What is a scullery maid?
A scullery maid is a maid of all work, responsible for a wide variety of tasks ranging from cleaning pots and pans in the kitchen to scouring the hallways. The position of scullery maid has largely faded from most households, but historically, the scullery maid would have been at the bottom of the household hierarchy, and her work would have been grueling and largely thankless. Former scullery maids interviewed about their work by historical organizations likened their positions to a form of slavery. In the complex organization of servants within a household, the scullery maid would have been soundly at the bottom, reporting to the kitchen maid and the cook. She was responsible for a wide range of tasks, and because of her low status, she would have taken orders from many other servants in the house, while the residents of the house would rarely, if ever, actually interact with the scullery maid. As a member of the “downstairs” staff, scullery maids were invisible and very hard-working
