The project “Servants at a Great Scale” is conducted by Academic Assistant Søren Broberg Knudsen at The Danish Research Centre for Manorial Studies. It was initiated in 2022 with support from The Augustinus Foundation.
The project aims to develop a database on servants to create a comprehensive, quantitative overview of servants at Danish manor houses from the late 18th century to the early 20th century, an area that has not been extensively studied within a Danish context.
The source material for the project consists primarily of census records which will help answer fundamental questions such as: How many servants were there at Danish manor houses? How old were the servants, and where did they come from? What work did they perform, and how were the different job areas distributed? Were certain positions reserved for women and others for men, and if so, which ones? What differences were there in the servant staff among large and small manor households, and can any geographical differences be identified?
The purpose of the project is to provide insight into the world of servants on a broad scale to create a foundational understanding of the manor as an organisation and as a place of service and for career paths.
The project will serve as a tool for the ongoing research and work regarding servants at The Danish Research Centre for Manorial Studies and at Gammel Estrup – The Danish Manor & Estate Museum. Additionally, the project aims to lay the basis for a future PhD project.
Academic Assistand
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