Bone-handled fork, Portland, ca. 1760
Item 100339 info
Tate House Museum
Merchant-class families, such as the Tates, owned slaves or hired domestic servants to cook and conduct general household chores.
A black woman named Bette is documented in court records as a family servant. She likely resided on the third floor, accessible from the kitchen by a spacious back staircase.
The large kitchen gave Bette access to a beehive bake oven, cooking hearth, and an impressive collection of kitchenware. With the help of servants, the Tates would have entertained friends and important guests, such as visiting mast ship captains, in their elegant home.
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