The basement area was generally the preserve of the servants and housekeeper. The Housekeeper’s room was located in a strategic area to enable her control access to the Pantry, the Wine Cellar and Kitchen areas. A range of bells, used by the family to summon the servants, were on the wall in the basement hallway. Guests to the ‘House’ were not encouraged to visit this area, however for servants this was where they spent most of their working time.
Bed warming pans were filled with burning embers or charcoal and then rubbed between the sheets just before someone went to bed.
The pulling of the cord in an upstairs room alerted the servant in the basement that they were needed. The bell for each room had a distinctive sound.
A Donovan dinner service of pearlware and earthenware. The imported blanks were hand-painted with a water lily pattern about 1820 – 30.
ALSO IN THE BASEMENT