Who cares about the college servant?




Sound familiar?


In loco parentis







Collecting your memories and stories






My email address is julie@gottahavebooks.co.uk

And do say hello to Ethel and Ivy


Ethel & Ivy


8 thoughts on “Who cares about the college servant?

  1. My great aunt Elizabeth Piggott worked as a bedder for many years I am not sure which college but she lived at Summerfield Road Newnham she lost her husband in WW1 and was helped by students leaving linen etc which they couldnt be bothered to take when they left she spent one day a week at our house in the 1940s she was an older lady then we gave her food and my mother bought her a magazine to help out a very hard life. My mothers uncle Ted ?Piggott was door man at one of the colleges possibly early 1900s heard many stories of putting students to bed after a night out possibly royality he also lived at Newnham

    1. Thank you for sharing this, Ann. Such a hard life, as you say. I’ll be looking through some college newsletters over the coming months and will keep an eye out for the name, Piggott. Maybe Elizabeth worked at Newnham College. And Ted also. Julie

  2. My father-in-law was head of the wait staff at Jesus. When I was 18 I went to wait tables. Everyone was referred to as Sir and only the head waiters served Top table. It was required that the students dined in at least three times a week. Dress code was white blouse black skirt no pants as I remember. A quick break between first and second sitting.

    1. Thank you for sharing this, Liz. Interesting that waitresses weren’t allowed to wear trousers. Sounds similar to the Heffers rule for the office girls in the late 1950s and early 1960s. I wonder how often the students have to dine in these days, and if ‘Sir’ is used today. Probably not. Julie

  3. I remember the lady on the left in the bedders photo. I worked at Jesus College as a secretary from approx 1974 to 1988. I can remember lots of staff and students and a prank or two they got up to. Let me know if I can tell you anymore and I will put my thinking cap on!

    1. Thank you, Lynne. The lady on the left is my Nanna, Ethel Driver. How lovely that you recognised her. I’d love to hear more about your time at Jesus, so do please put your thinking cap on. My email is julie@gottahavebooks.co.uk and my mobile number is 0776611 4813. Julie

  4. My grandmother worked at Corpus Christi College as a college cook. I don’t have dates of when she worked but she was there in the 1960’s and long before I think. I can remember visiting the college kitchen and meeting the Head Chef and the Butler. Her arms were often red raw from washing up in hot water. I believe I have some old photographs of her at the college.

    1. Thank you, Alison, that sounds most interesting. I recently interviewed someone who served an apprenticeship in the kitchens at Corpus Christi during the mid-1960s and he described the endless hot water and steam. I wonder if he worked with your grandmother. I’ll drop you a line. Best wishes, Julie

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