MOVING WITH THE TIMES

While a rigid class system still remained, daily life was paved with exciting new opportunities for Edwardian Britons

- RHIANNON DAVIES

Coming after the inherent social conservatism of the long Victorian age, the Edwardian era offered something of a breath of fresh air - from a rollerskating craze that swept the nation to the invention of ping-pong. However, it wasn't all fun and games: society still conformed to a strict class system, and people were governed by an exhaustingly long list of dos and don'ts - from not shaking anyone's hand to having all of your dinner conversation topics dictated by your hostess.

The tone of upper-class society was set by King Edward VII himself (see page 45), a man who loved to live life to the fullhe smoked huge numbers of cigarettes and cigars, had a string of mistresses, and enjoyed a diet stuffed with rich foods and alcohol. The families who made up the British aristocracy took their lead from him, eating sumptuous dinners, gambling into the early hours and often engaging in extra-marital affairs.

To live such a life of luxury required a small army of domestic servants. Working-class Edwardians could find employment as humble maids or kitchen assistants, or else take on the grander positions of housekeepers or butlers, who managed the great houses and made sure life ran smoothly. Or, if they were a particularly attractive or tall man, they might seek employment as a footman those who were blessed with good looks and a lofty stature often received higher wages, as they were the public face of the house to visitors. (For information about servants' daily routines, see box on page 39.)

DOING THE HARD GRAFT

Although it was a gruelling job, working in service was seen as a prestigious occupation, providing accommodation (although it might be a tiny attic room), food (which might be leftovers from the family's table) and job security. In 1911, more than 1.3 million people in Britain were working as domestic servants more than the 1.2 million who toiled the land, or the 971,000 who worked down the coal mines.