Changes in the Working Population and Domestic Service in a Peripheral Spanish Town: A Coroña, 1900–1960

Abstract

A Corona is an interesting case study, firstly because compared to other medium-sized Spanish towns it had a stronger tertiary economic structure. Secondly, because it showed a high percentage of population working in domestic service, although the town did not exactly follow the pattern of Spanish cities. In 1900, A Corona was the 7th Spanish town according to the percentage of female population working in domestic service, while it occupied the 19th position within the Spanish urban hierarchy. It was only surpassed by San Sebastian which has persistently showed the highest percentage of domestic service during the whole period, by some other larger cities such as Bilbao or Madrid, which received an important female immigrant flow, and by small towns such as Guadalajara, Avila, Soria or Salamanca. What this reveals is that the presence of domestic service was unusually high for a town that was not able to attract roral immigration as compared to the biggest Spanish cities.