It was a series on BBC in the 70’s, about a cockney woman who studied to become “the best cook in England”, and who eventually became the proprietress of a small upscale hotel in London. It starred Gemma Jones and various other wonderful Brit actors. It is set in the late 1800’s and is based on a real-life woman named Louise Leyton. Great belle epoch costumes and sets, Eve.
I only managed to see a few episodes of it back when it was playing here in the U.S., and I loved it, so I was thrilled to discover that our local library carried tapes of all the episodes. I’ve got the very first episode here in my eager hands, and will be watching it tonight or tomorrow morning. Yay!
Yep - I sort of remember it - not sure whether I liked it or not , but I htink we can be suremy mother did - cos I think she always watched it. But, yes, I bet the constumes are good.
Yep - I sort of remember it - not sure whether I liked it or not , but I htink we can be sure my mother did - cos I think she always watched it. But, yes, I bet the constumes are good.
I remember it vaugely. I too caught a few episodes on PBS many many years ago.
I’m just a sucker for the BBC/PBS period/costume series. I’m working my way through all the Upstairs/Downstairs DVDs from Netflix. I’ll have to check and see if they have “Duchess,” I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the old series they have the DVDs for.
I remember it. Jone’s character was briefly the mistress to Edward, Prince of Wales, before he became King after his mother, Queen Victoria died. A courties was sent round to explain to her why he wouldn’t be able to visit her anymore. And she worked as a cook for a young married woman, and by her skills save some important social occasion. I liked it, although I liked “I, Claudius” even better.
For those keen on costumes, there was another more recent series - the “house of Elliot”, I think, about2 sisters who started up a fasshion house in, I think the 1920s.
