Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
Below Stairs
Below Stairs: The Classic Kitchen Maid's Memoir That Inspired "Upstairs, Downstairs" and "Downton Abbey" | Margaret Powell
29 posts | 27 read | 55 to read
Brilliantly evoking the long-vanished world of masters and servants portrayed in Downton Abbey and Upstairs, Downstairs, Margaret Powell's classic memoir of her time in service, Below Stairs, is the remarkable true story of an indomitable woman who, though she served in the great houses of England, never stopped aiming high. Powell first arrived at the servants' entrance of one of those great houses in the 1920s. As a kitchen maid the lowest of the low she entered an entirely new world; one of stoves to be blacked, vegetables to be scrubbed, mistresses to be appeased, and bootlaces to be ironed. Work started at 5.30am and went on until after dark. It was a far cry from her childhood on the beaches of Hove, where money and food were scarce, but warmth and laughter never were. Yet from the gentleman with a penchant for stroking the housemaids' curlers, to raucous tea-dances with errand boys, to the heartbreaking story of Agnes the pregnant under-parlormaid, fired for being seduced by her mistress's nephew, Margaret's tales of her time in service are told with wit, warmth, and a sharp eye for the prejudices of her situation. Margaret Powell's true story of a life spent in service is a fascinating "downstairs" portrait of the glittering, long-gone worlds behind the closed doors of Downton Abbey and 165 Eaton Place.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
review
Wife
post image
Pickpick

Downton Abbey is one of my all time favorite series, and this book was the inspiration. Quick easy read, and I did see some character traits that were familiar. Who is your favorite character? Mine is Carson. He had a hard exterior, but you knew he had a warm heart. 3/5🥄s

I‘m on track with my alphabet challenge to read books from my shelves 🎯

DivineDiana I like that idea for a challenge! 👏🏻📚👏🏻 3y
36 likes2 stack adds1 comment
quote
MilesnMelodies
post image

When your ex is described in a book.

blurb
LeahBergen
post image

I‘m loving this memoir (which inspired both Downton Abbey and Upstairs Downstairs). The author‘s tone is so cheeky and witty! 😆

MsMelissa What kind of tea are you drinking? 4y
LeahBergen @MsMelissa Murchie‘s Golden Jubilee. 😊 4y
MsMelissa Excellent choice 😊 4y
See All 9 Comments
Jaimelire @MsMelissa @LeahBergen Love this book and love Murchies tea😍 4y
Cathythoughts Lovely book cover & mug set 4y
Reviewsbylola I‘ve got this on my TBR! 4y
Bookwomble Margaret Powell was on British TV a lot in the '70s. Very down to earth, chirpy East End lady. My nana loved her 😊 4y
LeahBergen @Bookwomble I looked her up after I finished the book and found an old BBC TV commercial of her, selling chicken. 😆😆 Your Nana has good taste; I love her, too, now. 😊 4y
Bookwomble @LeahBergen Ha, ha! I remember that advert! It would have been on ITV, the only British commercial station at the time. The BBC has never shown adverts, going so far as to make musicians change the lyrics of songs before broadcast if they reference a product. 4y
90 likes5 stack adds9 comments
blurb
SilversReviews
post image

FEATURING: BELOW THE STAIRS by Margaret Powell

What a delightful book even though the subject of being a kitchen maid in a wealthy household was far from delightful.

FULL REVIEW: https://tinyurl.com/y3n4t46b

review
Jaimelire
post image
Pickpick

I am a huge fan of Downton Abbey, so this book captured my attention from page one. 👍

review
BethM
post image
Pickpick

Between a pick and a so so. Fast and relatively engaging, but the author has a definite disdainful attitude that comes through. I was hoping for more Downton Abbey feel and less complaining. Still not bad. 3/5. This will also likely be the last or second to last #bfc book completion for round one, but I‘m still over my goal!

wanderinglynn Way to go! 🙌🏻 5y
44 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
BethM
post image

Curled up with this and jasmine tea trying to fight back the killer headache I have before I have to leave for lunch with a friend. Hoping to finish this for #BFC today. Got an unexpected workout in yesterday while helping my dad vaccinate cows. I didn‘t think it was a workout but I‘m sore all over this morning so I‘m counting it 😂

vkois88 Hope your headache goes away, I feel your pain!! 5y
wanderinglynn Hope you feel better soon! 💚 5y
LauraBrook That absolutely counts as a workout! I hope you feel better soon - and that your lunch is wonderful and quick so you can come home and veg out. 5y
41 likes3 comments
review
Martta
post image
Mehso-so

Such a quick read! It was nice to get to know more about a life of a house servant. This gave me a more realistic view to the life of Downton Abbey. I gave it a so-so because I would have liked this to be written more like the books Call the midwife where the main character tells the life stories and events of other people as well. It would have given the reader more broader view in the life of an servant. Still interesting though! 😊

blurb
Martta
post image

I think she visited the real life Downton Abbey at some point during her working life. Reading this book it's nice to know that some of those places where "They" treated their servants with kindness and respect existed! ?

Martta @julesG Wow! Those sound really interesting! Have you read Below stairs? How do they compare to it? 6y
See All 6 Comments
julesG Your tagged book is still on my TBR. Life Below Stairs is non-fiction, it explains a lot of things that Downton Abbey shows but doesn't explain - like hierarchy below stairs, promotion of servants, it might even have a bit on the architecture of such manor houses. (I read it some time ago. I'm fascinated by the topic. I did some research during my history studies.) 6y
julesG Aprons and Silver Spoons is a memoir, probably close to the book you're reading now. It's honest about working below stairs in the 1930s, but also slightly rose tinted. 6y
Martta @julesG I added Aprons and silver spoons to my TBR. It sounded good! I think I'll see if I can find that Life below stairs from library. It might be a good companion for the other two. 🤔 Thanks for the tip! 😊 6y
14 likes6 comments
blurb
Martta
post image

Happy to know that if this book is as good as it sounds like there are more where this came from. 😁

blurb
Martta
post image

Next up "B" ?

#LitsyAtoZ

Reviewsbylola This looks good! 6y
15 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
AppuNthebooks
post image

An #easyread for the playgym. Just the right amount of entertainment. Not enough to be sucked in while keeping an 👂 out for the li‘l one. #DowntonAbbey

randomx Just checking if you received the #diwalibookswap package 6y
AppuNthebooks @randomx Hi! Yes, thanks so much! Can‘t wait to open them! Hope you received yours (edited) 6y
randomx Yes I did. Thanks a lot. I hope you haven't already read/bought the ones I sent. Happy Dhanteras to you and your family 6y
AppuNthebooks No, I haven‘t. In fact, I haven‘t read anything featuring these parts of Russian history. Interesting choices! I was very surprised to receive a 2nd one. Thank you! I owe you one for Xmas. 6y
8 likes2 stack adds4 comments
review
anwade88
post image
Pickpick

Loved it.
I don‘t know how, after being such a fan of Downton Abbey, I am just reading this. But I am very glad I did.

Reviewsbylola This sounds great! 6y
SilversReviews Love books like this. I may have read it. 😍 6y
15 likes4 stack adds2 comments
blurb
Martta
post image

My summer holiday reading arrived. 😊

blurb
SilversReviews
post image

This prompt was to be on 2/5 - sorry it is late.

BookRiotBookstagramChallenge

#Riotgrams

TODAY'S PROMPT: ROYALTY

I totally enjoyed this book. It is as "royal" as I could find. ?

The author had a sense of humor that made the book fast paced, funny, and interesting.

https://silversolara.blogspot.com/2012/12/below-stairs-by-margaret-powell.html

Ingerella Oh, this looks fun! I loved both series! 7y
SilversReviews @Ingerella It was good. ENJOY if you read it. (edited) 7y
wanderlustforwords This is one I‘ve wanted to read since Downton Abbey finished. When I searched for Downton-esque books this was the first to pop up. Do you agree that it fits that criteria? 7y
SilversReviews @wanderlustforwords I never watched Downton Abbey. Sorry. But this book is good. (edited) 7y
79 likes5 stack adds4 comments
blurb
ZoeyPeacock
post image

Interesting memoir. The narrator is great as well.

70 likes2 stack adds
review
Clevercactus
Pickpick

While I may have embraced the book more had it not been ghost written, it is still worth the time to read for anyone interested in domestic service. Powell worked first as a kitchen maid then bluffed her way into full cook at a different residence. I'm just not convinced she was a model employee but this is her own singular story to tell.

6 likes1 stack add
quote
Clevercactus
post image

In this particular morning, to my horror, instead of seeing a very flat, nude, white body lying there, there was a huge, black, hairy one, standing up in the bath...Well, it was the first time I'd ever seen a full-scale appendage in my life. And after having had a look at it I could see why Adam rushed to get a fig leaf! I would have too if I'd discovered an object like that! The shock! It took me about a week to get over this thing.

quote
Clevercactus
post image

One job I particularly hated was when it was the gardener/chauffeur's day off, and I had to take out the horrible little dog of Mrs. Clydesdale. It was a pug dog and it was so fat and over fed that it was almost square. It was called Elaine, but I couldn't imagine any Lancelot taking a fancy to that Elaine #pug

McFarchie Love this picture!! 8y
Clevercactus @McFarchie Thank you! His name is Dug :) 8y
7 likes2 comments
quote
Clevercactus

One job I particularly hated was when it was the gardener/chauffeur's day off, and I had to take out the horrible little dog of Mrs. Clydesdale. It was a pug dog and it was so fat and over fed that it was almost square. It was called Elaine, but I couldn't imagine any Lancelot taking a fancy to that Elaine #pug

quote
Clevercactus
post image

"The tally-man was a door-to-door salesman."

Clevercactus Ah! Now that line in the Banana Boat Song (Day-o) makes sense! 8y
JanuarieTimewalker13 This song MADE the scene in Beetlejuice...my favorite scene of the whole film! 8y
7 likes2 comments
quote
Clevercactus
post image

"Of course, when it came to closing time there was nearly always a free fight on the pavement. They just fought with their fists and shouted obscenities. There was no knocking them down and kicking them in the balls or using knives and bottles like you get now."

quote
Clevercactus
post image

"Another diversion which may seem a commonplace now was the cinema but, of course, it bore no comparison with films today. The places by present standards were sleazy."

quote
Clevercactus
post image

So, Sunday afternoon, after a mighty big dinner (and everybody tried to have a big dinner on Sunday) was the time spent lying on the bed, making love and having a good old doze. Because, as my Mum said later, if you make love, you might as well do it in comfort. So that's why Sunday School was so popular then.

quote
Clevercactus
post image

Not that the Church played much part in my mother's & father's lives.I don't think they had much time for it or, perhaps it's truer to say, they had time but no inclination.Some of us weren't even christened.I wasn't, & never have been.But we all had to go to Sunday School, not b/c my parents were religious, but b/c it kept us out of the way.Sunday afternoons were devoted to lovemaking because there was not much privacy in working-class families.

quote
Clevercactus
post image

I remember saying to my mother, 'Why do you have so many children?' 'Is it hard to have children?'And she said, 'Oh, no. It's as easy as falling off a log.' You see that was the only pleasure poor people could afford. It cost nothing - at least at the time when you were actually making the children. The fact that it would cost you something later on, well, the working-class people never looked ahead in those days.