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Authors: Viktor Arnar Ingólfsson
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to find out more about the family that had lived at Birkihlíd.
“Yes, forty-five years this coming spring,” Sveinborg replied, as she poured coffee for the two of them and sat down opposite Hrefna. “I began working for the family in May 1928.”
“That’s a long time. You must have been happy there.”
“Yes, the family has always treated me well.”
“Can you describe the household for me?”
“When I started out, there were four of us in service,” Sveinborg replied. She stopped briefly to think before continuing. “There was an older woman, Mrs. Elínborg, who looked after the kitchen and did the cooking. Her husband was called Hjörleifur, and he did outside work and managed supplies. Then there were the two of us maids, me and Magga; I mainly looked after the children, who were lovely. We domestics lived in the two basement rooms.” Sveinborg smiled faintly at the memory, and went on, “At that time it was very much an upper-class establishment. Merchant Alfred had actually retired, and old Mrs. Kirsten was in poor health. Jacob Senior, the engineer, was, on the other hand, highly regarded in town, and Elizabeth was a real lady; visitorswere constantly coming and going, and there were wonderful parties. What with everything, we domestics were kept very busy during those years.”
“What sort of a man was Jacob Senior?”
“Jacob Senior was an extremely handsome man. He was polite and considerate, and everybody felt comfortable in his presence. He inspired confidence, if I may put it like that. He had very elevated ideas on many things, and it was interesting to listen to him when he sat at table with important people and bombarded them with his ideas on all kinds of projects.”
“And Elizabeth?”
“She was a good mistress; somewhat dictatorial, it is true, but that was the norm in those times. It was sometimes difficult to please her because, in the beginning, my understanding of English was limited. The mistress never spoke Icelandic, but she understood it well enough. Occasionally Jacob had to interpret when he came home in the evenings, and it irritated her having to involve him in the running of the house. But he didn’t mind.”
“What has the household been like in recent years?”
“Everything changed when Jacob Senior passed away. The mistress stopped holding receptions, and the domestic staff was given notice. I stayed on because I had gained a reasonable understanding of English. Later my duties were reduced as well, as Jacob Junior was studying abroad and Kirsten had gotten married, so I moved into my own apartment and worked only half a day. Naturally the mistress had to reduce her outgoings.”
“What has your job consisted of lately?” Hrefna asked.
“I would usually go there around eleven in the morning and prepare lunch. Jacob Junior used to come home at lunchtime to eat with his mother, and he kept up the habit after she died. When I had cleared up after lunch, I would do the cleaning. The mistressused to give me instructions of what to do, and I have maintained her routine ever since she passed away. I always go over all the main rooms once a week; she was very firm about that. Round six o’clock I would start to prepare supper, which I served at seven o’clock sharp. Jacob and his mother always used the dining room in the evenings, but recently Jacob Junior had taken his meals in the kitchen with me, both at lunchtime and in the evening. When I’d cleared up after supper and prepared breakfast, I would go home.”
“And what is your salary?”
Sveinborg looked away. “It would not be considered generous today,” she demurred. “The house is very expensive to run, and Jacob Junior is not a high earner. But I get my pension and I own my apartment outright.”
“Can you describe your day yesterday in Birkihlíd?” Hrefna asked.
“Yesterday was a Wednesday, when I usually clean the main rooms and wash the floors. They are not used much, but there is
“Yes, forty-five years this coming spring,” Sveinborg replied, as she poured coffee for the two of them and sat down opposite Hrefna. “I began working for the family in May 1928.”
“That’s a long time. You must have been happy there.”
“Yes, the family has always treated me well.”
“Can you describe the household for me?”
“When I started out, there were four of us in service,” Sveinborg replied. She stopped briefly to think before continuing. “There was an older woman, Mrs. Elínborg, who looked after the kitchen and did the cooking. Her husband was called Hjörleifur, and he did outside work and managed supplies. Then there were the two of us maids, me and Magga; I mainly looked after the children, who were lovely. We domestics lived in the two basement rooms.” Sveinborg smiled faintly at the memory, and went on, “At that time it was very much an upper-class establishment. Merchant Alfred had actually retired, and old Mrs. Kirsten was in poor health. Jacob Senior, the engineer, was, on the other hand, highly regarded in town, and Elizabeth was a real lady; visitorswere constantly coming and going, and there were wonderful parties. What with everything, we domestics were kept very busy during those years.”
“What sort of a man was Jacob Senior?”
“Jacob Senior was an extremely handsome man. He was polite and considerate, and everybody felt comfortable in his presence. He inspired confidence, if I may put it like that. He had very elevated ideas on many things, and it was interesting to listen to him when he sat at table with important people and bombarded them with his ideas on all kinds of projects.”
“And Elizabeth?”
“She was a good mistress; somewhat dictatorial, it is true, but that was the norm in those times. It was sometimes difficult to please her because, in the beginning, my understanding of English was limited. The mistress never spoke Icelandic, but she understood it well enough. Occasionally Jacob had to interpret when he came home in the evenings, and it irritated her having to involve him in the running of the house. But he didn’t mind.”
“What has the household been like in recent years?”
“Everything changed when Jacob Senior passed away. The mistress stopped holding receptions, and the domestic staff was given notice. I stayed on because I had gained a reasonable understanding of English. Later my duties were reduced as well, as Jacob Junior was studying abroad and Kirsten had gotten married, so I moved into my own apartment and worked only half a day. Naturally the mistress had to reduce her outgoings.”
“What has your job consisted of lately?” Hrefna asked.
“I would usually go there around eleven in the morning and prepare lunch. Jacob Junior used to come home at lunchtime to eat with his mother, and he kept up the habit after she died. When I had cleared up after lunch, I would do the cleaning. The mistressused to give me instructions of what to do, and I have maintained her routine ever since she passed away. I always go over all the main rooms once a week; she was very firm about that. Round six o’clock I would start to prepare supper, which I served at seven o’clock sharp. Jacob and his mother always used the dining room in the evenings, but recently Jacob Junior had taken his meals in the kitchen with me, both at lunchtime and in the evening. When I’d cleared up after supper and prepared breakfast, I would go home.”
“And what is your salary?”
Sveinborg looked away. “It would not be considered generous today,” she demurred. “The house is very expensive to run, and Jacob Junior is not a high earner. But I get my pension and I own my apartment outright.”
“Can you describe your day yesterday in Birkihlíd?” Hrefna asked.
“Yesterday was a Wednesday, when I usually clean the main rooms and wash the floors. They are not used much, but there is
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