Scan this QR code to download the app now, The Victorian Domestic Servant Hierarchy and Wage Scale. Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. Youd still want Cook, and shed probably want an assistant. In the lower common area, servants were summoned by the family via a system of bells connected to each room. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Vic said: Downstairs in Downton Abbey: The Servants: Jane Austen's World http://t.co/8ufFL50 [], Very informative, thank you! Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Keep reading for all you need to know about the cast of Downton Abbey's incredible wealth WATCH:Are you looking forward to the second Downton Abbey film? For all these great houses, you have to invest in them. Although Downton Abbey follows only 11 of the upper servants closely, one can see other servants (housemaids, a scullery maid, young boys, coal men, and the like) in the background going about their business. Lesley Nicol as Mrs. Patmore, the Cook. Originally airing from 2010 to 2015, the show made household names - and now movie stars - out of its cast. Servants were often left utterly exhausted but they had no unions or employment rights.". More than a million embark on a tour of historic buildings each year, spending inexcess of 1bn. Valet check, but see below under4thfootman. RELATED:Downton Abbey: 10 Upstairs Memes That Will Have You Cry-Laughing. At the top stood the butler and housekeeper. I wish him a long happy life with his true love, Anna. At the time, no one could have expected just how big of a phenomenon it would become. The female staff are forbidden from smoking. Quite a few went on to work in inns or hotels. I buy one for every attraction I visit. 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 Downton tourists are part of a growing phenomenon. MORE:Where are the cast of Downton Abbey now? and our Ive already stated that I am going to cry at the Dowagers funeralsomething else I assume will will see in season three, I told you over at TNCs place, and Ill say it againMaggie Smith will never die, so you just stop that nonsense. They were better-paid jobs, less demeaning and didn't require the wearing of the hated servant's uniform of starched cap and apron. Your comments and suggestions are most welcome. We had been doing corporate functions, but it all became pretty sparse after that. Our image of this. Jim Carter as Mr. Carson, the Butler. Maybe well find out more about the family finances in season III, when Coras mother appears. Subject to the cooks every whim (and to the housekeepers and anyone else who happens nearby) she goes about her duties cheerfully. 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. 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. 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. They wore white gloves to serve at table to conceal their grubby hands. Does Highclere Castle rent rooms? Where would this place them in terms of social class? Im going to have servants when Im rich so thanks for educating me on their duties and names. 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. (Do they mean the same thing? Tatton Park, Baron Egerton's home in Knutsford, Cheshire, had some 40 indoor servants in the 1890s, while at Eaton Hall near Chester the Duke of Westminster employed 300 indoor and outdoor servants, among them more than 40 gardeners. However, her portrayal of Cora Crawley, the Countess of Grantham, is perhaps her most memorable role to date. Mrs. Hughes was the head Housekeeper in Downton, overseeing all of the maids and female staff in the household. Downton Abbey: How much did Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith and more make during the show? (Do they mean the same thing?). Not only useful but entertaining to read. Thanks for these posts. Wodehouses Jeeves and Wooster series of stores? Since he first started out as a footman, Carson was dedicated to the old ways that made a grand house work. A stoic and capable man who served the earl as batman during the war, he must perform his duties of dressing the earl and seeing to his wardrobe regardless of the war injury that requires him to use a cane. Do they still do it? forbidden love!). What were the wages of Downton Abbey-era servants? NEXT: Mr. Carson's 10 Best Quotes On Downton Abbey, Ranked Did servants get paid? ), Anna (Head maid) and Gwen (house maid) in their room. . Many valets did very well for themselves. Except I guess we do, since each episode seems to span months, and sometimes years. Carriages are being replaced by automobiles, but the infrastructure for maintaining cars is not yet in place. I wage a one-man War against the forelock-tugging worship of all things that glorify a parasitic aristocracy and then am betrayed! 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. Looking at all the staff of the series, here are the 10 best ranked on their job performance. The ITV series gave the actress her big breakout role - as well as three Emmy nominations and one Golden Globes nod - and between filming for the franchise, she has also taken up roles in Netflix's Godless, Apple+ TV original Defending Jacob and Guy Ritchie movie The Gentlemen. Only the very rich could afford footmen, and thus they were a form of status symbol. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. Servants are portrayed as a loyal and largely contented breed. The potential opportunities for lasting friendships were limited even below stairs. Sadly, falling in love with your employer's daughter isn't a great resume builder. "I got up at 5.30am to clean the fireplaces and front steps, polish the shoes and boots of everyone in the household. A 'Tweeny' servant who worked seven days a week, from 5am until 10pm, and was paid 13 a year. Again, OBrien is way overworked if she is doing this for four ladies. 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. Anna has often received the worst cards in life. Always "give room" if you meet one of your employers or betters on the stairs and avert your gaze. (And anibundel, for posting!). Downton has no laundry maids, adding to the burden on the undersized staff. Service at table, except in the lowest houses employing servants was never performed by female servants. Downton. Michelle Dockery stars as eldest daughter Lady Mary and is also said to be worth $4million. 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. The laundry was in a different building and the laundry staff were seperate, so its no wonder you dont see them, but you really should watch the series over, if you watch the downstairs secnes theres about 20 or more extras running around behind all the servants who get a character. 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. Copyright Statement: Jane Austen's World blog, 2009-2022. The servant class boomed in the late 19th century as the expanding empire and industrial revolution created new wealth. Another opportunity to keep Highclere in the public mind is the 300th anniversary of the birth of Lancelot Capability Brown, who designed the grounds. Valets often received lavish gifts, including the masters hand-me-down clothing which they could either wear or sell. A first footman will serve as valet to the male guests if they arrive without a male servant. 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. The accounts of Highclere Enterprises for 2014-15 show current assets have almost trebled to around 1m since 2012. If this is explored later in the series for those who have watched, how accurate is the portrayal? The kitchen maid would perform these offices if there were no tweeny or scullery maid. What happened to servants who did get pregnant? Servants were badly paid and often lived in squalor. http://files.stv.tv/img/galleries/downton-abbey-series-one/590331/DOWNTON_ABBEY_EP1_43.jpg. Laundry MaidsA house the size of Downton generates huge amounts of laundry. In Downton Abbey, the number of servants was deliberately reduced to simplify the narrative, and jobs that would have been filled by several people were condensed. RELATED:Downton Abbey: 10 Couples That Would Have Made A Lot Of Sense (But Never Got Together). How much did servants make in Downton Abbey? ($860-$1,700) per year depending on age, height, appearance and abilities. Luckily though, he found a place as a member of the family instead. The castle has been one enormous character as well.. This chauffeur can also read and has been given permission by the earl to check books out of his library. The servant stairs. 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. How much was Cora's dowry? Express. Sometimes experience trumps anything else. See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive. As head housemaid, she assists the daughters of the house with their hair and wardrobe, but she also performs the duties of a regular maid, dusting, cleaning, and changing the bed linen. Ive been looking forward to its broadcast Sunday. Households of the size and importance of Downton should have two extra footmen, sometimes called 3rdand 4th. Captain Button, as far as I understand it: Room, board and I think work-appropriate clothing (uniform, etc) came with the job along with salary. Just wondering assuming you could afford a house like Downton today, what would your staffing needs be now as compared to 1920? Gradually, however, this world began to disappear and the Downton Abbey period marked the swansong for domestic service. When Downton Abbey opens, the camera follows the servants as they rise and ready the house for the day. The only kind of television show that was economically able to have such a large cast of regular actors (those with speaking parts, let alone character arcs) were the soap operas of the 1960s-1980s. From my point of view, Ive tried to persuade people it is fun, and have specific events they can engage with, not just a wander around a dusty house. Afternoon tea, priced at around $60 per person, is still quite an occasion. Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. The next time Im in one of these houses Ill take some pictures of the servants quarters to send you. The only time that the servants might be visible to family or guests was when they cleaned and polished the main halls and stairway. Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. How much did house servants get paid Downton Abbey? Elizabeth McGovern has $4million to her name. Join me next time for more explorations into the art and history of Europe, including the British Isles. Thomas is constantly rising in status in his role, eventually even taking on the duties of Butler come the end of the series. 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. We saw some gamekeepers in the shooting episode in which Mary was accompanied by Sir Richard. So true, I believe they had well over 20 servants, you tend to see them in the background carrying sheets and other household items, and they did have a land agent prior to Mathew, he resigned over a disagreement with Lord G, and him following Mathews advice, the land agent actually took over for his father and grew up on the estate. I tend to rationalize it that there are lots of other servants that we never see, just as high school dramas only focus on a handful of students and neglect the other 98%. Combining the pleasures of trashy soap operas with prestige historical fiction, "Downton Abbey" was a phenomenon when it first hit TV screens in 2010 (in the U.K.) and 2011 (in the U.S.). The House Maid: (Rose Leslie) Young Gwen is a housemaid with a goal that of becoming a typist. THE CASTLE REALLY DID OPERATE AS A HOSPITAL DURING WORLD WAR I. Thanks to the teachings of Mrs. Patmore, she soon is prepped to take on the role of lead cook one day. Middle class families . For a start, how many servants are there in DA? Yet Gwen represents the future, in which political and socio-economic changes for women will end their dependency on the men of their family and force many to start fending for themselves. That is more than worked on the land or in factories. However, it seems clear from the series that there are a number of other servants in the household who effectively serve as extras in the series. 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. Thats a good question. While employers would prefer servants to be married than to engage in out of wedlock sex, most employers wouldnt have a pregnant woman or children around. Some of the so-called traditional wear for servants is based on oridnary wear during the Regency. Answers must be in-depth and comprehensive, or they will be removed. Tweenies who help the parlormaids and the scullery maids- Downton has none. During the Regency, both footmen and livery were taxed which added nto the expense of keeping footmen. In addition to wearing uniforms servants were expected to have matching hairstyles. Alfred wasnephew to the villainous Mrs. O'Brien. Housekeepers, as Jane Austen famously showed in Pride and Prejudice, served as tour guides when the family was absent. Fired, thrown out. Unless pregnant by a member of the household in which case they might also get paid off. That was very interesting! I know it's not an easy comparison to today, because they had room and board included in their wages. It is now broadcast in 250 countries. Downton Abbey's kitchen maid Daisy Robinson, played by Sophie McShera. (The First World War shook the system; the Second World War pretty much ended the system entirely). Tom was an Irish radical turn chauffeur for Downton Abbey. Estate manager (agent) Jarvis (1880-1920) Tom Branson (1920-24, since 1925) Mary Talbot (since 1925) Henry Talbot . Gardeners have been referred to, as have gamekeepers and general outdoor staff. Weve seen at least one groom, too. Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. Servants found new work in registry offices, where they would enter their name in the registry book, or through word of mouth. The book lists some typical YEARLY salaries for household staff in the late 19th century: Butler 70 pounds (Mr. Carson), Masters Valet 60 pounds (Mr. Bates), Housekeeper 40 to 60 pounds (Mrs. Hughes), Ladys Maid 50 pounds (devious Miss OBrien), Footman 20-30 pounds (saintly William , dastardly Thomas), Scullery Maid 5-10 pounds (Daisy). Good eye! But by 2012 the Downton effect had begun to take the pressure off. Downton Abbey: Created by Julian Fellowes. Eventually, when he felt called to pursue bigger dreams, he did so without a ton of fanfare or fuss. Hall boyto take cards in the hall, polish shoes and boots of visitors. Today, her overall net worth is estimated to be around $8million. Click on this link. Some years ago, I had tea there. Loved Downton! We'll own up to our mistakes and will make the corrections with a polite smile on our faces.) Never begin to talk to ladies and gentlemen. So I guess what I mean when I say "what were the wages" I really mean "what did that actually mean?" At this same time, there were about 700 families in England who could support large country homes. It was not uncommon for a scullery maid to be promoted to kitchen maid and eventually up to a cook. He currently writes for Screen Rant, has written for Bloody Disgusting, hosts the Film School Sucked podcast, and co-hosts the Macabre podcast. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Wodehouses works. Actually, I would prefer to see more actors less often, rather than the current DA model, where every actor appears in every episode. How much did domestic servants get paid? One of the most interesting aspects of the show. He is as protective towards the Crawley family as he would have been to his own. Sign up to our newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. I guess I'm just looking for some way to relate my modern understanding of the world to how they were. Never let your voice be heard by the ladies and gentlemen of the house. A modern view? Rarely has her talent or her methods been challenged by anyone. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. I love P.G. And I also know they led relatively simple lives in terms of travel, leisure, etc. Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. England is another country. 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. Refuse and she would soon be packing her bags for an uncertain future without references. Ive wondered who does Isobels hair, and who does the laundry and ironing. For more information, please see our This was a deliberate ploy to demonstrate that they were a class apart. ", Dr Cox, whose aim was to strip away some of the nostalgia surrounding this British class, adds: "The work was boring, repetitive and could also be very lonely. 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. His dedication to Downton was arguably stronger than even the family who lived in it. Wed come home and have to talk about whatever episode we just watched, etc. UnderButler nope, but was an optional position. In smaller, middle-class homes in the cities servants were pushed into attics and dank basements to keep them apart from the family. 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. Any maid found fraternising with a member of the opposite sex will be dismissed without a hearing. See also. How much did the 'Downton Abbey'-era upper class rely on servants? One of the most interesting aspects of the show Downton Abbey is the way the servants have their own hierarchy that mirrors the strict hierarchy "above stairs." When the servants sit down to dinner, they sit according to their positions in the household, from Mr. Carson the butler right on down through the ranks to Daisy the scullery maid.

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