Thank you for visiting this blog. Although servants began their careers at the bottom, working menial jobs and catering to the upper servants as well as their masters, they could move up in the servant hierarchy. That is more than worked on the land or in factories. I know it's not an easy comparison to today, because they had room and board included in their wages. OF THE COACHING AGE, VOL. Neame said: They approached me because of the reach. Phyllis Logan as Mrs. Hughes, Housekeeper. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. This chauffeur can also read and has been given permission by the earl to check books out of his library. Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. Downton. 1903. Some servants suffered terrible abuse including beatings and rape. A modern view? Seriously, we dont need to see Ethel in every episode. Brendan Coyle as John Bates, the Valet. Occaisionally a servant who became pregnant by a member of The Family would be paid off (but also fired), depending. Fox Refuses to Worry Publicly About Idol or XFactor, Domestic Servant Hierarchy and Wage Scale, Project Runway Season 10: The Wrong Ones Leave, Downton Abbey Season 5: As Jolly As You Like, Downton Abbey Season Two: Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time, http://files.stv.tv/img/galleries/downton-abbey-series-one/590331/DOWNTON_ABBEY_EP1_43.jpg, How 'Downton Abbey' Shows Income Inequality Doesn't Matter | Acton PowerBlog, DOWNSTAIRS AT DOWNTON: THE MEN | D.E. Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. Downton has about six housemaids who do all duties of parlour and chamber, theres about 3-5 kitchen maids besides Daisy, who, poor darling, is the scullery maid I think, in additon to being a VERY young undercook, she couldnt have been much older than 14 at the start, probably younger, the footmen, you are quite correct on that mark. If all you could afford was a girl a couple days a week, you got one. Yet while their employers dined on nine-course meals costing up to six times a maid's annual wage employees were treated to the leftovers in the kitchen. We may receive books (physical or digitized) and DVDs for review purposes. Each napkin likewise. Thank you, Karen! Disclaimer: Our team makes no profit from this blog. But at the real Downton Abbey, Highclere Castle a stately pile owned by George Geordie Herbert, 8th Earl of Carnarvon the financial outlook has rarely been brighter. In some stately homes such as Petworth in West Sussex hidden passages kept servants separate from family members to spare them the embarrassment of encountering this under-class. Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. Having a butler to buttle and function as house manager would be good, considering that in todays world, Husband and Wife would have the kind of two-salary high powered jobs that can afford that size house. I wage a one-man War against the forelock-tugging worship of all things that glorify a parasitic aristocracy and then am betrayed! It is something I am passionate about; I am a really strong believer in soft power. 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. In fact as a new BBC series reveals their lot could be miserable, degrading and exhausting. Ive already stated that I am going to cry at the Dowagers funeralsomething else I assume will will see in season three, I told you over at TNCs place, and Ill say it againMaggie Smith will never die, so you just stop that nonsense. For a long time. While she had a rough exterior, it was never enough to overcome her talents and ethics. THE CASTLE REALLY DID OPERATE AS A HOSPITAL DURING WORLD WAR I. Matt Berger is a writer, comedian, actor, Paddington enthusiast, and Corgi dad. Its a big house after all. There are also hallboys and other maids whose names we dont know. :). The kitchen maid would perform these offices if there were no tweeny or scullery maid. Although these were generous, wages could vary greatly depending on a servant's gender or the position they occupied within the house. based on what I've seen of Downton Abbey (which I assume to be relatively accurate). Is there a cafe at Highclere Castle? At the end of their stay with their hosts, guests paid servants a tip for their services. In Sundays episode, when Lord G comes downstairs to tell everyone the war is over and how theyre going to assemble on the 11th at 11:00, he says I expect all of you, including the kitchen staff and hall boys, everyone, to be there. This implied to me that there are other servants, but since they dont have plot lines, we simply dont see them. Click on image. Good eye! His net worth is believed to total $4 million. Again, hosting events, parties and random BBC shows who want to film period pieces on your grounds might require him to have an assistant or two. made them look like twins. 2-3 Parlor maids These maids work on the main floor public rooms and rarely if ever come in contact with the family. At nine 0clock, housemaids and valets arrived to draw bedroom curtains and deliver a cup of teac as ordered by the hostess the night before. The End of High Society, The servants quarters. Bizarrely in another stripping away of identity they were sometimes given generic names. Died off Prome, the 7th October 1852, while in command of the Naval Expedition on the river Irrawady against the Burmese Forces, aged 73 years.. How did people treat slaves vs. servants and how did prospects differ for both groups once/if freed? Did slaves and servants get along, or did servants feel superior? Daisy, as an undercook, would have earned $22,150 a year. 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. . This one explains how a pre-war British country house worked. Join me next time for more explorations into the art and history of Europe, including the British Isles. Alternative sources of employment for women opened up in offices, shops, factories and later the National Health Service. The staff of Downton Abbey work for the Crawley family. From reading Below Stairs by Margaret Powell is seems some employers made their servants to buy or make their own uniforms, and other provided them or parts of them (such as the cap). But perhaps most antique of all is the idea of life in a house full of servants, with two symbiotic. Actually, I would prefer to see more actors less often, rather than the current DA model, where every actor appears in every episode. 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. Highly informative, while at the same time completely avoiding the fetish known as hat worship. Carson leads the whole staff into battle every day at Downton and is constantly putting out fires. In addition, the sheets of the family would be changed several times a week, as would those of any guests. Laundry MaidsA house the size of Downton generates huge amounts of laundry. His dedication to Downton was arguably stronger than even the family who lived in it. Downstairs they would continue making preparations for the day, opening drapes and shutters, dusting and polishing, and sweeping floors. However the contrast between the sumptuous family areas and the dull, often squalid servants' quarters was stark. This was the youngest (12-16) and weakest and least well paid of the servants. How wrong I was. The viewer will be struck by the sheer volume and variety of dishes that she creates and oversees daily. The hierarchy among the servants was strictly defined. I tend to rationalize it that there are lots of other servants that we never see, just as high school dramas only focus on a handful of students and neglect the other 98%. Luckily though, he found a place as a member of the family instead. Answers must be in-depth and comprehensive, or they will be removed. This was a deliberate ploy to demonstrate that they were a class apart. Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE, With or without guests, the daily routine for a family at its country house was unalterable, due in part to the servants, whose meal-times were rigid, and in part to Edwadian era tradition. Nick BriggsCarnival Film & Television Ltd. By J.I. Downton only has 2-3 housemaids/maids of all work, thus is both understaffed and staffed at a lower level. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Elizabeth McGovern has $4million to her name. I cant wait to see Downton Abbey. In addition, we thank the many experts and authors who frequently contribute their posts and opinions, and who continue to do so freely or at our request. Siobhan Finneran as OBrien, the countesss ladies maid, Rose Leslie as Gwen, housemaid, and Joanne Froggatt as Anna, head maid. First Footman Check (if senior can fill underbutler role), also attends the lady of the house when making calls. The servant bells behind William, the second footman. UnderButler nope, but was an optional position. (Hugh Bonneville) in the Julian Fellowes period drama Downton Abbey. Scan this QR code to download the app now, The Victorian Domestic Servant Hierarchy and Wage Scale. RELATED:Downton Abbey: 10 Hidden Details About Edith Crawley's Costume You Didn't Notice. Maybe well find out more about the family finances in season III, when Coras mother appears. Events include special Downton-themed receptions at British embassies. In the background, a servant scoops coal.Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE Home of the Daily and Sunday Express. The more important servants, known as "the Pugs", were waited on at dinner by their inferiors and ate from fine china. I recently rewatched the second season of Upstairs, Downstairs, and I have some general questions/want to check if I understand things right. The accounts of Highclere Enterprises for 2014-15 show current assets have almost trebled to around 1m since 2012. Carriages are being replaced by automobiles, but the infrastructure for maintaining cars is not yet in place. I am a proud lifetime member of the Jane Austen Society of North America. Archived post. Young, able servants were in a constant state of flux (they worked on average for 2-3 years before moving on), always looking for a better position, which they could acquire as long as their masters gave them good references. If you would like to share a new site, or point out an error, please email us. Dan Stevens left the show to pursue other roles, MORE:Dan Stevens reveals the real reason he left Downton Abbey. Drops Season 6 Trailer, Skating Highlights of the Week: Europeans and U.S. Nationals. As head housemaid, she assists the daughters of the house with their hair and wardrobe, but she also performs the duties of a regular maid, dusting, cleaning, and changing the bed linen. Mrs. Reynolds no doubt received a tip from the Gardiners after showing the public rooms of Mr. Darcys great estate. Hello, my name is Vic and I live in Maryland, USA. Have you seen the television series with Laurie and Fry? Always keep outer doors fastened. Published February 20, 2012. Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. The year is 1925 and there are already the first rumblings of the economic storms that will blight the end of the decade. Eventually, when he felt called to pursue bigger dreams, he did so without a ton of fanfare or fuss. In class-obsessed Britain there was even a strict hierarchy among servants that kept them apart from one another. As the driver, he took all of the family to and from the main house and around the countryside. Do they still do it? Loved Downton! The formerly somewhat basic ticketing policy has become a computerised advance booking system, helping to guarantee foreign visitors admission. Combining the pleasures of trashy soap operas with prestige historical fiction, "Downton Abbey" was a phenomenon when it first hit TV screens in 2010 (in the U.K.) and 2011 (in the U.S.). Downton Abbey is a large house that requires a lot of upkeep and staff to run it. As for the maids, there do seem to be six of them altogether: They are: Click on their names to enter their own blogs. The ITV series gave the actress her big breakout role - as well as three Emmy nominations and one Golden Globes nod - and between filming for the franchise, she has also taken up roles in Netflix's Godless, Apple+ TV original Defending Jacob and Guy Ritchie movie The Gentlemen. Downton Abbey wouldn't survive without all the downstairs staff who work tirelessly day in and day out. At the top stood the butler and housekeeper. At this same time, there were about 700 families in England who could support large country homes. No one at the time could have predicted that a fussy mini-series airing on PBS in this country would become a viral hit, but "Downton" soon became that rarest of things: A universal reference point. 9. The countess mistakenly thinks that OBrien is as fond of her as she is of her maid. Originally airing from 2010 to 2015, the show made household names - and now movie stars - out of its cast. No other member of the Downtown staff, not even Mrs. Hughes, gave more to their work than he did. Servants are portrayed as a loyal and largely contented breed. Our image of this under-class is based on television programmes such as Downton Abbey and Upstairs Downstairs. Molesley is decent at his duties but often falls into embarrassing situations. Downton has no laundry maids, adding to the burden on the undersized staff. When disaster strikes, Daisy not only steps in but demonstrates that she is more than ready to step up the servant hierarchy.
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