I’m not a hardcore fan but I love to watch the older family members get dragged into the 20th century. Was Gwen the maid that was learning typing in one episode and then not seen again?
Also as a gearhead I love that Mary’s new suitor and Tom are into cars. Another up and coming societal change and business opportunity.
I wonder how common it was for butlers/valets/lady’s maids/housekeepers to be married at all, let alone have separate homes? Because it really doesn’t seem at all practical.
Especially for the valet and maid. Obviously their duties continue until they get their charge safely changed and tucked into bed – and commence in time to help them up/bathed/dressed the next morning. Very long hours, and add on to that time to walk to their house, and back again the next day in time to eat their own breakfast (I’m assuming they don’t add on cooking chores at their houses, at least, nothing beyond making a cup of tea or something. Would they even get a full night’s sleep?
Yeah, they probably have long stretches of time during the day when they don’t have much to do, (there’s only so much time consumed by brushing out clothes or washing hose or whatever) but I bet they’re still expected to be on hand in case someone suddenly needs to change clothes to go riding or whatever so it’s not like they can count on both of them being free for X hours in the afternoon.
And Anna’s pregnancy – yeah, the first trimester is fine, and likely the second, but how convenient will Mary find it when her maid is eight months pregnant and getting bulky and awkward and Mary gets an invitation to run off somewhere for a house party or something?
Not to mention, what happens when the baby is actually born?
Agreed, and it was nice to see Robert calling Barrow out even when everything fell in to place again to make him look good.
It was virtually unheard of for married women to be employed in great houses. Married upper male servants like butlers weren’t all that unusual, but their wives & children tented to live in a cottage on the estate (or in another town entirely) and they’d only get to see them on their days off.
Things did start to change after WWI when the pool of available servants started shrinking, but Anna’s still in a very unique position being a married lady’s maid of childbearing age. At least Mrs Hughes doesn’t need to bother with a horrid Dutch thingamajig!
I know! I was a little surprised to hear her imply she’s a virgin.
Daisy had so clearly put her foot in it at the house-clearing auction, and was so resolutely ignoring everyone who implored her not to go upstairs and confront Lady Cora, I thought it was a nice, unexpected, funny resolution to have her anticlimactically told she’d won without having to blow up - or get fired.
They certainly seemed to share A Meaningful Look in the kitchen.
I’d definitely prefer a cottage to a tent, given the choice.
Lady Shackleton, who the Dowager Countess tried to recruit to support her stance opposing the hospital takeover, was played by the very talented Dame Harriet Walter, well-known for her roles in Sense and Sensibility and Star Wars: The Force Awakens:
Can someone remind of the backstory of the race car driver? I feel like every few episodes some tall dark haired guy from Mary’s past shows up. I can never keep them straight.
Mary met him at the shooting party when Lord Sinderby rented Brancaster and invited the Crawleys along (Xmas special/last episode of last season). Though you didn’t ask Edith met her new boyfriend (who helped her get the magazine out) at the same shooting party; he’s the Brancaster land agent.
I thought Lady Shackleton was the widow of Sir Ernest Shackleton (the famous explorer) but the first name they gave her wasn’t the name of Shackleton’s widow.
Mary’s comment to Tom in the farm office, “You’re my brother,” does not seem promising for any romance to develop between them.
Carson, upon returning from his honeymoon, suggested that everyone keep calling Mrs. Hughes by that name, and Lord Grantham immediately agreed, with relief, but Mrs. Hughes herself didn’t say anything. Presumably Carson got her approval ahead of time, but I could almost see her saying, “I’m married to Mr. Carson and now I’d be proud to bear his name.” I wouldn’t want her wishes to be disregarded yet again.
So the Baxter thing ended up being totally pointless except maybe that she’ll hook up with Mosely. Edith and Mary have serious suitors too. And Mrs Patmore. We’ll have nearly everyone married off soon enough. Maybe Daisy and Andy too. And Barrow and the gay guy who employs Edith’s dude. The perfect job for him.
Loved the subtle digs at the historical Chamberlain as unsubtle as they were.
Poor Robert. Him telling Cora he loved her and she assuring him this wasn’t the end was heartbreaking. It truly shows what’s important to him. Alas, they don’t know ulcers aren’t caused by stress so he will continue to suffer.
Mrs. Patmore and Mr. Mason, hmmmm?
Do we think Andy is truly illiterate or is dyslexic? I know he said he goofed off in school, but surely that wasn’t the whole reason.
Now Mary thinks there’s something up with Marigold. Hmmm.