Love, Joy, and Separate Rooms
Posted by Caroline on July 15, 1998 at 02:12:39:
In response to Sleeping arrangements, written by THe Mysterious H.C. on July 12, 1998 at 22:58:27
Lets leave the idea that beds might not actually be essential for the procreation of children for a moment......
In many English stately homes the 'bedroom' of the Lord and Master was adjoined to that of the lady of the house, with a connecting door. Both rooms would have had big beds in, and also truckle beds (for servants to sleep on), and in many cases, children's beds and cradles as well. (I've put up an account of such a house on the "This Summer" Board, where a little girl named Caroline Wiggett slept in her adopted mother's room for five years. In this particular house it was interesting to notice that every bedroom had a small adjoining room, now converted to a Victorian bathroom, but presumably before, a place for the personal maid or valet to sleep.) I can only suppose that bedrooms were not quite the private and luxurious rooms we would expect them to be, and the chance to move from one room to the other, to actually sleep, might be very welcome.
There is a tradition that the "Aristocracy" have separate bedrooms even to this day. In fact, if memory serves, it was a key point in a bit of skullduggery and detective work on the part of Ian McShane in one of the early "Lovejoy" episodes......;-)
And I would agree with HC that there are multiple references to children sharing beds.
- Beds and beds... The Mysterious H.C. 03:54:18 7/15/98
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- The curtained bed is very old.... Roger V 01:37:29 7/16/98
(3)
- You Guys are not getting it...... Caroline 10:15:31 7/17/98
(0)
- Middle Ages Constanza 11:45:46 7/16/98
(1)
- Dogs in bed Carolyn B 18:30:17 7/16/98
(0)
- Dogs in bed Carolyn B 18:30:17 7/16/98
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- You Guys are not getting it...... Caroline 10:15:31 7/17/98
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- Some thoughts on separate bedrooms, etc. Carolyn B 19:28:35 7/15/98
(4)
- Bed curtains Earlene 01:12:41 7/16/98
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- The Family Bed Carolyn B 19:35:23 7/15/98
(2)
- True, and, right! Caroline 23:09:07 7/15/98
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- Introduction of chimneys led to development of seperate rooms-nfm Captain Everett 18:22:10 7/16/98
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- Introduction of chimneys led to development of seperate rooms-nfm Captain Everett 18:22:10 7/16/98
(0)
- True, and, right! Caroline 23:09:07 7/15/98
(1)
- Bed curtains Earlene 01:12:41 7/16/98
(0)
- The curtained bed is very old.... Roger V 01:37:29 7/16/98
(3)
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