Downton Abbey: Created by Julian Fellowes. Housekeepers, as Jane Austen famously showed in Pride and Prejudice, served as tour guides when the family was absent. The hotel is still one of the most elegant places to stay in London. Servants are portrayed as a loyal and largely contented breed. Quite a few young men found domestic service a good training ground and experience for other occupations. The next time Im in one of these houses Ill take some pictures of the servants quarters to send you. Afternoon tea, priced at around $60 per person, is still quite an occasion. (Do they mean the same thing? I was fascinated to read in a recent memoir, I think Tony Judt, that he considered his family to be lower middle class but they had a maid in 1950. Another opportunity to keep Highclere in the public mind is the 300th anniversary of the birth of Lancelot Capability Brown, who designed the grounds. The laundry was in a different building and the laundry staff were seperate, so its no wonder you dont see them, but you really should watch the series over, if you watch the downstairs secnes theres about 20 or more extras running around behind all the servants who get a character. Servants were badly paid and often lived in squalor. Events include special Downton-themed receptions at British embassies. Siobhan Finneran as OBrien, the countesss ladies maid, Rose Leslie as Gwen, housemaid, and Joanne Froggatt as Anna, head maid. We are not nearly as proud of our achievements as we should be. Like this story? The following transcript has been edited. The price includes piano entertainment and an unlimited supply of little sandwiches, scones and cakes which are served graciously for as long as the customer wants to sit there basking in luxury. Wodehouses works. (modern), The Downton Abbey cast gather in front of Highclere Castle as they prepare for the final series. MORE:Downton Abbey star Maggie Smith looks incredible at start of career - see the gorgeous snaps. However, her portrayal of Cora Crawley, the Countess of Grantham, is perhaps her most memorable role to date. Every single day, dont take anything for granted, said Lady Carnarvon. In reality, service in great houses was preferred over other jobs that were available during the 18th and 19th centuries, such as tedious and often dangerous labor in factories or backbreaking work on farms. (Yes, we are fallible. Bizarrely in another stripping away of identity they were sometimes given generic names. The lively conversations in the Downton Abbey servants' hall, which bring together ladies' maids, footmen, kitchen maids and sometimes the butler, housekeeper and cook do not necessarily reflect the experiences of most servants in large houses. Rarely has her talent or her methods been challenged by anyone. I think Sarah retired from work to raise her family and only returned to domestic service when they were on their own. Households of the size and importance of Downton should have two extra footmen, sometimes called 3rdand 4th. Although Downton Abbey follows only 11 of the upper servants closely, one can see other servants (housemaids, a scullery maid, young boys, coal men, and the like) in the background going about their business. My husband and I really got into Downton Abbey but some of the plot lines were dark enough to just haunt use throughout or daily activities. Downton only has 2-3 housemaids/maids of all work, thus is both understaffed and staffed at a lower level. In season 3, Edith mentions a new (presumably ladys) maid, but we never see her. In the early seasons, Daisy is often more concerned with flights of fancy than her position, but as the series progresses, so do her priorities. Scullery maids, cleaned and washed up in the separate scullery area. One stately home looks much the same as another. Downton has none, a house that size should have two or more. All rights reserved. Room, board, and at least some clothing came with the job in addition to the money, right? I hadnt noticed that. When the Countess of Grantham states that she and OBrien are friends, for they are often in each others company, OBrien knows better than to disagree, but disagree she does. What happened to servants who did get pregnant? Each table cloth would be washed, starched and ironed after each use. Luckily, he was far kinder and more capable than his aunt ever was. Rob James-Collier as Thomas, First Footman.Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. The Ladys Maid: Siobhan Finneran plays OBrien as a cold, ruthless woman, who trusts no one. From my point of view, Ive tried to persuade people it is fun, and have specific events they can engage with, not just a wander around a dusty house. He ranks second as the highest-paid star from the show, with $8million to his name. Housemaids would tread silently up the servant (back) stairs unseen and unheard with fresh water and carrying covered slop pails. Although only her kitchen maid, Daisy, is seen as her regular assistant, there would have been others in a house this size. would be promoted into the households of the adult children, and grow old with them. Most worked until they could no longer perform to standards, most also started very young and if they remained with the house their whole working life they were usually given a cottage on the estate to live out their golden years, while that benefit has gone away, or almost extinct, there are a few that still get the benefit od a small cottage, also the servants could marry and have children especially later in 20th century. Many of us today cannot understand why servants in country manors such as Downton Abbey would consider catering to the whims of others as a desirable occupation. What kind of purchasing power did they have? Im watching downtown abbey as a distraction from quarantine. If you would like to share a new site, or point out an error, please email us.
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