Pity the Servants

I just read 'Longbourn' by Jo Baker. It was my trusty companion on a long flight from Ireland, a distraction from my discomfort in 30A Delta Economy. Poor servants! Up at 4:30am, blacking the grate, heating water, lighting fires...chilblains were the lot of the servant on cold winter mornings. No set hours; they got up before the family and saw them off to bed. One wonders how they endured it; but for many it was better than what they had at home. Many of the young boys and girls in service were fed adequately for the first time in their lives. That is not to say that exploitation in service (which undoubtedly happened) was morally acceptable.

This is not directly related to this, but as a young nurse, I remember an older one telling me that when she came into Nursing (in the 1950's), she 'had as much milk as she wanted.'

Here, Jo talks of why she wrote Longbourn.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI51tP1sOxE

While in ireland I spent a lot of hours on buses. When I wasn't looking out the window, I was perusing 'Helen' by our own Maria Edgeworth. I visited Edgeworthstown many years ago, but failed to appreciate it's cultural and literary significance at the time. 'Castle Rackrent' was the only Edgeworth book I had heard of, and having read that, I fail to think how George 3rd said he understood his Irish subjects after reading it. It is satirical.

Home of Maria Edgeworth

But Ireland! Beautiful as usual. Lush green fields, tree tops waving and sighing in the breeze, fresh cool air on the face. And best of all, the Thousand Welcomes.

Bookshop Heaven

Isn't it a delight to discover a new bookshop? On a recent trip home to Ireland my sister Caitríona, who lives in Galway, led me down to the city's heart where throbs Charlie Byrne's Bookshop. What a delight! Old books, new books, rare books, previously loved books, gems! 

I bought 'Belinda' by Maria Edgeworth (1801). Having just read 'Helen' by the same writer, I look forward to reading it.

'Longbourn' going to be a Movie!

I just read 'Longbourn' by Jo Baker. This is Pride and Prejudice from the Servants pov, particularly that of Sarah, the housemaid.

I think that many of us who read Austen think that if we were living back then, that we'd be the Gentry for sure - but they were a very privileged minority, just like the rich folks today! So we wouldn't be off to the Ball and catching Misters Darcy and Bingley, but rather trying to catch the eye of a footman in livery while dreading washday on the morrow.

If you were to cast P&P in an airline, they'd be in First Class while we'd be back in the Cabin, wedged into our proper place. (As I flew 6,000 miles Economy Class only yesterday, the word 'wedge' is lodged in my mind, rather painfully and with some resentment).

Jo Baker makes Downstairs so real, that in the end I didn't care much what happened the Bennet girls, (no, really!) as long as Hill, Sarah and little Polly were ok. Fascinating detail and it is going to be a movie, by Focus Features.