A Respectable Occupation: - University of Hertfordshire Research ...

Of those who passed, it has been possible to discover the family
details in 100 cases. The significance of the size of this sample has not been
tested by statistical means, however 20 per cent is a large sample and its
validity is further reinforced by the fact that the results found for the 100
subjects all fall in a tight range. These strong patterns emerging from the
sample suggest that the remainder, had it been possible to examine them,
would have shown similar results. A wide spread of results would have
suggested that a larger sample would be required to ensure that it was
representative of the whole.
The censuses from 1851 to 1901 were included in the search, where
required, to assist in discovering the individual‘s social background. Data
was collected regarding the number of servants employed by the family; the
occupation of the subject‘s father; the occupation of her brothers and
whether the first born son achieved higher status employment than the
remainder. To help in elucidating these matters the results obtained by an
examination of the censuses have been tabulated and included in the
appendices. Before considering the fathers‘ and brothers‘ occupations, it
would be worthwhile to look at the number of servants employed by the
families as an indicator to their social class. Hughes mentions this
characteristic, saying, ―From the turn of the nineteenth century, the
employment of a female servant had become an important qualification for
any family which wished to consider itself middle class.‖ 167 Lane also
alludes to it when discussing the cost to a physician when setting up in
167 Hughes, The Victorian Governess, p. 13.
188