8.0.—Sit down and have supper with him.
8.30.—Clear away and wash up. Sew while husband goes to bed. “Talk wile ’e’s doin’ it.”
9.0.—Send mother off. Get everything ready for the morning. Mend husband’s clothes as soon as he gets them off.
10.0.—Nurse baby and go to bed.
We now come to the day of a mother of six children, with two rooms to keep. Mrs. T., whose menu has already been given, is the wife of a builder’s handyman on 25s. a week. The two rooms are upstairs in a small house, and, as there is no water above the ground floor, Mrs. T. has a good deal of carrying of heavy pails of water both upstairs and down. She is gentle and big and slow, never lifts her voice or gets angry, but seems always tired and dragged. She is very clean and orderly. Her husband is away all day; but he dislikes the noise of a family meal, and insists on having both breakfast and tea cooked specially for himself, and eats alone.
6.0.—Nurses baby.
6.30.—Gets up, calls five children, puts kettle on, washes “necks” and “backs” of all the children, dresses the little ones, does hair of three girls.
7.30.—Gets husband’s breakfast, cooks bloater, and makes tea.
8.0.—Gives him breakfast alone, nurses baby while he has it, and cuts slices of bread and dripping for children.