I have difficulty trying to access the paper.
But is the estimate 300 per person per annum? I thought 300 per annum was the minimum for a lower genteel lifestyle for a couple with a small family, not for one single person only.
In "The Complete Servant" by Samuel & Sarah Adams, first published in 1825 referred to in RoP -- which contains a list of the number and type of servants usually employed by households with different levels of income --
"A Widow or other Unmarried Lady:
£100 or guineas: A young Maid servant at a low salary, say £5 to £10 a year.
A Gentleman & Lady with no children:
£150 - £180: A better Servant-maid, at about £10 or £12 a year.
£200: A professed Servant-maid -of-all-work, at from £12 - £14.
A Gentleman & Lady with children:
£300: Two Maid-servants.
£400: Three female servants, or two and a boy; viz.- Cook, House-maid & Nursery-maid, or else instead of the latter, a Boy, with a Gardener occasionally.
£500: 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."
Therefore, a single woman with 100 per year could live on her own with a maidservant, a couple with children could employ two maidservants on 300 a year, and with 500 a year, they might employ four servants. In S&S, it is said that it was Elinor's prudence and wisdom that limited the number of servants to three (instead of four). As for the Bennets, they had the manor house and were living together, it would be different and should cost much more if each lady had her own household. Col Brandon also had 2,000 a year and is described as "rich" -- 2,000 a year is not lower gentry but middle gentry. Willoughby had only between 600 to 700 a year, enough for a comfortable life on the average gentry level, but no wonder he got into debt with his curricle and horses and upper middle gentry lifestyle.
"The Complete Servant" goes on to list the number of servants employed at higher income levels --
"£500 - £600: Three females and one Man; viz.- A Cook, House-maid, and a Nursery-maid or other female servant; with a Livery-Servant as Groom and Footman. A gardener occasionally.
£600 - £750: Three females and two men; viz.- A Cook, Housemaid, and a Nursery-maid or other Female-servant; a Footman, and a Groom, who may assist in the garden, and a Gardener occasionally.
£1000 - £1500: 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 - £2000: Six Female and five Men-servants; viz.-A Cook, Housekeeper, two House-maids, Kitchen-maid, and a Nursery-maid or other Female Servant; with a Coachman, Groom, Footman, Gardener, and an assistant in the garden and stable.
£2000 - £3000: 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."
The Bennets had both a butler and a housekeeper as well, they were living to the utmost of their 2,000 a year. If they lived slightly more modestly, e.g. on 1,500 a year and set aside 500 every year, they would still be living a genteel lifestyle, and the savings would have meant that the future prospects of the daughters would have been better e.g. if Mr Bennet had saved 500 per year for 20 years, he would leave 15,000 pounds (750 a year) to his widow and daughters instead of only 5,000 pounds (250 a year).
But is the estimate 300 per person per annum? I thought 300 per annum was the minimum for a lower genteel lifestyle for a couple with a small family, not for one single person only.
In "The Complete Servant" by Samuel & Sarah Adams, first published in 1825 referred to in RoP -- which contains a list of the number and type of servants usually employed by households with different levels of income --
"A Widow or other Unmarried Lady:
£100 or guineas: A young Maid servant at a low salary, say £5 to £10 a year.
A Gentleman & Lady with no children:
£150 - £180: A better Servant-maid, at about £10 or £12 a year.
£200: A professed Servant-maid -of-all-work, at from £12 - £14.
A Gentleman & Lady with children:
£300: Two Maid-servants.
£400: Three female servants, or two and a boy; viz.- Cook, House-maid & Nursery-maid, or else instead of the latter, a Boy, with a Gardener occasionally.
£500: 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."
Therefore, a single woman with 100 per year could live on her own with a maidservant, a couple with children could employ two maidservants on 300 a year, and with 500 a year, they might employ four servants. In S&S, it is said that it was Elinor's prudence and wisdom that limited the number of servants to three (instead of four). As for the Bennets, they had the manor house and were living together, it would be different and should cost much more if each lady had her own household. Col Brandon also had 2,000 a year and is described as "rich" -- 2,000 a year is not lower gentry but middle gentry. Willoughby had only between 600 to 700 a year, enough for a comfortable life on the average gentry level, but no wonder he got into debt with his curricle and horses and upper middle gentry lifestyle.
"The Complete Servant" goes on to list the number of servants employed at higher income levels --
"£500 - £600: Three females and one Man; viz.- A Cook, House-maid, and a Nursery-maid or other female servant; with a Livery-Servant as Groom and Footman. A gardener occasionally.
£600 - £750: Three females and two men; viz.- A Cook, Housemaid, and a Nursery-maid or other Female-servant; a Footman, and a Groom, who may assist in the garden, and a Gardener occasionally.
£1000 - £1500: 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 - £2000: Six Female and five Men-servants; viz.-A Cook, Housekeeper, two House-maids, Kitchen-maid, and a Nursery-maid or other Female Servant; with a Coachman, Groom, Footman, Gardener, and an assistant in the garden and stable.
£2000 - £3000: 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."
The Bennets had both a butler and a housekeeper as well, they were living to the utmost of their 2,000 a year. If they lived slightly more modestly, e.g. on 1,500 a year and set aside 500 every year, they would still be living a genteel lifestyle, and the savings would have meant that the future prospects of the daughters would have been better e.g. if Mr Bennet had saved 500 per year for 20 years, he would leave 15,000 pounds (750 a year) to his widow and daughters instead of only 5,000 pounds (250 a year).