One of my favorite research books is The Country House Servant by Pamela A. Sambrook.

From housemaids to footmen, cooks, and hall-boys, the book chronicles the duties, skills, and schedules needed to efficiently manage England’s great country homes. From laundry and cooking to tending the vast lawns, there were plenty of duties to keep a full staff busy.

But there’s one daily task the book completely leaves out: fly swatting.

Yes, fly swatting.

We know this thanks to a talented amateur artist named Diana Sperling, who frequently captured wonderful, candid “day-in-the-life” moments at her family’s country estate, Dynes Hall. In one of her delightful watercolors, she gives us a look at two maids battling a swarm of flies in the drawing room:

At face value, Miss Sperling shows us a funny, unscripted scene that normally wouldn’t come to mind when we imagine the elegance of a grand estate. Yet, it’s a fantastic reminder of the countless unseen duties servants performed every day to keep life pleasant for wealthy families. Looking at the painting, I can easily picture the maid balanced precariously on the windowsill, desperately trying to finish the job before a member of the family walks in. Meanwhile, the second maid holding a basket to catch the falling flies before they hit the floor is absolute perfection!

With such lively details, it’s no wonder Miss Sperling’s watercolors are so well-loved today. She captures the exact kind of historical texture that often escapes traditional reference books—even ones as wonderfully informative as The Country House Servant.

When it comes to bringing the English Regency to life on the page, it’s unexpected, charming moments like this that inspire me most. It makes me wonder: what other chaotic, comical, unscripted moments were happening just behind the scenes while our favorite lords and ladies were making polite conversation in the drawing room?