Wives and Mothers, Schoolmistresses and Scullery Maids: Working Women in Upper Canada, 1790-1840Errington explores evidence of a distinctive women's culture and shows that the work women did constituted a common experience shared by Upper Canadian women. Most of them not only experienced the uncertainties of marriage and the potential dangers of childbirth but also took part in making sure that the needs of their families were met. How women actually fulfilled their numerous responsibilities differed, however. Age, location, marital status, class, and society's changing expectations of women all had a direct impact on what was expected of them, what they did, and how they did it. Considering "women's work" within the social and historical context, Errington shows that the complexity of colonial society cannot be understood unless the roles and work of women in Upper Canada are taken into account. |
Contents
The Howling Wilderness and Fruitful Fields | 3 |
PART | 25 |
Mothering in Upper | 53 |
PART | 81 |
Helping | 107 |
Living and Working in the Big | 136 |
Society | 159 |
PART FOUR BEYOND THE BOUNDS | 185 |
Epilogue | 233 |
Appendix One Patterns of Womens Parttime | 243 |
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11 August advertised Ann Macaulay Anne Langton Anne Murray Powell Anne Powell appeared April arrived August Brockville Gazette Canadian Catharine Catharine Parr Traill Christian Guardian Cobourg Star Colonial Advocate colonial women cook daughters Davidoff and Hall December Diary domestic Dudden Elizabeth Russell Elizabeth Simcoe employers Family Fortunes farm Farmers February female Gentlewoman George Leith girls Gore Gazette growing number Harriet Dobbs Helen Macaulay hired household housekeeping husband Ibid January John Macaulay John to Ann July June Kingston Chronicle Kingston Gazette labour ladies lives Macaulay Papers maid March marriage married Mary O'Brien McKenna Miss mistress mother neighbours Niagara Gleaner Niagara Spectator nineteenth century noted notice November number of women O'Brien Journal October Ontario Patriot reported residents rural Ryerse September servants Serving Women Simcoe social society Susanna Moodie Toronto United Empire Loyalist Upper Canada Gazette wages widowed wife William wives woman women in Upper York young