Introduction: Middle-Class Women and Business in Nineteenth-Century Northern France

Abstract

Western women have long been thought to have exited the business world some time between the late eighteenth and the mid-nineteenth centuries, pushed out by the spread of a separate sphere ideology, the rise of corporation and the “managerial revolution”. Women and gender historians have begun to challenge those arguing that business historians’ focus on large corporations and masculinist definitions of entrepreneurship have led them to overlook the significant presence of women in small businesses. They have, however, done little to challenge the notion that women disappeared from the world of big business. This study looks at the women who were running large and small businesses in nineteenth-century northern France, and identifies the factors that made their continued presence possible, and those that made them invisible by the late twentieth century.

Appendix

1.1 Mimi Lamour

1.1.1 English translation (author’s translation)

• I. Mimi Lamour, a plump linen merchant

  Had lost her man, but she had money

  She followed her tastes, and opened a pub

  To make a living and enjoy herself

Immediately this merry woman

Chose in order to succeed

“The friendly woman” as her sign

One couldn’t find a better one.

Chorus

When you see her manners,

You’ve got to say on the spot,

That the queen of the publicans

is indeed Mimi Lamour

• II. Sh’ is a widow, but don’t imagine

  That sh’ is ancient. She is not yet thirty-two

  And still has all her thirty-two teeth.

  Her round face has the freshness of spring

All her hair is truly hers

Her eyes, her lids are really so fine

For strength, she’s got no match

She’s got arms like fence posts.

• III. Cleaning up every morning, that suits her fine.

  In casual: thick woolen hose and clogs,

  Sleeves rolled up, petticoat kilted at the rear

  a linen apron and the oldest of her caps

What energy washing her place.

How happy she is afterwards

To see it as clean as her face

And draws designs on the sandstone.

• IV. At dusk, she puts on her best clothes

  To honor her night drinkers

  Sh’ is ready, at a nod, to serve them,

  She trots, she runs between table and counter

As there’s only her to do all

She has enough to rush and rush

This doesn’t prevent the goodwife

from finding the time to knit.

• V. Listening to me, I bet you think

  She pushes her drinks; well, people, hold it!

  On the contrary, she stops the expenses,

  When one overdoes it; if anyway

A small stomach turns ill

She tends him with open heart

She makes lemonade for him

And if not enough, green tea.

• VI. But this brave woman, so good, so helpful

  Is not to have her toes stepped on!

  When an ornery drunk

  Wants to trouble the peace in her house

Stop it, she says, you’re wearing me down!

If the man doesn’t get the message

you should see with what ease

She puts him out the door.

• VII. One speaks of the honesty of the people of Lille

  That, in justice, is our storekeepers’ reputation.

  On that account, Mimi is worth a thousand

  To be the judge, offer her a pint,

Without weighing her profit

To be sure, she’ll tell you

More than six times: “you’re welcome”

“Whatever you want”

Dialectal original

• I. Mimi Lamour, eun’ gross’ marchand’ toilière,

  In perdant s’n homm’, comme elle avot d’l’argint,

  Suivant sin goût, ell’ s’a mis cabart’tière,

  Un moyen d’vive en a’iant d’l’agrémint.

Aussiôt, cheull’femm’joyeusse,

a pris, volant réussir,

Pour einseinne: A L’amiteusse …

On n’povot point mieux queusir.

In veyant ses manières,

On peut dir’ sans détours,

Que l’rein des cabar’tières,

Ch’est Mimi Lamour.

• II. Quoiq’ déjà veuve, au moins, n’allez point croire

  Qu’elle est veillotte…Ell’ n’a point trint’-deux ans!

  Ell’ compte incor trint’-deux dints dins s’machoire,

  Et s’grosse’figure a l’fraicheur du printemps.

Tout ses ch’veux sont bien à elle,

Ses yeux, ses sourcils sont bien biaux;

Pou’ l’forche ell’ n’a point s’parelle:

Ses bras ch’est des vrais potiaux!

• III. Tout nettoyer, chaq’matin, ch’est s’n affaire,

  In négligé: gros bas d’laine et chabots,

  Manches r’troussé’s, jupon r’levé derrière,

  Ecourcheu d’toile et l’pus vieux d’ses capots.

Quelle ardeur à laver s’plache!

Comme elle est heureusse, après,

De l’vir prop’ comm’ sin visache,

Et d’fair’ des dessins dins l’grès!

• IV. Quand vient la brune, elle’ va s’mette in toilette,

  Pour faire honneur à ses buveux du soir.

  A les servir, à tout geste, elle est prête:

  Ell’ trotte, ell’ court, des tables à sin comptoir.

Comme i n’y a qu’ell’ pour tout faire,

Elle a d’quoi s’délicoter …

Cha n’impêch, point qu’cheull’ commère

Trouve l’moyen d’tricoter!…

• V. In m’acoutant, j’pari’ qu’pus d’un d’vous pinse

  Qu’ell’ pousse à l’vinte. Ah! mes gins, halte là!

  Tout au contraire, elle arrête l’dépinse

  Quand on s’écauff’…S’il arri’, malgré cha,

Qu’un p’tit buveau vient malade,

Ell’ le soign’ d’un coeur ouvert,

Ell’ li fait de l’limonade,

S’i n’va point mieux, du thé vert.

• VI. Mais cheull’ brave femme’, si bonn’, si complaisante,

  I n’fait point bon qu'on li marche su’ l’pié.

  Quand un soulo’, à l’humeur contrariante,

  Veut, dins s’mason, v’nir troubler l’amitié,

« Assez! qu’ell’ li dit, cha m’lasse!»

Si ch’l’homm’ n’intind point raison,

Faut vir’ comme elle a bonn’ grâce

A l’mette à l’por’ de s’mason!

• VII. On a parlé d’l’honnteté des gins d’ Lille.

  Avec justic’ nos marchandes, ont che r’nom.

  Mimi Lamour su chl’article in vaut mille,

  Pour in juger, faites-li boire un canon.

Sans péser sin biennifice,

Soyez sûr quell’ vous dira

Pus d’six fos: « A vot’ service,

Savez!..Quand y vous plaira!»