Thought I would post a challenge, I'm sure that somebody will come up with an answer.
In 1923 at 13 years of age, my Mom was placed in service at Poulton le Fylde in Lancashire.
That memory haunted her and she would say nothing about it. I digress !
From where in Sheffield would her parents have found a vacancy for a lass of 13 to provide service.
She wouldn't have been alone in doing what she did, many young girls were sent away to wherever.
Would there have been an agency in Sheffield offering work ?
Has anyone come across such a situation whilst researching family history ?
Roger, are you sure of all your facts? The 1918 Schools Act raised the Shool leaving age to 14, therefore in 1923 it was illegal for a 13 yr old to leave school.
Dave
Apart from newspaper adverts (when seaside hotel proprietors originated from Sheffield they wanted servants from their home town) there were numerous agencies or registry offices, dealing with both local and distance placements. In 1923 agencies such as Myers (Norfolk Street), Kathleen Dronfield (Ecclesall Road), Lille & Co. (Norfolk Row), Housemaid Generals (Blackpool) were advertising in the Sheffield papers. To illustrate the numbers of businesses put *servants* in the search box for directories.
It would depend when the child had their 14th birthday. My dad (born in 1929) also started full time work at the age of 13. He didn’t miss any lessons though because the job started in the school summer holidays and his 14th birthday fell just before the beginning of the autumn term.
Roger, are you sure of all your facts? The 1918 Schools Act raised the Shool leaving age to 14, therefore in 1923 it was illegal for a 13 yr old to leave school.
Dave
Good evening Dave, quite right in what you say, however !
Mom told me she was taken out of school by her Mother before she was officially due to leave.
I presume that was an indication of the financial hardship of the family and need to obtain extra income from my Mom's work.
Apart from newspaper adverts (when seaside hotel proprietors originated from Sheffield they wanted servants from their home town) there were numerous agencies or registry offices, dealing with both local and distance placements. In 1923 agencies such as Myers (Norfolk Street), Kathleen Dronfield (Ecclesall Road), Lille & Co. (Norfolk Row), Housemaid Generals (Blackpool) were advertising in the Sheffield papers. To illustrate the numbers of businesses put *servants* in the search box for directories.
Good evening Ted and many thanks for your information !
My hope is but I doubt I will be successful is to find exactly where she was employed.
I remember her telling me that whilst there it was the first time she had seen someone from the African continent and was frightened by his appearance !