Green’s Dictionary of Slang

char n.1

[note orig. 18C char, to do odd jobs; B.E.: ‘Chare-woman, Underdrudges, or taskers, assistants to Servantmaids’. The modern synon. charlady began as late 19C joc. but now, like tea-lady, cleaning-lady etc is almost SE; note Nares, Glossary (1822): ‘chare or chare-work. Task-work, or any labour [...] Chare-woman is still used, for one hired to work by the day’]

a charwoman.

Show quotations
[[UK]T. Deloney Pleasant Hist. of Jacke Newberie (1633) ix K3: She was glad to goe about and wash buckes at the Thames side, and to be a charre-woman in rich mens houses].
[UK]Dly Chronicle 7 June 3/4: We find him trying to gain a pension for ‘Granny Deane’, his ancient ‘char’ .
[UK]G. De S. Wentworth-James Man Market 39: After weary days of ‘chars’ and ‘step-girls’ [...] Alice came on the scene.
[UK]‘George Orwell’ Keep The Aspidistra Flying (1962) 105: And of course your char’s gone home.
[UK]J. Cary Horse’s Mouth (1948) 33: The door came open. There was a fat old char with grey hair and a red face.
[UK]C. Harris Three-Ha’Pence to the Angel 23: Mrs Mop, that’s me, Mrs bleedin Mop, the char.
[UK](con. c.1928) D. Holman-Hunt My Grandmothers and I (1987) 172: Why don’t we get a char?
[UK]J.P. Carstairs Concrete Kimono 112: Lily happens to be my ‘daily.’ My char.
[SA]J. Waring Hot Air 102: The char (her staff!) and I cleaned out the dirt of centuries from under carpets.
[UK](con. 1950s) D. Nobbs Second From Last in the Sack Race 319: Anna, the stay-put char, is back.
[Ire]D. Healy Bend for Home 126: After a week’s inactivity she took up a job as a char.
[SA]A. Brink Rights of Desire (2001) 305: I must call a char to come and tidy up.