Maid In Britain Part 1

A look at how domestic servants have been portrayed on television, from The Forsyte Saga in the 60s to Downton Abbey and Upstairs, Downstairs today. Why are butlers, cooks and nannies such staples of TV drama, long after their real-life roles have declined? Are these shows socially relevant or mere escapism, and how accurately does television reflect the experiences of real-life servants?

Category:

Education

Tags:

• servants
• maids
• britain
• documentary

[elleoneiram]

Oh snap! "Was it the period of the golden age? Well it depends if you were the one holding the gold or scrubbing it clean."

[counterhon]

This is amazing! thanks you!

[pnk878251]

@HJKelley47 i much enjoyed the manor house series! it was great and really gave a nice sense of what really went on...i highly recommend it.!

[HJKelley47]

I would highly recommend that you view Manor House (Edwardian Manor House) on youtube. It is a 3-month s project with people living the Edwardian experience. It is insightful to discover what the servants would have experienced. It will definitely remove any "rose colored" view of the lives of the servants of these large houses; as well as their relationship with the landed gentry. The good old-days was experienced by the Lord & Lady of the house, and not necessarily their staff.

[HJKelley47]

The good old days was more than clothes & finery. 20-hour work days; getting up before the "lordship and not going to bed until after he goes to bed. Your whole life is given over to catering to every whim of a person who considered you of an inferior class. In light of the Edwardian society for poor people, I guess staying in a home as a domestic was better than going hungry or struggling to make ends meet on the outside. It would allow one to feel good about themselves.

[calihartley2010]

The good old days all gone. Hopefully they come back again. Even in this modern age when we are fed with all the filth that the old days were bad, we still love the old times, the clothes and the stories attached to those days. Makes us wonder if we really do miss those days and want life to be like that when society had class and manners, instead of today's trashy society

[UTAOUB]

Dear Ms. Marsh: Your fans remember you from THE TWILIGHT ZONE, too! You were GREAT as "Alicia"....and in EVERYTHING else you've ever done! It's SO GREAT to see a writer/ creator on screen, acting! I wish ALL the creative staff, (music composer,scenery designer, director, etc.) could ALWAYS have even minor roles on-screen. A bit like servants, they are, to audiences, seen only by their names...quickly off-screen. "Are you anybody?" idiots ask. YES! ALL creative people are somebodies!

[UTAOUB]

Re: 6:14: I always thought that the Conquest of 1066 put SOME people "on top", and others "on the bottom"....and that really hasn't changed too much. Merchants got rich and changed that a bit....but I think the basic class structure in Britain dates from who conquored who in 1066. But then, I'm an American -- what do I know?

[UTAOUB]

Update the series again! How are the people of 165 Eaton Place reacting to the Royal Marriage? To economic problems? Are any of the new generation actors in costume dramas?????? Etc!????? SO many people would LOVE to see this!!!!!

[Shanniquitie]

i hate it when people can't pronounce their As.