Below are six want ads taken from a London newspaper in the 1840s. Several words have been removed from the ads. Drag and drop the words from the bank to the gaps where you think they belong. After you have placed all of the words, click on the button at the bottom of the screen to see which of your guesses are correct and which are not.

A. WANTED, a respectable, steady, young woman, about 24 years of age, as SERVANT of ALL WORK. She must be a good plain cook, and have a twelvemonth’s character from her last situation. No Irish need apply. Part of the washing done at home. Apply this day, between the hours 10 and 2, at 7, Upper Gloucester-street, St. John-street, Clerkenwell.
B. GOVERNESS – A clergyman is desirous of RECOMMENDING a YOUNG LADY, the orphan of a naval officer, to the situation of GOVERNESS in a family where she will have the charge of young children. She has been expressly educated for the purpose. Apply by letter, post paid, to the Rev. P.R., at 19, Duke-street, Manchester-square.
C. THE parents of a YOUNG LADY are desirous of obtaining for her a SITUATION as DAILY or RESIDENT GOVERNESS in a respectable family where the children are under 12 years of age. She is capable of instructing in English, writing, arithmetic, music, and the rudiments of French. As Junior Teacher in a school would not be objected to. Address, free, to C.C., 2, Doddington-place, New-street, Kennington-road.
D. A LADY, aged 26, accustomed to tuition, just returned from Paris, after a residence of six years, wishes to meet with an ENGAGEMENT as DAILY GOVERNESS. She instructs in English and French in all their branches, Italian, drawing, and music. Satisfactory references can be offered. Address to A.G., post-office, 3, Leigh-street, Burton-crescent.
E. USEFUL COMPANION. – A lady, in her 24th year, anxiously desires a situation as above. She is musical, a good reader, domesticated, and industrious, and can be well recommended. She would be most suitable for an elderly lady. Salary a secondary object. London preferred. Address to A.R.A., post-office, High Wycombe.
F. AS GOVERNESS or COMPANION. – A lady, of high respectability, aged 24, of many years’ experience in tuition, has recently quitted a clergyman’s family, from whom she can produce satisfactory testimonials, wishes to meet with a re-engagement as above. She will be found competent to impart a solid English education, with French (speaking that language fluently), drawing, painting, dancing, singing, rudiments of harp, and can finish pupils on piano-forte, and plain and ornamental needlework. Salary moderate. Address to Rose, Mrs. Walpole, 7 John-street, Oxford-street.

Sort the ads into the appropriate columns. If the writer is advertising on her or his own behalf (either to find a job or to find someone to hire for a job), then drag the ad to the column on the left. If the writer does not wish to hire anyone or to obtain employment but is writing on behalf of someone who does, then drag the ad to the column on the right.

Advertising on own behalf

Advertising on another’s behalf

    • What similarities do you note among the young ladies who advertise on their own behalf for positions as governesses? What differences?
    • What reasons might a well-educated young woman in the 1840s have had for allowing someone else to place an ad on her behalf?
    • What do these ads suggest about roles available to young women in the 1840s?

    All of the ads we’ve examined were written with the same purpose in mind: to elicit the highest number of responses possible. Working together, evaluate the ads by using drag and drop to rank them from the most effective (likely to receive the most responses) to the least effective (likely to receive the fewest responses).

    Most effective

    • A. WANTED, a respectable, steady, young woman, about 24 years of age, as SERVANT of ALL WORK. She must be a good plain cook, and have a twelvemonth’s character from her last situation. No Irish need apply. Part of the washing done at home. Apply this day, between the hours 10 and 2, at 7, Upper Gloucester-street, St. John-street, Clerkenwell.
    • B. GOVERNESS – A clergyman is desirous of RECOMMENDING a YOUNG LADY, the orphan of a naval officer, to the situation of GOVERNESS in a family where she will have the charge of young children. She has been expressly educated for the purpose. Apply by letter, post paid, to the Rev. P.R., at 19, Duke-street, Manchester-square.
    • C. THE parents of a YOUNG LADY are desirous of obtaining for her a SITUATION as DAILY or RESIDENT GOVERNESS in a respectable family where the children are under 12 years of age. She is capable of instructing in English, writing, arithmetic, music, and the rudiments of French. As Junior Teacher in a school would not be objected to. Address, free, to C.C., 2, Doddington-place, New-street, Kennington-road.
    • D. A LADY, aged 26, accustomed to tuition, just returned from Paris, after a residence of six years, wishes to meet with an ENGAGEMENT as DAILY GOVERNESS. She instructs in English and French in all their branches, Italian, drawing, and music. Satisfactory references can be offered. Address to A.G., post-office, 3, Leigh-street, Burton-crescent.
    • E. USEFUL COMPANION. – A lady, in her 24th year, anxiously desires a situation as above. She is musical, a good reader, domesticated, and industrious, and can be well recommended. She would be most suitable for an elderly lady. Salary a secondary object. London preferred. Address to A.R.A., post-office, High Wycombe.
    • F. AS GOVERNESS or COMPANION. – A lady, of high respectability, aged 24, of many years’ experience in tuition, has recently quitted a clergyman’s family, from whom she can produce satisfactory testimonials, wishes to meet with a re-engagement as above. She will be found competent to impart a solid English education, with French (speaking that language fluently), drawing, painting, dancing, singing, rudiments of harp, and can finish pupils on piano-forte, and plain and ornamental needlework. Salary moderate. Address to Rose, Mrs. Walpole, 7 John-street, Oxford-street.

    Least effective

    What are some features that make a job description or a job application more appealing?