Nick BriggsCarnival Film & Television Ltd. By J.I. The female staff are forbidden from smoking. But Downton Abbey is a great house, and there are servants aplenty. I suppose they are buying them as needed from the shops rather than having them made to match, or even expecting the maids to sew their own to a matching pattern. In addition to the main house, servants worked in the service buildings, such as the stables, garage, dairy, bakehouse, laundry, gun room, and pantry. One Scullery maid/tweenie. In addition to wearing uniforms servants were expected to have matching hairstyles. Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. Our image of this. If you would like to share a new site, or point out an error, please email us. NEXT:Downton Abbey: 10 Actors You Forgot Were On The Show. His net worth is believed to total $4 million. The Crawleys Manchester house was well furnished (what we saw of it) and fashionably furnished, so they redecorated within the last 5/10 years, they still had all their tea sets and china and silver. The huge global success of Downton, according to Lady Fiona Carnarvon, has funded a rolling programme of building repairs aimed at safeguarding Highclere for the next generation. 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. Its a big house after all. 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. Back of the house. It [Downton Abbey] is iconic for expressing Britishness. 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. Room, board, and at least some clothing came with the job in addition to the money, right? We often see servants in the background, coming and going, whose names and positions we dont know. Im going to have servants when Im rich so thanks for educating me on their duties and names. In class-obsessed Britain there was even a strict hierarchy among servants that kept them apart from one another. But, looking beyond that, he is one of the most dedicated staff members period. The Table cloths in the servants hall , the butlers room and the housekeepers parlor would not be washed as frequently but would add to the workload. Servants who married often left, though the employer could find a position for the spouse within the establishment if they wanted to keep the servant. Alongside her eventual husband Mr. Carson, Mrs. Hughes was dedicated to running as strong a household staff as possible. Another apparent myth is the one of the loyal servant. Express. Ha! Forget cosy notions of Hudson the butler and Mrs Bridges the cook - this servitude was thankless, sweaty, backbreaking work. I recently saw a graph that showed that only 8,000 Africans were brought to England throughout the entire Atlantic slave trade. 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. The masters valet was especially important; his job was to make the master look impressive at all times. ), I love this post. A first footman will serve as valet to the male guests if they arrive without a male servant. (modern), The Downton Abbey cast gather in front of Highclere Castle as they prepare for the final series. Occaisionally a servant who became pregnant by a member of The Family would be paid off (but also fired), depending. But doing one's duty is more than just cleaning and cooking. Downton Abbey: How much did Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith and more make during the show? The programme reveals that one London employer went through 34 maids in 32 years. Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. Dan Stevens left the show to pursue other roles, MORE:Dan Stevens reveals the real reason he left Downton Abbey. Sophie McShera as Daisy, Kitchen Maid. What is the owner of a stable called? The Most Expensive Part Of The Downton Abbey Film - CINEMABLEND Downton Abbey (TV Series 2010-2015) - IMDb NCIS star Mark Harmon has a very famous niece, NCIS: LA teases long-awaited return of fan favorite character in upcoming episode ahead of finale, The Rookie's Titus Makin Jr. the real reason why he left the show. The servant class boomed in the late 19th century as the expanding empire and industrial revolution created new wealth. Mrs. Hughes (even if they are single, which Mrs. Hughes was, housekeepers were given the distinction of being a Mrs.) was also responsible for the linen and china. For all these great houses, you have to invest in them. Mr. Molesley began as a butler for the Crawley Houseserving Isobel and Matthew Crawley. Any breakages or damage to the house will be deducted from wages. In the big country houses or the great London mansions servants were crammed into shared bedrooms and beds with no bathroom or lavatory facilities. But Moseley's dedication and kind demeanor earned him at least a spot on this list. (Yes, we are fallible. We have to compete with attractions like the London Dungeon., Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Inquiring readers, from now until the U.S. airing of Downton Abbey, this blog will explore the facets of living in an English country house during the Edwardian era, and drawing upon the similarity and differences between the Edwardian and Regency eras. Rose Leslie as Gwen, House Maid. Click here to enter the page. Typical salaries were 20-30 pounds ($2,100-3,200) per year. Thomas Howes as William, the Second Footman. Downton shows relatively well how they spent their time and how they spent their money, but I'm still struggling to figure out what their economic status would be analogous to today. One period household manual gave this advice to employers: "By not acknowledging them you will spare them the shame of explaining their presence.". Mrs. Hughes was a friend to all of her staff, but she never allowed herself to be manipulated by her sympathies. Siobhan Finneran as OBrien, the countesss ladies maid, Rose Leslie as Gwen, housemaid, and Joanne Froggatt as Anna, head maid. The House Maid: (Rose Leslie) Young Gwen is a housemaid with a goal that of becoming a typist. For example, the poet Lord Byron had a valet named James Brown. Love thomas, hes hot, hope I can find one that looks like him, Great BLOG I LIKE AND I COPY IN MY BLOG, [] also found lots of good articles on the downstairs staff and on Downton Abbey over at Jane Austens World blog [], [] a full explanation of who does what below the stairs, Id recommend reading this post on the blog, Jane Austens []. Do Servants Still Exist In England? - FAQS Clear In desperation employers dangled the carrot of prettier outfits but it made no difference. She works with a positive attitude and champions those who need defending. It is now broadcast in 250 countries. Im watching downtown abbey as a distraction from quarantine. Jim Carter plays butler to the Crawley family, Carson. The Downton tourists are part of a growing phenomenon. Also, could not some of the servants live in town?
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