Interesting Fact: Caloric Requirements of a Seamstress, Servant, and Washer Woman | Jane Austen's World

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Interesting Fact: Caloric Requirements of a Seamstress, Servant, and Washer Woman

October 21, 2007 by Vic

Found on the Soil and Health Library website:

The estimated calorie requirements of a resting man weighing 160 lbs., is 2200 calories. Sleeping twenty-four hours, this man would expend only 1680 calories. The calorie requirements of woman are estimated to be much lower–a seamstress requiring 1800 calories a servant 2800 calories and a wash-woman 3200 calories.

I have no idea when this quote was written, but I imagine that this calculation would probably hold true over the centuries, and would vary depending on the person’s age and size.

Frank Holl, Song of the Shirt, 1875

Posted in jane austen, Servants | Tagged Jane Austen's World, Regency Servants, Regency World, Working class | 2 Comments

2 Responses

on October 23, 2007 at 23:54 MissDaisyAnne

I stoped by to say hello, always enjoy your lovely site, thank you for all or your hard work, but I know you enjoy it.
on October 24, 2007 at 22:57 bookchronicle

Fascinating information.

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