Where did servants of illustrious European houses in the 18th and 19th centuries find time to have families? At least in novels of the era, they seem to be on call at all hours, existing as a mere means for such families' ends. Did they often die bachelors/spinsters due to lack of time for families? | AskHistorians Archive Observer

Where did servants of illustrious European houses in the 18th and 19th centuries find time to have families? At least in novels of the era, they seem to be on call at all hours, existing as a mere means for such families' ends. Did they often die bachelors/spinsters due to lack of time for families?

by JJVMT

mimicofmodes

Generally speaking, they didn't have families. I discuss the fact that domestic service ran on unmarried women in the previous answers:

Would a teenager (13-16 years old) girl ever be found working at a manor/country house in victorian England? If not, where would someone like that find work? If so, what kind of work?

I'm the only maid of a middle-class Victorian family. How do they treat me? How do I make friends and who are they? Why am I doing this job, and when will I stop?