“Se necesita un muchacho de 12 a 14 años para sirviente”. Niños en el servicio doméstico, Concepción y Santiago de Chile, 1860-1895

Abstract

This article analyzes the reality of child servants in the context of child labor during the second half of the 19th century in the cities of Concepción and Santiago de Chile. The main objective of this research is to understand the instances that led these children to work in domestic service and the circumstances in which they worked.Through the review of El Correo del Sur and El Sur (Concepción) and El Ferrocarril (Santiago), in addition to the official reports generated by the orphanages, a reality characterized by high levels of violence and misery was verified, including the institutionalization of abandonment represented in orphanages, an institution that, along with the press, had a preponderant role in the placement of children, particularly girls, for domestic service.