Mary Kerr

Mary King n. Kerr (12 December 1905 to 25 May 1998) was a bondager and domestic servant who was born in Bellshill and died in Edinburgh, Scotland. She was one of the very few Scottish bondagers whose life has been recorded in depth.

Biography

Mary Kerr was born out of wedlock to Isabella Paxton, a domestic servant, and Andrew Kerr, a ploughman. Her parents got married soon afterwards.

Bondagers in Scotland In the 19th century, Borders area of Scotland and Northumberland in England, large numbers of rural women and girls were made to work as 'bondagers'. What this system of work meant was that, in order to secure a contract (or bond) of employment with a farmer, a married ploughman would need another person willing to work long hours in the fields, normally a woman (his wife, his daughter or, if he had neither, this meant employing a complete stranger). This feudal system was unpopular with the 'hinds' (the ploughmen) as they were expected to provide bed and board, clean clothes and pay for the woman when they would often only have one room for their entire family to live in.

One distinctive aspect of life as a bondager was the costume that they wore as a work uniform. This included extravagant hats and often very colourful skirts and wraps.