But have you ever wondered how much money they've made since the show began? (Yes, we are fallible. While she was constantly working hard in her position, her past became an ultimate roadblock. RELATED:Downton Abbey: 10 Most Hated Supporting Characters Of All Time. How wrong I was. 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. Mrs. Hughes was the head Housekeeper in Downton, overseeing all of the maids and female staff in the household. Scan this QR code to download the app now, The Victorian Domestic Servant Hierarchy and Wage Scale. At the time, the waiters made a great show of clearing the tables by whisking the tablecloth OUT FROM UNDER the cups, plates, pots and tiered cake stand. The Ladys Maid: Siobhan Finneran plays OBrien as a cold, ruthless woman, who trusts no one. However, we do accept and keep books and CDs to review. How much did Downton Abbey servants make? How much did British servants make? Who owns the house in Downton Abbey? In Sundays episode, when Lord G comes downstairs to tell everyone the war is over and how theyre going to assemble on the 11th at 11:00, he says I expect all of you, including the kitchen staff and hall boys, everyone, to be there. This implied to me that there are other servants, but since they dont have plot lines, we simply dont see them. Unfortunately, I don't know that we know much about how servants and slaves in England viewed each other. The Valet: (Brendan Coyle) In small households, such as Matthew Crawleys, the position of butler and valet was combined. I was under. Surprisingly, Downton Abbey was positively frugal in comparison to that estimate, though the series was largely filmed before the cost of filming TV shows began to skyrocket thanks to the rise of streaming giants (per Variety). 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. For example, the poet Lord Byron had a valet named James Brown. Downton Abbey: 10 Upstairs Memes That Will Have You Cry-Laughing, Downton Abbey: 10 Couples That Would Have Made A Lot Of Sense (But Never Got Together), Downton Abbey: 10 Most Hated Supporting Characters Of All Time, Downton Abbey: 10 Hidden Details About Edith Crawley's Costume You Didn't Notice, Downton Abbey: 10 Actors You Forgot Were On The Show. Alas and alack! We do not accept any form of cash advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic insertions. In 1891, the number of indoor domestic servants is 1.38 million, which is a pretty high number," says Dr Pamela Cox, senior lecturer in sociology at the University of Essex. Downton Abbey wouldn't survive without all the downstairs staff who work tirelessly day in and day out. Servants in 1912. Servants await the arrival of guests. Did servants get paid? Servants - The True Story Of Life Below Stairs starts on BBC Two on September 28. Laundry MaidsA house the size of Downton generates huge amounts of laundry. [] workers, actually earn more than the median U.S. worker. Carson leads the whole staff into battle every day at Downton and is constantly putting out fires. The Downton tourists are part of a growing phenomenon. Yet service allows him to better himself and someday work his way up to the position of butler. Fourth Footman fail. They run about 30 pages and are packed with information. In the big country houses or the great London mansions servants were crammed into shared bedrooms and beds with no bathroom or lavatory facilities. 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. Jim Carter plays butler to the Crawley family, Carson. How much did servants make in Downton Abbey? . This meant that the food often arrived at the dining table cold or, at best, lukewarm. And Downton Abbey doesn't get into the legacy of slavery on British society at all, partly because the story of slavery specifically on English soil is so different from . 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. Really it is a fantasy world, based in a particular time in history. In addition to wearing uniforms servants were expected to have matching hairstyles. [] Downstairs in Downton Abbey: TheServants [], [] Downstairs in Downton Abbey: The Servants []. Downton. Brendan Coyle as John Bates, the Valet. Your conclusion on the number of staff at Downton Abbey is Wrong. (The First World War shook the system; the Second World War pretty much ended the system entirely). The show portrays a butler, two footmen, a valet, and a chauffeur. Quite a few young men found domestic service a good training ground and experience for other occupations. II, By CHARLES G. HARPER. Where they just fired and thrown out? The female staff are forbidden from smoking. 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. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jane Austen's World with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. In Edwardian times going into service was frequently the only alternative to near starvation. Estate manager (agent) Jarvis (1880-1920) Tom Branson (1920-24, since 1925) Mary Talbot (since 1925) Henry Talbot . 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. Servants worked 17-hour days with time off limited to church on Sunday morning and one afternoon a week. Sigh. ), I love this post. Neame is now an ambassador for the GREAT Britain campaign, which is backed by government departments and the British Council, using it to promote the UK around the world. This was the youngest (12-16) and weakest and least well paid of the servants. In 1827, the Earl of Lichfield employed 107 servants at Shugborough Hall near Stafford. . In 2017, Variety estimated hour-long dramas (like Downton Abbey) cost $5 to $7 million dollars per episode to make. They are: Click on their names to enter their own blogs. Service at table, except in the lowest houses employing servants was never performed by female servants. Good eye! RELATED:Downton Abbey: 10 Upstairs Memes That Will Have You Cry-Laughing. Id certainly but a copy!I get so much out of your posts! Scan this QR code to download the app now. (And anibundel, for posting!). Michelle Dockery is said to be worth $4million, MORE:11most devastating Downton Abbey moments, ranked. RELATED:Downton Abbey: 10 Hidden Details About Edith Crawley's Costume You Didn't Notice. Again, OBrien is way overworked if she is doing this for four ladies. Rose Leslie as Gwen, House Maid. Elizabeth McGovern began her career almost forty years ago in 1979, landing her first part in a television show when she was still a teenager. Jim Carter appeared in many period dramas before Downton Abbey. Youd still want Cook, and shed probably want an assistant. Tending to the vehicles, he was a skilled mechanic as well. The price includes piano entertainment and an unlimited supply of little sandwiches, scones and cakes which are served graciously for as long as the customer wants to sit there basking in luxury. Some servants suffered terrible abuse including beatings and rape. From reading Below Stairs by Margaret Powell is seems some employers made their servants to buy or make their own uniforms, and other provided them or parts of them (such as the cap). Servants found new work in registry offices, where they would enter their name in the registry book, or through word of mouth. Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. But perhaps most antique of all is the idea of life in a house full of servants, with two symbiotic. What you do is never sit on your laurels. I was fascinated to read in a recent memoir, I think Tony Judt, that he considered his family to be lower middle class but they had a maid in 1950. While Mr. Carson is fair, he does not hesitate to reprimand a servant or even fire one if he thinks it is for the benefit of the house. Credit: Courtesy of Carnival Film & Television Limited for MASTERPIECE. THE CASTLE REALLY DID OPERATE AS A HOSPITAL DURING WORLD WAR I. 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. But Moseley's dedication and kind demeanor earned him at least a spot on this list. How many servants would a house like Downton Abbey have? I know it's not an easy comparison to today, because they had room and board included in their wages. A modern view? 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. One stately home looks much the same as another. The earliest rising servant was the scullery maid, or tweeny, who sat lowest on the pecking order. Alas and alack! For Mr. Bates, the flights of steep stairs can be daunting, and he is incapable of carrying large trays or helping with dinner service when more hands are needed. Lady's maid Anna Bates is played by actress Joanne Froggatt, whose acting credits include Liar, Coronation Street and upcoming ITV drama Angela Black. The viewer will be struck by the sheer volume and variety of dishes that she creates and oversees daily. 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. I also think I remember reading that slavery was outlawed much earlier than in the States. Downton Abbey is a large house that requires a lot of upkeep and staff to run it. At the turn of the 20th century when the population of Britain was only 36million there were 1.5million servants. Due to SPAM, we will no longer accept comments on posts after 30 days of publication. The formerly somewhat basic ticketing policy has become a computerised advance booking system, helping to guarantee foreign visitors admission. And there has been a deficit since the 1930s. At the top was the butler, who was paid 10 times more. More than a million embark on a tour of historic buildings each year, spending inexcess of 1bn. He is as protective towards the Crawley family as he would have been to his own. But, although her personal life is often in shambles, it rarely gets in the way of her work at Downton. Downton has none, a house that size should have two or more. It made me wonder what sort of money they made and how that would be reflected in their lifestyles. (Hugh Bonneville) in the Julian Fellowes period drama Downton Abbey. MORE:Downton Abbey star Maggie Smith looks incredible at start of career - see the gorgeous snaps. But, after a lot of development, he soon becomes one of the most sympathetic. Servants were expected to "know their place". It was not uncommon for a scullery maid to be promoted to kitchen maid and eventually up to a cook. England is another country. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Where would this place them in terms of social class? Downton only has 2-3 housemaids/maids of all work, thus is both understaffed and staffed at a lower level. A 'Tweeny' servant who worked seven days a week, from 5am until 10pm, and was paid 13 a year. Typical salaries were 20-30 pounds ($2,100-3,200) per year. Originally airing from 2010 to 2015, the show made household names - and now movie stars - out of its cast. Dan Stevens, who played Mary's husband, Matthew Crawley, was one of the first members of the cast for whom Hollywood came knocking. Since he first started out as a footman, Carson was dedicated to the old ways that made a grand house work. In addition to the main house, servants worked in the service buildings, such as the stables, garage, dairy, bakehouse, laundry, gun room, and pantry. But by 2012 the Downton effect had begun to take the pressure off. Anna has often received the worst cards in life. Servants who got pregnant were often fired and thrown out. The home was run by the housekeeper, always called Mrs whether married or not, while the cook ruled the kitchen with an iron fist. Gareth Neame, the series executive producer, said: I think Downton Abbey secured Highcleres future., Peter Fincham, ITVs director of television, recalls the moment when Highclere was booked. Its addictive! One of the most interesting aspects of the show. Just wondering assuming you could afford a house like Downton today, what would your staffing needs be now as compared to 1920? Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. based on what I've seen of Downton Abbey (which I assume to be relatively accurate). While Mrs. Hughes was dedicated fully to her work, no one was as dedicated to the house as Mr. Carson. All rights reserved. Read the review of the book at this link. In fact as a new BBC series reveals their lot could be miserable, degrading and exhausting. Elizabeth McGovern has $4million to her name. It [Downton Abbey] is iconic for expressing Britishness. Passing her mistress on the stairs a servant was expected to "give room", which meant face the wall. 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. At the time, no one could have expected just how big of a phenomenon it would become. 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. The countess mistakenly thinks that OBrien is as fond of her as she is of her maid. Downton has no laundry maids, adding to the burden on the undersized staff. January 11, 2016 7: . Highly informative, while at the same time completely avoiding the fetish known as hat worship. Even fairly low on the middle class scale, money would be found for part time live out help. But at the real Downton Abbey, Highclere Castle a stately pile owned by George Geordie Herbert, 8th Earl of Carnarvon the financial outlook has rarely been brighter. Thanks for these posts. In the pipeline is a Tutankhamun centenary event in 2022, 100 years after the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, with Howard Carter, discovered the tomb that revolutionised our understanding of Egyptology. Tom was an Irish radical turn chauffeur for Downton Abbey. I wish him a long happy life with his true love, Anna. Thanks to the teachings of Mrs. Patmore, she soon is prepped to take on the role of lead cook one day. Im only on episode one, but as an African American who majored in history but focused mainly on ancient history and African American history, Im curious about the differences in England. 'Supper' was usually taken at 9 o'clock, after most of the work had been finished. (Do they mean the same thing?). The Crawleys of Manchester I think are recently upper middle class, Doctor Crawley must have been middle middle class along with Mrs. Crawleys Doctor father, as Matthew is a solicitor they must have moved up in the world and bought a bigger house but not a bigger staff, they had a cook and two maids, if you listen to Mrs. Bird she says shes always had one kitchen maid and gotten on perfectly well. This chauffeur can also read and has been given permission by the earl to check books out of his library. Mrs. Patmore is one of the most skilled cooks that the series ever confronts. (especially how it brings in the Honorary Colonel posting at the end to tie everything together! http://files.stv.tv/img/galleries/downton-abbey-series-one/590331/DOWNTON_ABBEY_EP1_43.jpg. The True Evolution of High-End Household Staffing Since the. Loved Downton! Love this post, Vic. Alfred played the role of one of the home's footman after Thomas became Valet. What happened to servants when they got too old to work? You would think a big house like Downton would provide them, but perhaps not. Forget the polished image of Downton Abbey, life below stairs was sadistic and miserable. According to Celebrity Net Worth, she has amassed an incredible fortune and is said to be worth an estimated $20million. For more information, please see our Sometimes experience trumps anything else. How much does it cost to get married at Downton Abbey? Nick BriggsCarnival Film & Television Ltd. By J.I. Alongside his partner Mrs. Hughes, Carson becomes an even sweeter and softer version of his obstinate self. Looking at all the staff of the series, here are the 10 best ranked on their job performance. Daisy was apprenticed to Mrs. Patmore, serving as second in command in the kitchens of Downton. Servants were badly paid and often lived in squalor. She earned the job after the reference from Thomas but was soon embroiled in blackmail due to her past. I looked up wage information, and found that a common yearly salary for a Butler like Carson would be roughly 55-70 (several sources - The Victorian Domestic Servant Hierarchy and Wage Scale and Mrs. Beeton's Household Management). ), Anna (Head maid) and Gwen (house maid) in their room. Never call from one room to another and always answer when you have received an order. Luckily, he was far kinder and more capable than his aunt ever was. Mr. Batess arrival creates a stir that causes the ladys maid and first footman to plot against him. My husband and I love it, and the people here. With Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Brendan Coyle. Id noticed before the maids uniforms dont quite match. (modern), The Downton Abbey cast gather in front of Highclere Castle as they prepare for the final series. 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. Daisy, the kitchen maid, lays a fire in the library. Im watching downtown abbey as a distraction from quarantine. The idea was that they were mostimpressive if, like book ends, they matched. I guess I'm just looking for some way to relate my modern understanding of the world to how they were. The Butler: Jim Carter, who you may remember as Captain Brown from Cranford, portrays Mr. Carson, the butler, with grave dignity. Marvelous Mrs Maisel: will Lenny Bruces death be depicted in season 5? Some of the so-called traditional wear for servants is based on oridnary wear during the Regency. Forget cosy notions of Hudson the butler and Mrs Bridges the cook - this servitude was thankless, sweaty, backbreaking work.