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. Michelle Dockery stars as eldest daughter Lady Mary and is also said to be worth $4million. Phyllis Logan as Mrs. Hughes, Housekeeper. Downton Abbey wouldn't survive without all the downstairs staff who work tirelessly day in and day out. The lower staff, and discussion on where all these servants are in Downton Abbey, after the jump. Despite the awful wages and conditions competition for places was fierce. Downton Abbey will be shown Sunday night on your local PBS station starting at 9 p.m. Click here to view the video clips. Alas and alack! Thomas is now Under Butler, and there are two footmen. Im watching downtown abbey as a distraction from quarantine. He ranks second as the highest-paid star from the show, with $8million to his name. How much does it cost to get married at Downton Abbey? Happy 1st Day of May (and its traditions), Regency Fashion: Men's Breeches, Pantaloons, and Trousers, Men's hair styles at the turn of the 19th century, Highclere Castle Floor Plan: The Real Downton Abbey, The Servant's Quarters in 19th Century Country Houses Like Downton Abbey, Awkward! I hadnt noticed that. Even if the first episode, as we follow Thomas around the house collecting up glasses, there are a number of servants that are un-named doing various jobs. Gentle readers: Please feel free to post your comments and continue the conversation! These days, his net worth is said to be around $4million. One stately home looks much the same as another. In addition to the main house, servants worked in the service buildings, such as the stables, garage, dairy, bakehouse, laundry, gun room, and pantry. In the lower common area, servants were summoned by the family via a system of bells connected to each room. Tourist cash from the TV drama, now starting its final series, has funded repairs at Highclere Castle, where it is filmed. The Second Footman: (Thomas Howes) Williams position among the upper servants is low, for he must answer to the butler, housekeeper, and first footman. ), Anna (Head maid) and Gwen (house maid) in their room. The Kitchen Maid: (Sophie McShera) Poor Daisy is at the bottom of the status ladder. Apparently nothing was considered too menial and records show that servants' duties included ironing shoelaces and cutting their masters' toenails. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Elizabeth McGovern has $4million to her name. The kitchen in these great houses often sat away from the house (to prevent cooking smells from wafting up to the public and private rooms) and were connected to the main house via underground passages. Lily has landed some amazing roles since she appeared on the show, MORE:The real reason Lily James didn't appear in the Downton Abbey film revealed. The neglected tombstone found in an overgrown burial ground. Matt Berger is a writer, comedian, actor, Paddington enthusiast, and Corgi dad. 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. THE CASTLE REALLY DID OPERATE AS A HOSPITAL DURING WORLD WAR I. The last hurrah of great houses and servants. It is something I am passionate about; I am a really strong believer in soft power. It became fashionable for the up-and-coming middle classes to mimic the aristocracy and hire cooks, maids and housekeepers and tens of thousands of young people flocked from the countryside to work in town houses. Passing her mistress on the stairs a servant was expected to "give room", which meant face the wall. Thomas Howes as William, the Second Footman. 1903. The Downton tourists are part of a growing phenomenon. I was under. Lesley Nicol as Mrs. Patmore, the Cook. Love this post, Vic. This was a deliberate ploy to demonstrate that they were a class apart. Any maid found fraternising with a member of the opposite sex will be dismissed without a hearing. Which would mean female servants would have to be celibate or very careful. Their commitment to their employers and the home they serve shows in the meals they provide, and the cleanliness of the estate. Mr. Carson was not only in charge of the male servants, but also of the wine cellar and the butlers pantry, which contained the family plate and silver. Cookie Notice Male servants were paid more than female servants (because some were expected to support a wife and children) and footmen were something of a luxury and therefore a status symbol even among the servant-employing classes. Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. But, although her personal life is often in shambles, it rarely gets in the way of her work at Downton. (Yes, we are fallible. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. But Moseley's dedication and kind demeanor earned him at least a spot on this list. Hello, my name is Vic and I live in Maryland, USA. While his personality needed some ironing out, his work ethic never faltered. In desperation employers dangled the carrot of prettier outfits but it made no difference. Published February 20, 2012. Ladys MaidsThere is one for Lady Grantham, but as all the daughters are out in society they should have maids too, at least one for Lady Mary, and one to be shared between the other two at the least. One of the most interesting aspects of the show. Always "give room" if you meet one of your employers or betters on the stairs and avert your gaze. http://files.stv.tv/img/galleries/downton-abbey-series-one/590331/DOWNTON_ABBEY_EP1_43.jpg. Highly informative, while at the same time completely avoiding the fetish known as hat worship. Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. Loved Downton! Luckily though, he found a place as a member of the family instead. A 'Tweeny' servant who worked seven days a week, from 5am until 10pm, and was paid 13 a year. The masters valet was especially important; his job was to make the master look impressive at all times. Baxter took on the role of Lady's Maid for the Countess of Grantham after Mrs. O'Brein's exit. The servant class boomed in the late 19th century as the expanding empire and industrial revolution created new wealth. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Domestic service, novelist and broadcaster JB Priestly declared in 1927, was "as obsolete as the horse" in an era of motor cars. A major part of the season concerns the end of the "large household" and how many of the staff are seeking alternate employment. One male servant, footman/valet:To serve in the dining room, valet Matthew, and accompany Mrs Crawley as the lady of the house on her calls. The OC, Downton and Suits were never the same again King Charles III will be crowned sovereign on 6 May in Westminster Abbey, Lenny Bruce is the only real-life person portrayed in Marvelous Mrs Maisel, The actor starred as rookie officer, Jackson West, Downton Abbey star Maggie Smith looks incredible at start of career - see the gorgeous snaps, The real reason Lily James didn't appear in the Downton Abbey film revealed, Dan Stevens reveals the real reason he left Downton Abbey, 11most devastating Downton Abbey moments, ranked, Hugh Bonneville then vs now: a look back at the star's impressive career, Meet The Gold star Hugh Bonneville's wife and children, 7 stars who asked to be written out of their show: from Downton Abbey to Suits. One Scullery maid/tweenie. 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. Anna maids the three daughters, plus different houses had different rules for daughters, some gave them maids and let them have breakfast in bed, others didnt, Downton is obviously the latter. Maybe well find out more about the family finances in season III, when Coras mother appears. Carson leads the whole staff into battle every day at Downton and is constantly putting out fires. The cast of female characters includes a housekeeper, a lady's maid, housemaids, a cook, and a kitchen maid. Visitor numbers doubled, to 1,200 a day, as Downton Abbey, scripted by Julian Fellowes, came to be screened around the world after becoming a hit in the UK in 2010 and then in the US. 2-3 Parlor maids These maids work on the main floor public rooms and rarely if ever come in contact with the family. Though this information is not known when this article was first posted, I seem to remember it didnt come out until season3. Downton only has 2-3 housemaids/maids of all work, thus is both understaffed and staffed at a lower level. 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. I buy one for every attraction I visit. Would that be analogous to, say, a mid-range hotel manager today, in status and income? Towards this end, she has been secretly taking typing courses. In two years of real time, DA has progressed eight years. Eventually though, after Matthew's death, he is brought on as a footman for Downtown, serving the house all the way through the most recent film. I was reading this with interest, and it is a good analysis. It has allowed us to spend faster on the buildings, have the follies restored.. How much did Downton Abbey servants make? If you were in the business of doing events and hosting lots of parties, that maid staff would probably expand to two or three. Carson is one of the few characters almost any viewer can get behind. "I got up at 5.30am to clean the fireplaces and front steps, polish the shoes and boots of everyone in the household. (They also received [], [] http://anibundel.com/2012/02/08/poor-crawleys-a-study-of-downton-abbeys-staffing-woes/ [], Powered by - Designed with theHueman theme. Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. June 27, 2021. Downton. Breakfast at Downton Abbey. Vic said: Downstairs in Downton Abbey: The Servants: Jane Austen's World http://t.co/8ufFL50 [], Very informative, thank you! with any luck. Posted in jane austen, Movie review, PBS Movie Adaptation, Popular culture, Servants | Tagged Downton Abbey, Edwardian Country House, Edwardian servants, PBS Masterpiece Classic | 17 Comments. Our image of this under-class is based on television programmes such as Downton Abbey and Upstairs Downstairs. Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. The countess mistakenly thinks that OBrien is as fond of her as she is of her maid. A first footman will serve as valet to the male guests if they arrive without a male servant. Not only useful but entertaining to read. Vic Sanborn, founder of this blog, is supported by a team of talented and knowledgeable writers about Jane Austen and the Regency era. She earned the job after the reference from Thomas but was soon embroiled in blackmail due to her past. In the big country houses or the great London mansions servants were crammed into shared bedrooms and beds with no bathroom or lavatory facilities. Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. We had been doing corporate functions, but it all became pretty sparse after that. The servant stairs. A rule of thumb was that an income of at least 1,000 pounds per year was required, or the income from at least 1,000 acres of land. Actually, I would prefer to see more actors less often, rather than the current DA model, where every actor appears in every episode. Time and time again she overcomes whatever current tragedy has befallen her and her loved ones, and delivers some of the best work in the house. Ive wondered who does Isobels hair, and who does the laundry and ironing. Too old to work? For a long time. RELATED: Downton Abbey: 10 Upstairs Memes That Will Have You Cry-Laughing But doing one's duty is more than just cleaning and cooking. It's believed that she is worth $4million. Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. However, her portrayal of Cora Crawley, the Countess of Grantham, is perhaps her most memorable role to date. Downton Abbey is a large house that requires a lot of upkeep and staff to run it. Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. Thomas was one of the most villainous characters in the series. The year after leaving the ITV series, Dan landed his first leading role in a film in 2014 thriller The Guest, following by a part in the Night at the Museum sequel and Disney's live-action Beauty and the Beast alongsideEmma Watson. While Mrs. Hughes was dedicated fully to her work, no one was as dedicated to the house as Mr. Carson.