UPSTAIRS, an Edwardian home would have been a picture of elegance and calm, adorned with social gatherings and extravagantly envisioned dinner parties. DOWNSTAIRS, it was a hive of domestic activity, supported by a body of staff painstakingly devoted to ensuring the smooth running of the household. Brimming with family secrets, society scandal, and of course elaborate parties, dresses, and social customs, the world of an aristocratic Edwardian household as depicted on the hit show Downton Abbey has captivated millions. But what was life really like for the people who kept such a household running: the servants? In Life Below Stairs, international bestselling author Alison Maloney takes readers behind the scenes to reveal a lively and colorful picture of what went on "downstairs," describing servants' daily life in this now-vanished world. Detailing everything from household structure, pay and conditions, special duties, and rules and regulations, to perks, entertainment, and even romance, Maloney examines the drudgery and hardships below stairs, as well as the rewards and pleasures. Thoroughly researched and reliably informed, this charmingly illustrated volume also contains first-hand stories from the staff of the time, making it a must-read for anyone interested in the lifestyle and conduct of a bygone era.
Brilliantly evoking the long-vanished world of masters and servants portrayed in Downton Abbey and Upstairs, Downstairs, Margaret Powell's classic memoir of her time in service, Below Stairs, is the remarkable true story of an indomitable ...
Mary Ann was apparently not the first servant Mr P had 'got into trouble'. If a female servant became pregnant, the sexual double standard prevalent in Victorian society came into play. Many employers would ask her to leave ...
There was the Hackney Empire Music Hall and a smaller music hall on Islington Green. You could go in the cheap seats up in the gods for a ... The audience wasn't quietand respectable. If they didn'tlike an act they'd booand hiss and if ...
The real lives of servants in the second half of the twentieth century.
Nancy Jackman was born in 1907 in a remote Norfolk village.
Ellie made a fuss of Roy and me, assuring us that old Mack liked to see and hear young people, it made him feel alive. That might have been true, but it certainly didn't keep him alive as he died about three months after my return to ...
Most important of all for Alice, however, was the presence of Daphne Baldwin, the adored only daughter, born in 1903 when Mrs Baldwin was thirty-nine. The infant Daphne's every ailment, her every requirement for food or clothing is ...
A young earl cancels his original wedding plans when he falls in love with the new housemaid, Anna, a penniless Russian countess exiled to England. Reissue.
I would also like to thank Jackie Depelle, Jackie Reid and Sue Wilkes who were so generous with their time and their research, and my editor, Jen Newby for her thoughtful suggestions and attention to detail.
A fascinating glimpse of life below stairs, This book tells the stories of the lives the people who lived and worked there.