- In 1910, England was emerging from 60 years of Victorian purtiansim, and British society was considered quite "buttoned up." After the reign of Queen Victoria's son, Edward VII, society relaxed a bit and finally began to "undo the top button." Change, however, can be a slow process, and many people clung to the strict mindset of manners and Victorian times.
- Status is a person's position in society, and it changes the way you see the world, and how others see you. In Edwardian England, status was pretty much set in stone-your positions when you were born was the same throughout your life. There was very little thought about moving up to a higher station in life- it was just not done- and so, people comported themselves according to their position in the hierarchy. During the Edwadian period, British society was divided into the following general classes:
Upper Class: Royalty, the nobility, and the very rich
Upper Middle Class: The wealthy, bankers, lawyers, doctors, merchants, and manufacturers.
Lower Middle Class: A growing class in early 20th century Britian, consisting of shopkeepers, managers, civil servants, and small manufacturers.
Working Class: Chiney sweeps, farmers, factory workers, shop employees, house servants, and clerks.
Lower Class: The homeless and destitute, which were a grave and growing concern during the Edwardian era.
- During the 19th century and into the early 20th century, something unique hapened in Great Britain. Rather than raising their children themselves, people of the upper middle and upper class families handed over their children to special caregivers called "nannies," who were hired to address children's every need from food and education to discipline. Having a nanny became a status symbol.
