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The Resource Noiseless, automatic service : the history of domestic servant bell systems in Charleston, South Carolina, 1740-1900, by Wendy Danielle Madill

Noiseless, automatic service : the history of domestic servant bell systems in Charleston, South Carolina, 1740-1900, by Wendy Danielle Madill

Creator
Summary
"Shortly before Europe's industrial revolution, tradesmen discovered an ingenious way to rig bells in houses to mechanize communication between homeowners and their servants. Mechanical bell systems, now known as house bells or servant call bells, were prevalent in Britain and America from the late 1700s to the early twentieth century. These technological ancestors of today's telephone were operated by the simple pull of a knob or a tug of a tassel mounted on an interior wall. Bell-pulls increased privacy for both servants and their employers by separating both parties by the length of a bell wire, but they also increased masters' powers of nonverbal control. Mechanical bell systems undoubtedly played a large role in the operation, maintenance, and communication practices of historic houses. But, like a lost language, surviving bits and pieces of hardware and wire are a puzzle to many modern viewers who are more familiar with technology that usurped the bell-pull--electric doorbells, intercom systems, and telephones. Unfortunately, many mechanical bell systems have been removed from historic houses. Although domestic servant call bells were ubiquitous across America, and were even installed in the White House, very little has been written about them. This thesis addresses the lack of literature by creating a technical and cultural history of bell systems in the Charleston, South Carolina area. Many historic dwellings in Charleston have retained a remarkable quantity of house bell hardware consisting of copper or iron wire strung through walls and attached to cranks, pulleys, and knobs--all connected to exterior bells. Many private residences and several historic house museums including the Aiken-Rhett House, Heyward Washington House, and the Joseph Manigault House still retain fragments of their original bell systems. These systems undoubtedly shaped the way slave owners communicated with their slaves. Even after the Civil War, Charlestonians continued to use servant bells to communicate with their newly emancipated household servants. By studying local tradesmen, installation practices, and technological development this report will fit Charleston bell hanging practices into a larger scheme nationally and globally. To accomplish this aim, full-scale mapping of the bell system at Charleston's Aiken-Rhett House museum was undertaken. As one of the more complete bell systems in a historic house museum, the Aiken-Rhett House offers an extraordinary opportunity to interpret the daily life of slaves and servants in the Charleston area. This project aims to make the case for preservation of these peculiar old hardware fragments by shedding light on what these systems were, how they worked, and how they can be preserved."--Pages ii-iii
Language
eng
Work
Publication
Extent
xvi, 195 pages
Note
UMI number: 1539407
Contents
  • Introduction
  • The English origins of American house bells
  • The rise and fall of house bells in America
  • Slave call bells in Charleston, South Carolina
  • Mapping the call bell system at the Aiken-Rhett House
  • Interpreting slave life through servant bells at the Aiken house
  • Conclusion
  • Appendix A. Illustrated glossary of house bell terminology
  • Appendix B. Charleston entry bell survey
  • Appendix C. Investigation tips: finding evidence of servant bell systems
Link
http://tigerprints.clemson.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2660&context=all_theses
Instance
Label
Noiseless, automatic service : the history of domestic servant bell systems in Charleston, South Carolina, 1740-1900
Title
Noiseless, automatic service
Title remainder
the history of domestic servant bell systems in Charleston, South Carolina, 1740-1900
Statement of responsibility
by Wendy Danielle Madill
Title variation
History of domestic servant bell systems in Charleston, South Carolina, 1740-1900
Creator
Subject
Language
eng
Summary
"Shortly before Europe's industrial revolution, tradesmen discovered an ingenious way to rig bells in houses to mechanize communication between homeowners and their servants. Mechanical bell systems, now known as house bells or servant call bells, were prevalent in Britain and America from the late 1700s to the early twentieth century. These technological ancestors of today's telephone were operated by the simple pull of a knob or a tug of a tassel mounted on an interior wall. Bell-pulls increased privacy for both servants and their employers by separating both parties by the length of a bell wire, but they also increased masters' powers of nonverbal control. Mechanical bell systems undoubtedly played a large role in the operation, maintenance, and communication practices of historic houses. But, like a lost language, surviving bits and pieces of hardware and wire are a puzzle to many modern viewers who are more familiar with technology that usurped the bell-pull--electric doorbells, intercom systems, and telephones. Unfortunately, many mechanical bell systems have been removed from historic houses. Although domestic servant call bells were ubiquitous across America, and were even installed in the White House, very little has been written about them. This thesis addresses the lack of literature by creating a technical and cultural history of bell systems in the Charleston, South Carolina area. Many historic dwellings in Charleston have retained a remarkable quantity of house bell hardware consisting of copper or iron wire strung through walls and attached to cranks, pulleys, and knobs--all connected to exterior bells. Many private residences and several historic house museums including the Aiken-Rhett House, Heyward Washington House, and the Joseph Manigault House still retain fragments of their original bell systems. These systems undoubtedly shaped the way slave owners communicated with their slaves. Even after the Civil War, Charlestonians continued to use servant bells to communicate with their newly emancipated household servants. By studying local tradesmen, installation practices, and technological development this report will fit Charleston bell hanging practices into a larger scheme nationally and globally. To accomplish this aim, full-scale mapping of the bell system at Charleston's Aiken-Rhett House museum was undertaken. As one of the more complete bell systems in a historic house museum, the Aiken-Rhett House offers an extraordinary opportunity to interpret the daily life of slaves and servants in the Charleston area. This project aims to make the case for preservation of these peculiar old hardware fragments by shedding light on what these systems were, how they worked, and how they can be preserved."--Pages ii-iii
Cataloging source
SXC
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
Madill, Wendy Danielle
Dissertation note
Thesis (M.S.H.P.)--Clemson University and College of Charleston, 2013.
Illustrations
  • illustrations
  • plans
  • facsimiles
Index
no index present
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
  • bibliography
  • theses
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • Households
  • Dwellings
  • Bells
  • Bells
  • Interpersonal communication and culture
  • Household employees
  • Slaves
  • Aiken-Rhett House (Charleston, S.C.)
Label
Noiseless, automatic service : the history of domestic servant bell systems in Charleston, South Carolina, 1740-1900, by Wendy Danielle Madill
Link
http://tigerprints.clemson.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2660&context=all_theses
Instantiates
Publication
Note
UMI number: 1539407
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references
Carrier category
volume
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
Introduction -- The English origins of American house bells -- The rise and fall of house bells in America -- Slave call bells in Charleston, South Carolina -- Mapping the call bell system at the Aiken-Rhett House -- Interpreting slave life through servant bells at the Aiken house -- Conclusion -- Appendix A. Illustrated glossary of house bell terminology -- Appendix B. Charleston entry bell survey -- Appendix C. Investigation tips: finding evidence of servant bell systems
Dimensions
23 cm
Extent
xvi, 195 pages
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Other physical details
illustrations (some color), facsimiles (some color), plans (some color)
Label
Noiseless, automatic service : the history of domestic servant bell systems in Charleston, South Carolina, 1740-1900, by Wendy Danielle Madill
Link
http://tigerprints.clemson.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2660&context=all_theses
Publication
Note
UMI number: 1539407
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references
Carrier category
volume
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
Introduction -- The English origins of American house bells -- The rise and fall of house bells in America -- Slave call bells in Charleston, South Carolina -- Mapping the call bell system at the Aiken-Rhett House -- Interpreting slave life through servant bells at the Aiken house -- Conclusion -- Appendix A. Illustrated glossary of house bell terminology -- Appendix B. Charleston entry bell survey -- Appendix C. Investigation tips: finding evidence of servant bell systems
Dimensions
23 cm
Extent
xvi, 195 pages
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Other physical details
illustrations (some color), facsimiles (some color), plans (some color)

Subject

Library Locations

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      68 Calhoun Street, Charleston, SC, 29401, US
      32.7883294 -79.9309573

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