An early ninetennth century servant's view of a whole house in Heriot Row in the street's early years would take in the basement with its staff rooms, kitchen, larders, storage and wine cellars. Behind the house was a drying-green with clothes posts, and the mews building housing the wash house, horse stables, coach house and hayloft. In front of the house a sunk paved area led to vaulted cellars under the pavement.
The daily drudgery must have been backbreaking. Fuel for the fires in all the upper rooms - and for the wash house fires - had to be carried up from the basement. All the water for the house had to be carried up from a mains-supplied lead cistern, also in the basement. Chamber pots had to be carried carried downstairs. Fixed baths were very rare (though Jemima Wedderburn refers to one in number 31.
Cooking in the flagged basement kitchen was typically by open fire set between the oven and hotplate. All lighting was by candles or oil lamps.
Furnishing in this part of the house was basic. An estimate provided by William Trotter in 1825 for 3 Moray Place featured a housekeeper's and a butler's room. The housekeeper's room was to have a roller blind, a carpet, a tent bedstead, a dressing glass, chairs and a washstand. Lesser servants might be sleeping on straw palliases. Other provision was for the servants hall - large deal table and 2 benches; the kitchen - 4 chairs, a meat screen, a rack and a coal bucket; and the laundry - clothes screens, an ironing table and 4 hardwood chairs.
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