PROGRAM CATALOG

Life Below Stairs: Britain’s Hidden Servants

Domestic servants were an essential and yet somehow invisible part of British homes. Unlike the somewhat cozy world of Downton Abbey, most domestic servants led lives of ceaseless drudgery and petty humiliation. For example, maids and footmen were not called by their given names, but were assigned a name that went with the job title. What held the world together was the threat of a poor character reference. Join me as we explore why footmen could not have facial hair and why housekeepers were referred to as Mrs. even though they were unmarried.

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