Below Stairs

'Below Stairs' is a compelling and colourful memoir that takes the reader inside the upstairs downstairs world of domestic service.

Author: Margaret Powell

Publisher: Pan

ISBN: 0330535382

Category: Cooks

Page: 209

View: 828

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Arriving at the great houses of 1920s London, fifteen-year-old Margaret's life in service was about to begin... As a kitchen maid - the lowest of the low - she entered an entirely new world; one of stoves to be blacked, vegetables to be scrubbed, mistresses to be appeased, and even bootlaces to be ironed. Work started at 5.30am and went on until after dark. It was a far cry from her childhood on the beaches of Hove, where money and food were scarce, but warmth and laughter never were. Yet from the gentleman with a penchant for stroking the housemaids curlers, to raucous tea-dances with errand boys, to the heartbreaking story of Agnes the pregnant under-parlourmaid, fired for being seduced by her mistress nephew, Margaret's tales of her time in service are told with wit, warmth, and a sharp eye for the prejudices of her situation. Brilliantly evoking the long-vanished world of masters and servants, Below Stairs is the remarkable true story of an indomitable woman, who, though her position was lowly, never stopped aiming high.
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Below Stairs

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 ...

Author: Margaret Powell

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

ISBN: 9781429952446

Category: Biography & Autobiography

Page: 224

View: 744

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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 woman who, though she served in the great houses of England, never stopped aiming high. Powell first arrived at the servants' entrance of one of those great houses in the 1920s. As a kitchen maid – the lowest of the low – she entered an entirely new world; one of stoves to be blacked, vegetables to be scrubbed, mistresses to be appeased, and bootlaces to be ironed. Work started at 5.30am and went on until after dark. It was a far cry from her childhood on the beaches of Hove, where money and food were scarce, but warmth and laughter never were. Yet from the gentleman with a penchant for stroking the housemaids' curlers, to raucous tea-dances with errand boys, to the heartbreaking story of Agnes the pregnant under-parlormaid, fired for being seduced by her mistress's nephew, Margaret's tales of her time in service are told with wit, warmth, and a sharp eye for the prejudices of her situation. Margaret Powell's true story of a life spent in service is a fascinating "downstairs" portrait of the glittering, long-gone worlds behind the closed doors of Downton Abbey and 165 Eaton Place.
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Death Below Stairs

When I entered the ground floor, I discovered why no one was below stairs. Mrs. Bowen indeed had them all working, and working hard. Footmen hurried about with coal scuttles, one maid was dusting every inch of the hallway, while another ...

Author: Jennifer Ashley

Publisher: Penguin

ISBN: 9780399585524

Category: Fiction

Page: 336

View: 936

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Victorian class lines are crossed when cook Kat Holloway is drawn into a murder that reaches all the way to the throne. Highly sought-after young cook Kat Holloway takes a position in a Mayfair mansion and soon finds herself immersed in the odd household of Lord Rankin. Kat is unbothered by the family’s eccentricities as long as they stay away from her kitchen, but trouble finds its way below stairs when her young Irish assistant is murdered. Intent on discovering who killed the helpless kitchen maid, Kat turns to the ever-capable Daniel McAdam, who is certainly much more than the charming delivery man he pretends to be. Along with the assistance of Lord Rankin’s unconventional sister-in-law and a mathematical genius, Kat and Daniel discover that the household murder was the barest tip of a plot rife with danger and treason—one that’s a threat to Queen Victoria herself.
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Life Below Stairs

Although the Edwardian era saw the rise of the suffragettes, and women servants outnumbered men by three to one, life below stairs wasstill a maledominated hierarchy with a butler or manservant given greater authority, and therefore ...

Author: Alison Maloney

Publisher: Macmillan

ISBN: 9781250023124

Category: History

Page: 192

View: 899

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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.
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Court Life Below Stairs

Or, London Under the First Georges, 1714-1760 Joseph Fitzgerald Molloy. COURT LIFE BELOW STAIRS . VOL . IIÍ . COURT LIFE BELOW STAIRS OR LONDON UNDER THE LAST GEORGES.

Author: Joseph Fitzgerald Molloy

Publisher:

ISBN: NYPL:33433075884647

Category: Great Britain

Page:

View: 366

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A Life Below Stairs

Thus Aaron Emmanuel exchanged the care of the thousands of sheep on the bare Welsh mountains for only 500 on the gentle Chiltern Hills. He was thus considerably under employed which enabled him to use all of the 11 A Life Below Stairs.

Author: Colin Jones

Publisher: ShieldCrest

ISBN: 9781907629471

Category: Biography & Autobiography

Page: 81

View: 168

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This my second book on the life story of my favourite aunt was then conceived and it has been a joy to recall the many, often repeated, stories she told me of her life over the period when I knew her from 1944 to 1976. She was renowned in the family for her character, extravagance, and generosity. These stories were of course principally the verbal CV she had rehearsed over many years for interviews which she experienced as she worked her way through the kitchens of the aristocracy during the declining years of household service in the late 19th and early half of the 20th centuries. The only time in her life about which she was reticent was the time between1893 and 1910 when she worked at 4 Carlton House Terrace the London home of Prince George and Princess Mary later King George V and Queen Mary. This largely forgotten about London home was of course only used when their Royal Highnesses were in London on official business. They much preferred their cottage on the Sandringham Estate where the children were based. Her only references to this period were recalling Queen Victoria passing in her open carriage in the Mall below holding a white parasol on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee in 1897. Her rising from kitchen maid to cook, her training at the nearby Ritz Carlton under the famous Chef, Escoffier, where he followed her into the walk-in refrigerator and she slapped him around the face! Her sole other reference was preparing Queen Mary's supper tray. Though she did not reveal she must have performed this task on many occasions as she rose in the household to head kitchen maid. In 1907 she cooked her first dinner for the household, the menu of which she kept as a memento. This reticence was obviously the result of the confidentiality to which she had been sworn at the beginning of her career and explained her disgust in the 1960's when Crawfie wrote her infamous book on the early lives of the two Princesses. During the 1920's she started to rent a small London flat to use as a base. This was initially in Gatliffe buildings opposite the Chelsea Pensioners home for old soldiers, she later was moved by the London County Council to Churchill Gardens before coming to live with my family. I have included a chapter on local history at the end since this is where the story began apart from the Welsh prelude.
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High life below stairs

Nothing under nobility approaches Kitty . Sir H. You are so devilish proud of your nobility . Now , I think , we have more ... I was afraid of taking cold , and so > . spur ? ordered the chair down stairs . Well HIGH LIFE BELOW STAIRS . 31.

Author: James Townley

Publisher:

ISBN: BSB:BSB10751093

Category:

Page: 41

View: 400

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High life below stairs

You have a damned vile collection of pictures , I observe , above stairs , Kitty - Your ' squire has no taste . Kit . No taste ? that's impossible , for he ... Stand off , you are a commoner -- nothing under nobility approaches Kitty .

Author: Mrs. Inchbald

Publisher:

ISBN: IOWA:31858021885433

Category: Drama

Page:

View: 511

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The Girl Below Stairs

'You can see your face in the shovels now,' she said with satisfaction when she went back below stairs. The kitchen was a hive of activity too as Mrs Davey returned with the new menus she had drawn up with Lady Elizabeth.

Author: Jennie Felton

Publisher: Hachette UK

ISBN: 9781472210500

Category: Fiction

Page: 368

View: 680

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'Believable characters, a vivid sense of time and place, thoroughly enjoyable' Rosie Goodwin The emotionally gripping third book in the beloved classic series from 'one of the nation's favourite saga author' (Lancashire Post) in the grand tradition of Katie Flynn, Dilly Court and Josephine Cox. Jennie's heartwarming and heartrending sagas are richly praised! 'Jennie Felton knows how to tell a cracking story and keep the reader gripped... if you enjoy reading books in the style of Catherine Cookson then this one is for you' Books With Wine and Chocolate 'Another superbly woven and character-rich story from a saga author who writes from the heart' Peterborough Telegraph 'Packed full of Jennie's signature strong heroines, this book will keep you guessing' MNR Journal Edie Cooper has grown up at Fairley Terrace, surrounded by a loving family. Now she spends her days working as lady's maid to Christina, the adopted daughter of the powerful Fairley family, and her nights dreaming of a life with handsome local lad Charlie Oglethorpe. Although broken-hearted when Charlie leaves to make his fortune in London, Edie finds consolation in her friendship with Christina, who asks for her help in uncovering the mystery of her true parentage. But someone in the grand house will stop at nothing to keep the long-buried secrets hidden. Will Edie be able to protect Christina? And will she find her own path to happiness with Charlie? Don't miss Jennie's the rest Families of Fairley Terrace series, which begins with Maggie's story in All The Dark Secrets and continues with Lucy's story in The Miner's Daughter, Edie's story in The Girl Below Stairs, Carina's story in The Widow's Promise and Laurel's story in The Sister's Secret. Plus look out for Jennie's page-turning standalones - The Stolen Child, A Mother's Sacrifice and The Smuggler's Girl - coming soon!
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Life Below Stairs in the Victorian and Edwardian Country House

He almost never ventured 'below stairs'; a former kitchen maid recalled that in the time she worked at Ickworth, she only once caught a glimpse of him, and that was in the park. At Penrhyn, not only were the housemaids dressed ...

Author: Siân Evans

Publisher: National Trust

ISBN: 9781907892585

Category: Social Science

Page: 192

View: 678

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From the cook, butler and housekeeper to the footman, lady's maid and nanny, this is a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of some of Britain's grandest houses. An entertaining social history, steering the reader through the minefield of etiquette and hierarchy that kept Britain's great houses running like clockwork. A bygone era is brought vividly to live through letters, journals, interviews, lively descriptions and stunning photography of the places and possessions left behind. The largely untold stories of innumerable, rather humble, lives spent ‘in service’ are lying just below the surface of many great houses; the physical evidence can be seen in surviving servants’ quarters, the material of their everyday life, even their uniforms and possessions. This account provides a fascinating glimpse at who's who behind the scenes, from the cook, butler and housekeeper to the footmen, lady's maids, governesses and tutors, nannies and nursemaids. Giving a fascinating insight into the heirarchy within the servant's quarters – from the power-wielding cook to the ever-discreet butler – this guide describes how relationships were forged and changed as the gap between upstairs and downstairs was bridged. Describing their typical working day as well as the holidays, entertainments and pastimes enjoyed on a rare day off, not to mention the whirl of the social season, this previously ‘unwritten history’ recalls vividly the nature of their lives below stairs.
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