The Bridgets

[gary]

Just finished reading The Struggle For the Life of the Republic by Maj. Charles Dana Miller, 76th OVI. He mentions on page 144 that he had some cleaning done by "The Bridgets." The editor has a note in brackets indicating that The Bridgets were Irish cleaning women. Can anyone here confirm this? I've never read this before.

 

[AndyHall]

There are several references to "the Bridgets" (and "the Mollies" and "the Marys") in contemporary newspapers to refer to female domestic workers. So yes, that was the usage then.

 

[donna]

There is book, "The Irish Bridget: Irish Immigrant Women in Domestic Service in America 1840-1930" by Margaret Lynch-Brennan. It sounds like it might be worth reading.