Downton Abbey

[harrietthespook]

Ladies....as we were?

ScatterChasse, from Wikipedia:

Series one

The first series started on 26 September 2010, and explored the lives of the Crawley family and their staff from the day after the sinking of the RMS Titanic in April 1912 to the outbreak of the First World War on 4 August 1914.

So it spans two years 4 months pretty much.

Series two

The series will be composed of eight episodes, running from the Battle of the Somme in 1916 to the Armistice in 1918.

So the second series also spans two years and four months (if you take the start date of the Battle of the Somme). Surely if we've only seen four episode we can only be somewhere in 1917?

For some reason I thought there were 9 episodes in series 1 but there were only 7. As there are 8 in this series and both series cover the same time span, the first series must have gone faster than this one. Doesn't seem like it though.

So say they started trying to marry Mary off in 1911, it's now 5-6 years later.

There definitely isn't that much in age between the girls, and considering it was all volunteers at the beginning, I'm still surprised they didn't get one married off first.

I'd have liked to have been a lady's maid I think. I'm quite good at arranging hair and flowers and a bit hopeless at dusting.

I would have been a farmer's wife. 700 years worth of genealogy proves it!

Doesn't sound too bad actually.

I don't know if anyone's noticed but at the end of the opening credits they show the year at the bottom of the screen. It's only up for a second and TBH I'm busier looking at what's going on so only spotted it in the last episode.

We're already in 1918 - it came up on the screen in the Sunday episode.

How long has Sir Richard been waiting for an answer to his proposal? It must be more than the generally-considered-polite fortnight.

Sorry, I don't notice details like that.
Whoever thought they could bribe the family for some money/propery/status for their bastard offspring, my GGGrandma will serve as a salutory tale.
She went 'into service' when she was 14 which would have been around 1895. The young master took a shine to her when she was 15 and, essentially raped her.
She had my GGgrandad and her family supported her which was astonishing. The family in the big house wouldn't accept that their son could possibly have had anything to do with it. Strangely enough, they did send one of their old cruet sets down when the boy was christened.
My GGGrandma was fortunate to meet my GGGrandad who accepted bastard boy, married her and they went on to have another three children.
All this in the frozen wastes of Durham which was clearly a racy foreward thinking county in the late 1800s.

scatterchase - ladies maids had more than hair and flowers - can you sew invisible seams? press evening dresses and replace sequins? hand wash gloves and nylons?

I would have to try you for a week, without pay, to see if you're satisfactory

wow, riptheirthroatsout she must have had some bottle

Yes, incredible woman who was raised in a pit village where the women went into service in the big house.
She was anaemic and ate raw liver every Monday and just an all round top woman who died at the age of 95.

rips i am from slightly north of that neck of the woods (Newcastle) and i can say your GGGGran makes me proud to be northern. What a strong character

I often wonder (since watching DA) whether i would have 'gone into service'. I would like to think i would be as senior as Anna but would probably have been a Daisy as i too am a bit gobby... That is of course if i wasnt born into privilege - if that were the case i would like to be Mary. Although i have never shagged a Turkish diplomat

leBoF may i sensitively suggest you are getting a tad obsessed with this shoe horn (i may be proved wrong!)

Anyway I digress.

'Slut Maid Sex Machine'

Could this be the next group to audition for X Factor 2012?

That shoe horn needs must be attached to the lady's companionable machinery (see below) to treat those of a nervous disposition.
Whither us all?
To hell amidst a flurry of handcarts!
Ah me!
Get the behind me Dr!
Screens Matron!
SALTS!
HOT WATER TOWELLS!

I don't think that Daisy is necessarily gobby, just a bit thick and (whisper) more common than Anna.
Once again I will say how astonished I am at the levels of literacy in the house.

Rips. Your story is so interesting. Do you know the name of the family where she was working/person who did it? Are they still around?

Yes, yes and yes. Sadly my GGGrandma isn't.

Was what happened EVER acknowledged by them?

Must be so hard if there the sort of people YOU COULD bump into or see plastered in local 'society' rags...

DH is from Yorkshire BTW. I'm a very enthusiastic Northerner by proxy.

Not expllcitly, but they did send a rather nice cruet when she married my GGGrandad. what use a silver vinegar, oil and salt and pepper set would be to a miner and his wife is beyond me.
My mum has it, it's solid silver with their crest on it.

sorry they're

So never subsequently. Interesting.

rips that is fascinating, so your GGrandad is of society blood, therefore - erhem - so are you? Absolutely fascinating.

And does nobody want to join my new band Slut Maid Sex Machine? I dont do vocals but can do the first chords of 'Nothing Else Matters' by Metallica... DS plays a mean pianoforte (he is 2 )

Never thought of it like that, I could inherit the big house one day [doubtful]
I'll play slut sexmaid machine if you want.
I can play a town called malice on the bass guitar and DD informs me she is learning to play the violin at school. Luckily no evidence of this has made it home.

You should pop over to the big house with the cruet and go: "Planning to go on Antiques Roadshow to get this valued. Thought it might be interesting to tell them a bit about the circumstances it came into my family as well. Don't you agree?"

harriet YY rips you must do that!

, I am actually smiling at that idea. I honestly doubt that a bastard child 100 years ago would make them quake in their boots. TBH, from what my GGG told my mum, it wasn't uncommon.
Maybe I should ask her to send a photo, post it here and see if any other cruet owning bastard offspring from the same family come up.