Below Stairs: Domestic Service in Early 20th Century England

161 Northfield Rd, Northfield, IL | Get Directions »
$9.00

What was life really like for the servants who worked below stairs in the era of Downtown Abbey? In this new first-person program, British domestic servant Margaret Powell introduces life below stairs in stately English homes in the early 1920s. Based on Powell's best-selling memoir Below Stairs, this program gives a lively look at the work it took to run a wealthy household in this era and the eccentricities often found among employers. Powell's 1968 book was among the inspirations for the popular TV series Downtown Abbey and directly inspired the 1970s series Upstairs, Downstairs.   This class is led by Actress and Historian, Leslie Goddard.  Registration is $9 member; $11 non-member.