is too old to go up chimneys?

What size coal is right for my fire?

mrsmoasty - your husband of course is right and you must do as he says. I have heard that the Doctors of Medicine are developing some interesting experiments in this area with Machinery designed to develop a more demure response to such activity.

AIBU to expect my governess to consistently ensure my DCs remain seen but not heard during afternoon games of croquet with my DH and our DFs (who bring their own DD who is no trouble owing to being consumptive)? If she can't manage the simple task, should I replace her?

My dear Mama insists that I continue with my studies- she has me walking around the parlour with books on my head for my deportment and stitching fripperies for my box, also reading genteel stories from the Good Book and learning to balance the household accounts with help from Cook.
I fear she is preparing to get me betrothed to the vicar as he is as yet unmarried and is new to our small parish.
Sadly, I feel that my tastes veer more to the Sapphic side (I find my chambermaid most delicious!) and I have heard that the vicar has been a sailor previously and is well acquainted with Molly Houses.

Shall we marry for the sake of appearances?

colaflower, it would seem an ideal arrangement between yourself and the vicar. Perhaps you can arrange to promote your chamber maid to ladies maid and take her with you to the vicarage?

Dearest Jax, thank you for the response. Mama has suggested I invite the vicar to tea one afternoon and she shall chaperone. If the weather is fine, she has said we shall be allowed a meander in the grounds. She was all a-flutter with joy!
I have delicately suggested that I might be needing a ladies maid now I am of age and she has said that she will speak to Papa about advancing my dearest Elsie to the position.
I could scarcely contain my excitement! Oh, what good times we shall have in such close company!

Neither
Surely your governess is not following the most basic rule of children being neither seen nor heard? If she is not willing to take the children inside during your leisure time then she must be replaced forthwith! The children should not be allowed to be outdoors at the same time as you making any commotion!

I am of ill mood with my butler.
He was accompanying my maid and I to the ladies outfitter for some trinkets when on our journey we were accosted in my carriage by a most frightful man who demanded that I hand over my money.
I can scarce believe that my butler had the audacity to advise me to hand over MY money as he apparently had none about his person.
Then, upon arriving home earlier than I anticipated without money or trinkets, I found my brother Percival, kneeling on the floor behind the scullery maid. He explained that he was helping her with her bellows.
I told him that it is the boot boys job to help her with her bellows and not his.
Then as I sat in my parlour to await my tea, a small boy appeared from my chimney and actually said ' awright missus' like I am his mother's neighbour. I really must speak to Jeeves to administer a sound thrashing to the filthy urchin.
To add to my woes, my chastity belt is getting a little small and I need to raise the delicate matter of perhaps a slightly larger one with my husband Reginald when he returns from his employment. I am beside myself with worry and shame of approaching this with him, surely a lady does not speak of such a delicate issue with her Husband?
He knows that one is worn as he unlocks it with his key when he is taking his conjugal rights, but it is never mentioned. I cannot simply not wear one as only my Husband has a key for it and he locks it again once he has had his rights.

What do you think of the name Fanny for my new DD? I like it but DH is not sure it works with our surname.

Yours most reverently
Mrs Gallops

neitherthisnorthat I would advise you find a more suitable nanny for your DCs. My DH could never abide them cavorting around when he was present, it put him in a most disagreeable mood. I imagine your DH must be similar.
I admit to quite enjoying the playful shrieks of youthful joy from my delightful children, however I apparently mollycoddle them and am a bit soft in the head.

Being rather well to do, we have installed one of these modern flushing toilets in our home. It really is quite wonderful. My husband is a good employer and has suggested that we allow the staff to avail of our facilities - after all, it is a long walk to the nearest public conveniences and by allowing them to use our facilities, time can be saved that can better be used for working.

However, my husband has employed a man, of lower class, to carry out the heavy work around our home. AIBU to be reluctant to let him use our indoor convenience? I have heard rumours that these sorts of men leave an unpleasant miasma, and I am naturally concerned.

One finds oneself with quite a financial predicament. My good lady wife inherited quite a large estate in Ireland. The rents from same allows one to live quite adequately the life of a Man About Town without having to resort to going into business or anything of that nature. Recently, word has reached us that the majority of the estate's tenants are complaining of starvation and therefore cannot provide their annual rent.

My wife, being of a rather sentimental nature, wishes to allow the tenants to abrogate their responsibilities via a vis the paying of rent. One is am dead set against this state of affairs, A lack of monies would severely curtail ones ability to keep up with the latest Gentleman's fashions and paying one's Club membership. Also, from a sociological standpoint. The Lord God Almighty has placed these tenants on earth to work hard so that they can provide an income for their Betters. Surely by not paying rents owed, they are going against the laws of Creation? I look forward to hearing replies of a helpful nature.

Yours,

A. Poyntlesse-Parasythe Esq.

A. Poyntlesse-Parasythe

You are, of course correct.

Your wife may have inherited the land, but she is clearly of feeble mind.

Have her committed to the local Asylum and double the rents for the feckless?

Your wife inherited the land.

Good lord, man, assert yourself! A married woman owning land?

It's yours. Evict the tenants and find better ones who know their place. Just give your wife the pin-money set out in the marriage settlement - the lawyer-johnnies always insist on married women having a few pounds a month "of their own" - I can't see why, but they do.

We went up to Lord Humphrey's Manor House for dinner. He has just come back from voyages overseas, and showed us a strange fruit called A Pineapple, which he got from a local market. Apparently it grows on trees.

Pineapple... I wonder if that's what my husband meant when he referred to himself as "a total fruit"

Mrs O Wilde.

228, are we doing Georgian Mumsnet now?

So I bought a car from the dealer that my hus and bought our family car from. A small little inexpensive site runaround. Anyway, the appointment was booked by my husband because he knows the sales lady, but I bought the car, the finance is in my name and it's my details all over the paperwork. AIBU to be peed off that they keep ringing my husband with updates on the car? It's absolutely doing my head in and he thinks I am being unreasonable.

Ladies! I have a most fortuitous opportunity to join my team concerned with the promotion of items to assist ladies' toilet.

Are you worried about looking like a painted lady?

Do you harbour smallpox scars that fade not?

Would you enjoy the opportunity to accumulate your own pin money?

I seek ladies of good standing to join my Younique team.

First world problem, please don't flame me - AIBU to be slightly nervous? DH has arranged to take me to London on the new express railway train - unbelievably it only takes nine hours all the way from Edinburgh. Who would ever have imagined it was possible to make the journey in less than a day? I know I'm lucky to have a husband who will take me on this exciting trip, but I'm worried about the effects of travelling at speed - I hear the trains cover more than 50 miles in an hour, and I don't think that can be good for the constitution.

februaryrat, I might need some pin money for my trip, so how do I join your Younique venture? I will of course need to ask my husband's permission first. Maybe he could discuss the matter with your husband?

Mornington I fear that many gentlemen are becoming over-trusting of this monstrous machine. The shaking and rattling which your delicate frame would be subject to, could bring about a bout of hysteria or, indeed cause your innards to detatch from their fastenings.

Unless he wants a wife with no mind or womb, I would advise he desists and perhaps takes his valet with him instead.

@morningtoncrescent62 Younique's ethos is the empowerment of womenfolk. It is unnecessary to discuss this matter with your husband.

Please have your valet deliver the required introduction fee of three guineas, and I will send you a selection of high quality organic lead-based products for you to demonstrate to your sewing circle.

If you are able to sell a mere £100 of products, you may be fortuitously receive a family day out in a barouche box.

Thanks hun.

Very poor stature for a ladie to be earning her own money imo. Can your husbands not afford to keep you? . Only the wives of peasants and the diseased of the slums are expected to earn a wage.
Have you any idea the shame you bring upon your family?
Running a business? (Scoffs) too many women on this tread with ideas way above there station.
Middle class women in the workplace would be the fall of class system as we know it. Mark my words

"Younique's ethos is the empowerment of womenfolk. It is unnecessary to discuss this matter with your husband"

This kind of attitude may be all the rage in the eastend. But here in the west ladies are much more dignified and know there place.

So very common

Mornington This is not a stealth boast in any way, but I actually rode a locomotive train! It was only a jolly jape of about five miles to the seaside though. I was quite trepidatious but my DH insisted that we go and I'm very glad I did.

I found it quite thrilling and the rhythmic rocking and rattling motion produced quite pleasurable sensations. Let me reassure you that you will be well aware of the location of all of your parts and none of them will come loose.

Just be sure that you use extra hat pins or keep the windows tightly closed. I lost my favourite chapeau when DH opened the window and I was quite cross! But he's promised me a new one AND a new frock as soon as I can get to the dressmaker and milliner.