What Was Life Really Like for Women in Medieval Times

Summary

This video script delves into the various roles medieval women played in the workforce, focusing on jobs like dairy maids, bakers, and brewers. It contrasts the dairy maid's clean work with the milkmaid's labor-intensive fieldwork, highlighting the better wages and conditions of the former. The script also covers the process of making butter and cheese at home, the risks and regulations in professional baking, and the brewing of ale, often managed by women. It underscores the economic significance of these jobs, the gender dynamics, and the potential dangers involved, painting a vivid picture of medieval women's contributions to society.

Takeaways

• 🏠 The script is from 'Halle Medved, or a Letter on Virginity', a medieval English document outlining the housework women were expected to do.
• 👩‍🌾 80% of medieval women belonged to the peasant class and had limited job opportunities, primarily centered around domestic duties.
• 🥛 Dairy Maid was a prestigious job for medieval women, involving cleaning, milking cows, and producing dairy products like butter and cheese.
• 📊 The Statute of Cambridge in 1388 recorded that dairy maids earned six shillings per year, four shillings less than men but still a notable income.
• 🍞 Cottage cheese production was a common cottage industry where women could make money, using simple ingredients like milk, salt, and vinegar.
• 🧀 Cheese mongering was a business role often filled by women, who sold cheese at markets and managed the entire process from production to sales.
• 🍞 Professional baking was another skilled job for women, with some providing a baking service for others who brought their dough to be baked.
• 🏭 Baker's guilds were established to regulate the baking industry, ensuring the quality and pricing of bread, with severe punishments for those who cheated.
• 🔥 Managing a bread oven was a risky business due to the perpetual risk of fire, as seen in incidents like the Great Fire of London starting at a baker's shop.
• 🍻 Brewing was a female-dominated profession, with alewives running ale houses and breweries, and brewing being a potentially lucrative business.
• ⚠️ Brewing was dangerous work, with records showing accidents like the scalding death of a Brewing Maid, highlighting the risks involved in medieval professions.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the transcript?

The main topic of the transcript is the various jobs medieval women performed, particularly focusing on domestic and cottage industry roles such as dairy maids, bakers, and brewers.

What is the significance of the Halle Medved passage mentioned in the transcript?

The Halle Medved passage signifies the list of housework that medieval women were expected to do, highlighting the domestic responsibilities they had upon returning from their jobs.

What percentage of medieval women belonged to the peasant class?

Eighty percent of medieval women belonged to the peasant class.

What is the difference between a Dairy Maid and a Milkmaid according to the transcript?

A Dairy Maid works indoors with clean white linens and natural fats, handling cream and milk, and is associated with better wages and a better reputation compared to a Milkmaid, who works outdoors milking cows and is often surrounded by men.

What was the average wage for women laborers and dairy maids in England in 1388?

The average wage for women laborers and dairy maids in England in 1388 was six shillings per year.

What is the process of making butter by hand as described in the transcript?

The process involves agitating the cream until it becomes thick and then separating the buttermilk from the butter.

What is a cottage cheese industry mentioned in the transcript?

A cottage cheese industry refers to the practice of making cheese at home, often using homemade vinegar or crab apples to curdle the milk, and then pressing the curds to make cheese for sale.

What role did women play in the baking industry during the Middle Ages?

Women in the baking industry either made whole loaves from scratch or provided a baking service in special bread ovens, and were involved in the regulation of the bread's price and weight.

What was the consequence for bakers who tried to cheat the system during the Middle Ages?

Bakers who cheated the system, such as Alistair Brightnock and Lucy de Pickering, could face severe punishment including imprisonment and public outcry.

Why was brewing often a female profession during the Middle Ages?

Brewing was often a female profession because most women made their own ale at home, and in the professional world, ale houses and breweries were often run by women known as alewives.

What are some of the dangers involved in the brewing process as described in the transcript?

Some dangers involved in the brewing process included handling large quantities of boiling water and heavy equipment, which could lead to severe accidents and injuries.