Masters and Servants in Tudor England

by Alison Sim

Although life in Tudor England was ordered in a strict hierarchy and the divisions between social classes were firmly maintained, a life of service was common for all classes, and servants were not necessarily the lowest stratum in society. At the upper levels of society the children of the wealthy would become personal attendants to royalty or to great lords or ladies as part of their upbringing. Further down the social scale apprentices were regarded as servants yet at the same time as members of the household or the family. Even more humble servants were not relegated to life behind a green baize door but shared their master and mistress's lives to a far greater degree than did many in later times. Alison Sim's new book looks at the daily reality of servant life in the Tudor period. She examines relations between servants and their masters, peering into the bedrooms, kitchens and parlours of the ordinary folk and into the more sumptuous apartments of royalty and the aristocracy. Her book both informs and entertains the modern reader and at the same time rescues from oblivion the lives and voices of the people who kept the wheels of Tudor life turning.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

208 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2006

Reviews

[G. Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good, albeit short, book about service in Tudor England. Fairly detailed, although I would have liked it to be longer!

[S.B. Stokes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating read that lends itself to more research in other books.

[Dinah]

Clearly written for non-academic audiences, this work is frequently hampered by modern perceptions and a strong bias toward exceptionally rich and high-ranking households (as illustrated by phrases such as “If the royal kitchen was typical…”). Some contemporary sources, such as conduct guides, appear to have been taken at face value as fully accurate descriptions of Elizabethan life.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the most in depth or scholarly book, but a good overview and an entertaining read.