Uncovering Voices from the Back Stairs

Where: 99-101 Newbury St, Boston

When: November 7, 2012 6:00PM - 8:30PM

Description:

Although domestic servants made everyday life in grand homes possible, their identities and roles within the household have long been hidden. Jennifer Pustz, Museum Historian at Historic New England and author of Voices from the Back Stairs, illustrates the diversity of domestic service in New England over the nineteenth and twentieth centuries by focusing on servants' lives at Castle Tucker, Roseland Cottage, and the Codman Estate. Archival materials illustrate the lives of servants and relationships with their employers.

Following this lecture, Marie Daly, Senior Genealogist at NEHGS, demonstrates how anyone can research their family history, including hard-to-trace ancestors such as servants, immigrants, and members of the working class. She will highlight both online and on-site research venues, bringing to light the sources that can help piece together your family story. Co-sponsored with Historic New England.

Free to NEHGS members and Historic New England members, $5 nonmembers