In an exploration and analysis of manuscript sources relating to the Adlercron family, I am in the process of constructing a narrative of genteel female consumption set in the last two decades of the eighteenth century in Ireland.
In general, the female management of eighteenth century households appears to have been essentially ignored in favour of discourses that characterise elite women’s relationship with goods as being ‘the consumption and display of what men produce.’
In my opinion, this has had the effect of reducing the role of the female consumer to a form of conspicuous leisure, with western literature serving to compound the perpetuation of this misogynistic anxiety.
While Irish households and female consumers have been singularly neglected in this field, I believe that there is enough incontrovertible primary evidence to confirm the genteel Irish woman’s affirmed position as manager of the household and perhaps more importantly, as the guardian of the purse-strings.
My examination of diaries and account books will serve to reveal genteel female shopping in eighteenth century Ireland as a sophisticated and multi-skilled activity particularly as it pertains to the home. This will make it possible to consider shopping as a variety of complex procedures and experiences involving the ideas and decisions of the shopper in their selection of goods.
It is within this context that I am placing my case study of an eighteenth century, genteel Irish female, Mrs. Meliora Adlercron. In so doing, it is my intention to uncover some of the complexities and peculiarities of a comfortable life lived outside the spotlight of history, where, I believe it will be possible to discern an eighteenth century Irish female consumer as ‘active’ rather than ‘passive.’