The Regency Court Gown: Regency Fashion, Pride and Prejudice Economics: Or Why a Single Man with a Fortune of 4,000 Per Year is a Desirable Husband, A Portrait of a 19th C. Artist by an UnknownArtist. Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. Hugh Bonneville plays the head of the Crawley family, Robert Crawley, the Earl of Grantham. Bizarrely in another stripping away of identity they were sometimes given generic names. Do public servants get paid well? 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. Jim Carter appeared in many period dramas before Downton Abbey. 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Privacy Policy. But I assure you they have the normal amount of servants that an estate of this size was expected to have, probably more, as you posted they just arent part of the story, to many speaking parts would get confusing and very difficult to follow all the drama for every servant, oh and eventually as everyone knows, Branson takes over as land agent later in the story. Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. Hall boyto take cards in the hall, polish shoes and boots of visitors. If you were in the business of doing events and hosting lots of parties, that maid staff would probably expand to two or three. Perhaps in the past an estate and house defined and supported the family and their lifestyle, but today it is quite the reverse: the challenge is how Geordie and I seek to support and look after Highclere. First Footman Check (if senior can fill underbutler role), also attends the lady of the house when making calls. For Mr. Bates, the flights of steep stairs can be daunting, and he is incapable of carrying large trays or helping with dinner service when more hands are needed. Unfortunately, I don't know that we know much about how servants and slaves in England viewed each other. The Chauffeur: Allen Leech asTom Branson, the chaffeur, demonstrates how very different Edwardian England is from Regency England. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me and my team. Thank you, Karen! Never let your voice be heard by the ladies and gentlemen of the house. 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. These rose-tinted depictions would also have us believe that mutual respect existed across social boundaries. We'll own up to our mistakes and will make the corrections with a polite smile on our faces.) When her secret is uncovered the other servants are astounded how could anyone prefer working in as some faceless office over service in a great house? In the worst homes life was little better than a form of silver-service slavery. SOCIAL historian Dr Pamela Cox, who presents Servants - The True Story Of Life Below Stairs, says: "Country houses wouldn't have been able to function without a vast hidden army of servants. Service at table, except in the lowest houses employing servants was never performed by female servants. Every single day, dont take anything for granted, said Lady Carnarvon. Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. Do they still do it? Girls worked part-time for two years to buy the uniform necessary to secure a job because service offered a roof over their heads and regular meals. Lady's maid Anna Bates is played by actress Joanne Froggatt, whose acting credits include Liar, Coronation Street and upcoming ITV drama Angela Black. Undercook or 1stkitchenmaid check, but the first kitchen maid is responsible for cooking the servants meals, not the cook, and there should be more than one kitchen maid. Looking at all the staff of the series, here are the 10 best ranked on their job performance. Their commitment to their employers and the home they serve shows in the meals they provide, and the cleanliness of the estate. The neighbours are selling up their own stately home, while Lord Grantham seeks to cut back on servants after declaring that under-butlers are no longer affordable. Published February 20, 2012. Now Ive never seen a tweeny, but there seem to be about two hallboys/odd job men. Era. Fabulous, many thanks for this. Rarely has her talent or her methods been challenged by anyone. He ranks second as the highest-paid star from the show, with $8million to his name. These days, his net worth is said to be around $4million. At the bottom of the ladder were the young girls who could enter service when they were 13, earning a few pounds a year. Downton Abbey's kitchen maid Daisy Robinson, played by Sophie McShera. Lord Carnarvon said then: It was just after the banking crisis and it was gloom in all directions. This was the youngest (12-16) and weakest and least well paid of the servants. They were hired by the Lady and Master of the house rather than by the butler, housekeeper or house steward. The once derelict London Lodge, a grand Roman-style archway from 1793, is now a bijou holiday let alongside other spruced-up cottages. RELATED:Downton Abbey: 10 Hidden Details About Edith Crawley's Costume You Didn't Notice. Luckily, he was far kinder and more capable than his aunt ever was. Housekeeping was hard physical labor before central heat and air made houses cleaner; and standards of dustfree shining cleanliness were higher, not to mention the only way to have food was to cook from complete scratch every day and many households still made at least some of their own clothing. In theory, even when servants had finished with their duties and were finally sitting down to eat their breakfast, they were subject to be called at a moments whim. http://files.stv.tv/img/galleries/downton-abbey-series-one/590331/DOWNTON_ABBEY_EP1_43.jpg. At this same time, there were about 700 families in England who could support large country homes. (especially how it brings in the Honorary Colonel posting at the end to tie everything together! Rose Leslie as Gwen, House Maid. The last hurrah of great houses and servants. England is another country. In the big country houses or the great London mansions servants were crammed into shared bedrooms and beds with no bathroom or lavatory facilities. Thomas is constantly rising in status in his role, eventually even taking on the duties of Butler come the end of the series. Sophie McShera as Daisy, Kitchen Maid. King Charles III's coronation: How to watch and what time is it on? Any breakages or damage to the house will be deducted from wages. Occaisionally a servant who became pregnant by a member of The Family would be paid off (but also fired), depending. Thomas Howes as William, the Second Footman. Only the very rich could afford footmen, and thus they were a form of status symbol. Yet service allows him to better himself and someday work his way up to the position of butler. See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive. Ladys maiding included: overseeing laundry of those things that could be laundered, sponging and brushing clean the rest, repairs, and sewing different ribbons and accessories onto the ladies clothing to make them appear different. Id certainly but a copy!I get so much out of your posts! Mrs. Hughes ran a tight ship with her staff, creating a culture of strong work ethic as well as personal respect. Where would this place them in terms of social class? Wodehouses Jeeves and Wooster series of stores? 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. Another apparent myth is the one of the loyal servant. made them look like twins. It is now broadcast in 250 countries. Alfred played the role of one of the home's footman after Thomas became Valet. Now I will feel so much more in tune with whats going on in it. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Footmen are expected to wear livery and are generally tall and handsome. More than a million embark on a tour of historic buildings each year, spending inexcess of 1bn. All rights reserved. Jim Carter plays butler to the Crawley family, Carson. Never call from one room to another and always answer when you have received an order. In class-obsessed Britain there was even a strict hierarchy among servants that kept them apart from one another. As for the maids, there do seem to be six of them altogether: Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. 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.. with any luck. 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. Despite the awful wages and conditions competition for places was fierce. Daisy becomes an incredibly valuable member of the staff. Dowton Abbey, the series, highlights eleven servants who ran the household, but in 1912, Highclere Castle, where the exterior and interior shots were filmed, used the services of 25 maids, 14 footmen, and three chefs. Tweenies had pretty much gone out of fashion by 1900, so the absence is perhaps not as surprising as the apparent absence of a laundress.
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