ABSTRACT

This chapter considers three important service industries. Domestic service was a substantial employer of women especially, as was the associated laundry industry. Its peak share of metropolitan employment was reached by mid-century and the sector was declining in absolute terms by the end of the period. In contrast, administrative services were growing from midcentury and growth accelerated from then on, so that by 1911 employment in administration had reached around a tenth of total employment. This reflected contemporary growth in public services, education, finance and industry. New organisational practices emerged, ones which put more emphasis on efficient administration and the recording and monitoring of transactions. New technologies, such as the typewriter and paper copying, encouraged these trends by making them both cheaper to implement and more effective in their outcomes. The professions also grew through the period, although with varying histories. It would be tedious to cover the whole range of professional activities, so two only are considered here: lawyers and accountants.