In 1835, the editor of the Hereford Journal received a letter railing against the spending habits of female servants, particularly their clothing purchases, and the downward spiral of moral decline that this led them into:

The writer's particular grievance seems to be the (in his or her opinion) excessive wages paid to servants. However, the comments echoed much criticism of how working people, especially servants, had dressed above their social station since the seventeenth century. The fact they were expressed once more in a provincial newspaper shows that such views were still current in the 1830s. However, the debate had shifted slightly. As well as criticizing the blurring of social divisions, the letter pointed out the irresponsible behaviour of the servants and the effect this had on those around them.