My New Wardrobe

One day we were asked to go to her private sitting room and were each given some material to make our selves tennis frocks. When we had finished these frocks we were told to parade in front of her Ladyship to show her our handy work. This resulted in our being supplied with more material. I had had a lot of help from the other maids, as I was never any good with a needle and thread, so I had a lot of thinking to do. My wardrobe was growing all the time.

We had among the staff a French ladies maid. She had little to do with us, much too grand a person. We had to call her Mademoiselle and she really had the ‘Mickey’ taken out of her by us younger girls.

Mind you she had her good points. Every so often she would turn out her Ladyship’s wardrobes and she would ask the ‘Tweeny’ and myself if we would like to try some of the shoes on. They were really lovely, expensive shoes and the ‘Tweeny’ and I were allowed two pairs each as we both had very small feet. However, Mademoiselle would make certain that they fitted properly before she gave them to us. I can well remember having a grey pair and a brown and white pair. At the end of the turnout a huge basket of cast offs would be sent down full of underwear and other clothes. All I can remember getting from the basket was a couple of silk nighties. This was simply because they were too small for the other girls, but were just right for the ‘Tweeny’ and I and we did feel grand in those shoes.