Status
Available
Publication
St. Martin's Griffin (2012), Edition: Later Printing, 224 pages
Description
This work is a kitchen-maid's through-the-key hole memoir of life in the great houses of England. At fifteen, she arrived at the servants' entrance to begin her life as a kitchen maid in 1920s England. The lowest of the low, her world was one of stoves to be blacked, vegetables to be scrubbed, mistresses to be appeased, and even bootlaces to be ironed. Work started at 5:30 am and went on until after dark. In this memoir, the author tells her tales of service with wit, warmth, and a sharp eye. From the gentleman with a penchant for stroking housemaids' curlers, to raucous tea dances with errand boys, to the heartbreaking story of Agnes the pregnant under-parlourmaid, fired for being seduced by her mistress's nephew, this book evokes the long vanished world of masters and servants portrayed in Downton Abbey and Upstairs, Downstairs. This is the remarkable true story of an indomitable woman, who, though her position was lowly, never stopped aiming high.… (more)
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User reviews
LibraryThing member Zhenia11
Interesting and not so out-of-date as you might expect from what's written on the book cover. I smiled many a time at the rather mild yet unavoidable psychological collisions remembering my own first employment experience. The fact that cooks can write books (reviews suggest that some other books
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by the same author could be of even more interest) makes one less skeptical about the famous Lenin's statement "Any cook can rule a country". However, it is still open to question, whether any cook from ANY country can rule ANY country. Show Less
LibraryThing member nomadreader
The basics: Below Stairs, originally published in 1968, has been reissued with the Downton Abbey craze and the new subtitle "The Classic Kitchen Maid's Memoir That Inspired Upstairs, Downstairs and Downton Abbey." There are glowing quotes from Julian Fellowes and Dame Eileen Atkins (co-creator of
My thoughts: From the first pages, it's clear Margaret Powell is not actually writing a conventional memoir. while she tells the story chronologically, it read more like a transcript than a memoir. It's clear she's dictating her life thoughts on her life, including many years in different kitchens. I did appreciate Powell's thoughts and candor, but despite being told so conversationally, if I had not watched Downton or already read Upstairs & Downstairs, I would not have understood as much of the power dynamics present. Powell throws around different names of servants without providing the context explaining the differences. Knowing the different role these servants played, it was interesting to compare the houses in which she worked.
The verdict: While the story is interesting and I appreciated Powell's candor, the writing lacked finesse, which hindered my enjoyment of the tale. If you're looking for insight into the downstairs life in Edwardian times and don't mind conversational writing, then you'll likely enjoy Below Stairs and its authenticity. Below Stairs is a quick read, but it's far from a literary masterpiece.
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Upstairs, Downstairs) on the cover.My thoughts: From the first pages, it's clear Margaret Powell is not actually writing a conventional memoir. while she tells the story chronologically, it read more like a transcript than a memoir. It's clear she's dictating her life thoughts on her life, including many years in different kitchens. I did appreciate Powell's thoughts and candor, but despite being told so conversationally, if I had not watched Downton or already read Upstairs & Downstairs, I would not have understood as much of the power dynamics present. Powell throws around different names of servants without providing the context explaining the differences. Knowing the different role these servants played, it was interesting to compare the houses in which she worked.
The verdict: While the story is interesting and I appreciated Powell's candor, the writing lacked finesse, which hindered my enjoyment of the tale. If you're looking for insight into the downstairs life in Edwardian times and don't mind conversational writing, then you'll likely enjoy Below Stairs and its authenticity. Below Stairs is a quick read, but it's far from a literary masterpiece.
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LibraryThing member coolmama
What a delightful read!
Margaret Lawley was on of many children - all 9 of them sleeping in 2 rooms; and by age 15 even though she had won a scholarship to continue her education her family just could not afford to have another mouth to feed.
She was sent away to work as a kitchen maid in domestic
This lovely "no holes bared" slim volume talks of her time from a kitchen maid to a proper cook in many households both in the country and in London.
She is honest with her acknowledgement of "them" above stairs, the inequity of the two groups, the cast offs the servants get and how poorly they are treated! I especially loved her section on how horrified a Lady was to be asked to borrow a book from Margaret as she did not believe that she could read!!
Margaret Lawley was on of many children - all 9 of them sleeping in 2 rooms; and by age 15 even though she had won a scholarship to continue her education her family just could not afford to have another mouth to feed.
She was sent away to work as a kitchen maid in domestic
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service.This lovely "no holes bared" slim volume talks of her time from a kitchen maid to a proper cook in many households both in the country and in London.
She is honest with her acknowledgement of "them" above stairs, the inequity of the two groups, the cast offs the servants get and how poorly they are treated! I especially loved her section on how horrified a Lady was to be asked to borrow a book from Margaret as she did not believe that she could read!!
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LibraryThing member Crazymamie
Fans of Upstairs, Downstairs and Downton Abbey will enjoy this behind the scenes look at life as a member of the domestic staff at a manor house during the Gilded Age. Margaret Powell was only fifteen when she entered the halls of domestic service as a kitchen maid, the lowest position in the
I remember asking her if I could borrow a book from her library to read, and I can see now the surprised look on her face. She said, "Yes, of course, certainly you can, Margaret," adding, "but I didn't know that you read." They knew that you breathed and you slept and you worked, but they didn't know that you read. Such a thing was beyond comprehension. They thought that in your spare time you sat and gazed into space, or looked at 'Peg's Paper' or the 'Crimson Circle'. You could almost see them reporting you to their friends. "Margaret's a good cook, but unfortunately she reads. Books, you know."
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domestic service hierarchy. Her memoir chronicles her years of service as she changes households and rises in position to the post of cook. At times embittered, at times funny, she does a good job of revealing what that lifestyle entailed through her own eyes. The beginning starts slow, and the end drags a bit, but the middle is pure reading pleasure, full of wit and humor. I'm giving it 3.5 stars because better editing could have made this a more enjoyable book.I remember asking her if I could borrow a book from her library to read, and I can see now the surprised look on her face. She said, "Yes, of course, certainly you can, Margaret," adding, "but I didn't know that you read." They knew that you breathed and you slept and you worked, but they didn't know that you read. Such a thing was beyond comprehension. They thought that in your spare time you sat and gazed into space, or looked at 'Peg's Paper' or the 'Crimson Circle'. You could almost see them reporting you to their friends. "Margaret's a good cook, but unfortunately she reads. Books, you know."
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LibraryThing member Bodagirl
A blunt, insider look into the world of domestic service in the early 20th Century. Margaret has a unique voice and take on her time in service and it is inspiring how she continually hoped and worked for more than her lot had dealt.
LibraryThing member arielfl
As a lover of Downton Abbey, I could not pass up the book that inspired it as well as Upstairs, Downstairs. Although this book was not quite as titillating as the series it was still an excellent read. Margaret Powell entered into service at a time when the servants were not treated much
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differently than slaves. Even though she endured a lot of indignities at the hands of her employers she used her wits to advance her station while not allowing her employers to take away her pride. Her pointed observations on the human condition are often sharp as well as humorous. This book was published in the sixties and has been re released with the success of Downton Abby. Even though the book was written fifty years ago, Powell's wry observations are still pertinent to today. Although Margaret did not become the teacher she longed to be by profession, her memoir chronicling the 1940's British class system has enlightened countless people to the struggles and injustices suffered by the "downstairs people" of her day. Show Less
LibraryThing member PeskyLibrary
With the present success of the British television series Downton Abbey, St. Martin's Press has re-released Margaret Powell’s classic memoir Below Stairs. Born in 1907, Powell started a career in domestic service at thirteen. Her first job was at a laundry facility, but most of her working life
The memoir recounts experiences British maids had in the first half of the 20th century. She introduces the reader to a post-war England in which everything is different, and yet many people are reticent about change. Also included are Powell’s hopes and dreams, and how she struggled to fulfill them in the face of poverty.
First released in the late 1960s, the memoir is frank, straightforward, and no-nonsense about problems domestic help encountered. Her descriptions of the changing English society are intriguing. Most memorable are her efforts at bettering her lot by getting out service. For an uneducated woman without money, the easiest way to get out of service was marriage. However, trying to find a husband in a society where servants had extremely limited free time, women must not seem too toward, and men were scarce after World War I was difficult to say the least. There were moments when Powell sounds almost bitter, but that could just be the effect of her frankness.
EJ 04/2012
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she toiled in the kitchen, first as a maid and then as a cook. The memoir recounts experiences British maids had in the first half of the 20th century. She introduces the reader to a post-war England in which everything is different, and yet many people are reticent about change. Also included are Powell’s hopes and dreams, and how she struggled to fulfill them in the face of poverty.
First released in the late 1960s, the memoir is frank, straightforward, and no-nonsense about problems domestic help encountered. Her descriptions of the changing English society are intriguing. Most memorable are her efforts at bettering her lot by getting out service. For an uneducated woman without money, the easiest way to get out of service was marriage. However, trying to find a husband in a society where servants had extremely limited free time, women must not seem too toward, and men were scarce after World War I was difficult to say the least. There were moments when Powell sounds almost bitter, but that could just be the effect of her frankness.
EJ 04/2012
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LibraryThing member etxgardener
As an antidote to all the "Downton Abbey" books about the aristocracy, this memoir by Margaret Powell relates the story of what life was like below stairs. For readers expecting to find the happy servants of television mini-series fame, this book should dispel that saccharine fairy tale. Md.
Her descriptions of her duties as as kitchen maid and later on as a cook are fascinating and give the reader a vivid picture of what life in service was really like in the period between wars in England.
This is a quick read & I was rooting for Margaret on every page.
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Powell, while an untrained writer is not unintelligent. Despite having very little formal schooling, she read widely and had a good opinion of herself and certainly didn't suffer fools gladly. If she had been born a little later, one could easily see her going into Labour Party politics.Her descriptions of her duties as as kitchen maid and later on as a cook are fascinating and give the reader a vivid picture of what life in service was really like in the period between wars in England.
This is a quick read & I was rooting for Margaret on every page.
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LibraryThing member bell7
Originally written in the 1960s, Margaret Powell's first memoir as a kitchen maid and then cook in the 1920s and 30s is newly reprinted with a subtitle touting it as the inspiration for "Upstairs, Downstairs" and "Downton Abbey."
At first, I had a hard time believing this could be the inspiration,
At first, I had a hard time believing this could be the inspiration,
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as it's very different from "Downton Abbey." An introduction with an explanation for the claim and a quick overview of the class system - though it's changed when Powell is writing, it's assumed you understand - would have been helpful to me as a young American, but there is none. Besides enjoying "Downton Abbey," I've done some research in family history and know I had relatives in service in the late 1800s to early 1900s, so I was interested in Powell's perspective. She pulls no punches in talking about her several positions with employers who were bad, worse or indifferent (I think there was one or two nice ones in there). She's not bitter, though, and she's often funny so once I got over the fact that it was different from what I expected, I did enjoy reading her thoughts and observations. Powell is clearly intelligent and curious and a reader. She has a sort of meandering, oral style and I could almost picture an older woman talking to someone, reminiscing about life when she was younger. The cover of the reissue - a woman dressed as a maid with a feather duster in hand and three young children in the background - has nothing to do with the contents (I imagine it's from "Upstairs, Downstairs") and felt tacked on. If you're a fan of the "below stairs" aspect of "Downton Abbey," this eyewitness account will definitely be of interest. Show Less
LibraryThing member jellyfishjones
This is a quick read made enjoyable and very accessible by the author's conversational tone. It's written as if she's telling you all this over a cup of coffee with a conspiratorial wink now and again. For history buffs, it offers the immense appeal of being a first-person narrative of a time
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period that saw many hugely significant events - no less than both World Wars, universal suffrage, and the advent of radio among several other things. Add to this Powell's knack for social observation, and you have a thoroughly engaging book. Show Less
LibraryThing member mazeway
A very fun, fast read. It's the memoir of a woman, born in 1907, who served as a kitchen maid and cook in the houses of the London elite. It was this memoir that inspired" Upstairs, Downstairs" and, thus, "Downton Abbey." Her voice is very forthright and charming. It was a great glimpse into the
Review haiku:
Be kind to your help
If the cook does not like you
Life will not be sweet
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place at this time.Review haiku:
Be kind to your help
If the cook does not like you
Life will not be sweet
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LibraryThing member mchwest
I enjoyed reading this and other books like it after the return of the show Downton Abbey. This book had an awesome recommendation from the creator of Downton Abbey, Julian Fellowes, also he starred in the series…Monarch of the Glenn. It wasn't a thriller book but enjoyable reading, I can't
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imagine being in service all my life, but interesting to get the perspective on below the stairs. Show Less
LibraryThing member mydustyshelves
Recently, I borrowed the first season of Downton Abbey from my public library. The contrast of the lives of the upper class gentry with their servants’ lives is fascinating, as are the attitudes each class holds for the other. When I saw this memoir, written by a woman who entered service as a
Margaret was born second out of seven children to a poor family, and while she enjoyed school and had the skill and desire to become a teacher, she knew her family needed her help. A couple extra years of school, even on scholarship, would be impossible. While her family loved her, they were unable to keep feeding her. At the age of 14, she went to work in a laundry, and a year later entered domestic service.
She accepted this fate as her lot in life, yet was troubled by injustice. Seeing the amount of food wasted every day in the upper class households brought to mind her hungry parents and siblings. Her employers seemed to think their help were a different breed. It would always surprise them to find out that Margaret knew how to read, much less that she enjoyed learning. That is, if they ever found out. Margaret notes that to many of the upper class, the servants were “invisible”.
Mr. Kite, an older butler who had been in service since the age of thirteen, comments on his days in a large country manor.
“Well, they were so far above the servants that they literally didn’t see them. I remember one evening when I’d risen to be a footman, I was waiting at the dinner table after the ladies had retired and the port was being circulated, and the gentlemen were talking about a very scandalous rumour that involved royalty, and they were all adding their quota to the rumour. One of the guests remarked, ‘We must be careful that nobody overhears us,’ to which the host replied, ‘How could they overhear us? We’re alone here,’ and at that time there were three footmen in the room.”
The mere fact that one was born to a particular social class clearly determined what they could become and how they should be treated.
As time went on, it was obvious to Margaret that this social climate was beginning to change. War time changed things. The upper class had fewer possessions and money and some employers began to see their servants as fellow human beings. This book follows Margaret through these changes in attitude. To hear a first hand account of this time and place in history is intriguing.
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lowly kitchen maid in the 1920’s, I knew wanted to read a first-hand account of this period in history. Margaret was born second out of seven children to a poor family, and while she enjoyed school and had the skill and desire to become a teacher, she knew her family needed her help. A couple extra years of school, even on scholarship, would be impossible. While her family loved her, they were unable to keep feeding her. At the age of 14, she went to work in a laundry, and a year later entered domestic service.
She accepted this fate as her lot in life, yet was troubled by injustice. Seeing the amount of food wasted every day in the upper class households brought to mind her hungry parents and siblings. Her employers seemed to think their help were a different breed. It would always surprise them to find out that Margaret knew how to read, much less that she enjoyed learning. That is, if they ever found out. Margaret notes that to many of the upper class, the servants were “invisible”.
Mr. Kite, an older butler who had been in service since the age of thirteen, comments on his days in a large country manor.
“Well, they were so far above the servants that they literally didn’t see them. I remember one evening when I’d risen to be a footman, I was waiting at the dinner table after the ladies had retired and the port was being circulated, and the gentlemen were talking about a very scandalous rumour that involved royalty, and they were all adding their quota to the rumour. One of the guests remarked, ‘We must be careful that nobody overhears us,’ to which the host replied, ‘How could they overhear us? We’re alone here,’ and at that time there were three footmen in the room.”
The mere fact that one was born to a particular social class clearly determined what they could become and how they should be treated.
As time went on, it was obvious to Margaret that this social climate was beginning to change. War time changed things. The upper class had fewer possessions and money and some employers began to see their servants as fellow human beings. This book follows Margaret through these changes in attitude. To hear a first hand account of this time and place in history is intriguing.
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LibraryThing member delphica
This was a lot of fun, it's the memoir of a woman who worked as a kitchen maid and cook in England. It's a quick read, and it jumps right into the down and dirty details of being in service. There were tons of interesting details about the households -- although in truth, I can't get enough of this
It makes me sad she died 40 years ago, because everything about this memoir made me want to go take her out for drinks.
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and there could have been ten times as many details and I would have been absolutely fine with that. She's obviously quite intelligent (or was, I guess, she died in the 1970s) and conveys her reflections about class, labor, and society succinctly, thoughtfully, and without any hand-wringing. And she had a wry, understated sense of humor that was a pip. There were a few "WELL BACK IN MY DAY" comments that could have been annoying if they were preachy or whiny, but you truly got the sense she was arching an eyebrow and than moving right on. It makes me sad she died 40 years ago, because everything about this memoir made me want to go take her out for drinks.
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LibraryThing member SilversReviews
What a delightful book even though the subject of being a kitchen maid in a wealthy household was far from delightful. The author had a sense of humor that made the book fast paced, funny, and interesting.
This book was the memoir of a "real" kitchen maid. It definitely was not a pleasant life, but
The staff would have to fire up the coal stove early in the morning, cook and cleanup nonstop all day and with no appreciation from their employer. All food had to be made from scratch, but the food definitely was not healthy, though. Households used a lot of butter, eggs, and cream and other fat-filled ingredients.
The author explained the drudgery and hardships of the maids and household staff in a wealthy household and how the majority of the staff were from poor families that couldn't keep their own young children in their household because they had no money and not enough food to feed them.
It definitely was not a glamorous job, and there was even a class structure within the staff. I wonder if it is still like that today among household staff. I would guess yes. The author also talked about how she never had a good self esteem because of how early she had to begin work and how she was treated for the majority of her life.
Despite the difficulty of this job and what it does to people's lives emotionally this is most definitely a book to read if you enjoy the lives of the English and any household that has a staff for their everyday living.
I give this book a cleanly scrubbed and well cooked 5/5. ENJOY!!
My son bought this book for me because he knows I enjoy learning about the lives of English household staff members. This is ONE of my Christmas presents for him.....he wanted me to read this by the end of the year. :) I am glad I did.
Merry Christmas, Mark. :)
This book was the memoir of a "real" kitchen maid. It definitely was not a pleasant life, but
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the author kept the book light and factual. The household staff would work from sunup to sunset with no conveniences that we have today in the kitchen or for cleaning to a shine. The staff would have to fire up the coal stove early in the morning, cook and cleanup nonstop all day and with no appreciation from their employer. All food had to be made from scratch, but the food definitely was not healthy, though. Households used a lot of butter, eggs, and cream and other fat-filled ingredients.
The author explained the drudgery and hardships of the maids and household staff in a wealthy household and how the majority of the staff were from poor families that couldn't keep their own young children in their household because they had no money and not enough food to feed them.
It definitely was not a glamorous job, and there was even a class structure within the staff. I wonder if it is still like that today among household staff. I would guess yes. The author also talked about how she never had a good self esteem because of how early she had to begin work and how she was treated for the majority of her life.
Despite the difficulty of this job and what it does to people's lives emotionally this is most definitely a book to read if you enjoy the lives of the English and any household that has a staff for their everyday living.
I give this book a cleanly scrubbed and well cooked 5/5. ENJOY!!
My son bought this book for me because he knows I enjoy learning about the lives of English household staff members. This is ONE of my Christmas presents for him.....he wanted me to read this by the end of the year. :) I am glad I did.
Merry Christmas, Mark. :)
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LibraryThing member briandrewz
I started out with high hopes for this book. I've read a lot of great reviews on it and was hoping to count this review as a good one. Sadly, I was let down. The author complains quite a bit about the plight of those in domestic service. It wouldn't have been so bad had she just touched on this,
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but it weaved its way throughout the entire book. At the end the author even acknowledges that the book sounds bitter. There are some humorous moments, though, and it does give a good description of what life was like for those in service. Show Less
LibraryThing member msf59
Powell was born in 1907 and by the time she was thirteen, she was beginning a career in domestic service, toiling as a kitchen maid, the lowliest of lowlies. I’m a big fan of the British series Downton Abbey but one thing is for sure, the gentry do not always treat their help as well as they do
This is a bright, revealing memoir, filled with humor and a refreshing frankness. This was first released in the late 60s but the narrative still moves with a deft, contemporary flow.
Of course, I recommend this for other DA fans but anyone with an interest in taking a peek at "downstairs" life, give this one a try.
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on that program.This is a bright, revealing memoir, filled with humor and a refreshing frankness. This was first released in the late 60s but the narrative still moves with a deft, contemporary flow.
Of course, I recommend this for other DA fans but anyone with an interest in taking a peek at "downstairs" life, give this one a try.
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LibraryThing member MelissaPrange
With the present success of the British television series Downton Abbey, St. Martin's Press has re-released the classic memoir, Below Stairs. In Below Stairs, Margaret Powell recounts her career in domestic service and vividly recreates the world in which she lived.
As a child, Margaret Powell
The joy I felt in reading Below Stairs had little to do with my fondness for Downton Abbey and much more to do with Margaret's unique voice and the world she describes so clearly. Through her no-nonsense narration, we are transported back to the time between wars. Margaret introduces the reader to a post-World War I England in which everything has changed and yet many of its people are still reticent about moving forward. Many of Margaret's employers were once something but are now forced to live on dwindling fortunes with only the good, old days to keep them company. Courtship no longer resembles that of Victorian England, and Margaret struggles to keep up as she searches for a husband. Women, in general, struggle to gain autonomy while society struggles with accepting them as independent, single women. Daily life now includes bicycling, car rides, cinema, and theater going. It’s a fascinating time, and Margaret allows the reader to experience it all through the eyes of a firsthand observer.
Throughout Below Stairs, Margaret guides us through her world with a straightforward and feisty voice. The reader becomes well acquainted with her and, by the last page, are reluctant to say good-bye to her and her world.
As a child, Margaret Powell
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hoped to become a teacher, but her family was poor and there was no public assistance to pay for her education. Instead, she entered the workforce at the age of thirteen. For two years, she worked a series of odd jobs in her hometown of Hove, culminating in her dismissal from a laundry service for turning fifteen (the laundry wished to avoid giving her a half a crown raise). Her mother then decided it was time for her to enter domestic service. Margaret began her career with a position as a lowly kitchen maid but within three years, rose to the rank of cook through hard work and a bit of lying. The joy I felt in reading Below Stairs had little to do with my fondness for Downton Abbey and much more to do with Margaret's unique voice and the world she describes so clearly. Through her no-nonsense narration, we are transported back to the time between wars. Margaret introduces the reader to a post-World War I England in which everything has changed and yet many of its people are still reticent about moving forward. Many of Margaret's employers were once something but are now forced to live on dwindling fortunes with only the good, old days to keep them company. Courtship no longer resembles that of Victorian England, and Margaret struggles to keep up as she searches for a husband. Women, in general, struggle to gain autonomy while society struggles with accepting them as independent, single women. Daily life now includes bicycling, car rides, cinema, and theater going. It’s a fascinating time, and Margaret allows the reader to experience it all through the eyes of a firsthand observer.
Throughout Below Stairs, Margaret guides us through her world with a straightforward and feisty voice. The reader becomes well acquainted with her and, by the last page, are reluctant to say good-bye to her and her world.
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LibraryThing member PatienceFortitude
I enjoyed this, both for her insights and descriptions of what being in domestic service meant, and for the fact that she never took to it blindly and subserviently-- the memoir emphasizes her having her own independent thoughts, and seeking out situations where she could be treated fairly. Also,
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several touches of wry humor. A great read! Show Less
LibraryThing member AliceaP
Below Stairs is a memoir of a woman who entered into domestic service as a kitchen maid at 13 and who saw the injustice of her situation (and indeed of all those in servitude) at a time when conditions were on the peak of changing. At the beginning of the tale, Margaret Powell is at home with her
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family which is large (typical of the time) and poor (also typical of many families). She must leave home, school, and everything she is familiar with because there is not enough money to keep her. What she discovers at her first place of work in service is that the dichotomy between Them upstairs and the servants below stairs is extremely pronounced despite the whisper of changes on the horizon. As the lowest rung on the service ladder, the kitchen maid (in Margaret's opinion) is treated with the least amount of respect or common decency. The story goes on to describe not only the differences between the classes but also the differences between the sexes. Powell's views are modern and revolutionary for the time period and her wit is absolutely biting. I thought this was a very interesting and entertaining read and I can definitely see how Downton Abbey used this as a reference point (you'll recognize some plot points if you're a fan of the show). I recommend it for anyone who'd like a quick, fun read that's also chock full of history (and cooking!). Show Less
LibraryThing member susan.jeffery
I just started the book, but it reminds me of my grandmother, who came to America at 22 and was a scullery maid. I appreciate that I can peer into her life as it mustve been like. Fascinating!
LibraryThing member JEB5
A fascinating recollection of her life in domestic service in the 1920s in England, Margaret Powell's novel is riveting. She describes her childhood in poverty, her brief education and how she started working. Her memories of her struggles "downstairs" and how she overcame many obstacles are
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absorbing. Powell's experiences of being in service provide more then just insight into the field of domestic service, they also provide a first hand account of the culture, environment and thought patterns of a bygone era. Show Less
LibraryThing member RubyScarlett
As far as career accounts go, this was way above average. On top of engrossing descriptions of the food she prepared and the people she met, Margaret Powell is pretty sharp in her analysis of the relationship between servants and their employers and I really enjoyed her candid knowledge of the
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world. It's not a polished memoir in that it's very chatty and barely narrated and the end is quite abrupt but Powell's personality is endearing, she's a bold and fun woman and I really enjoyed the stories contained in this as they satisfied my curiosity. However, I would have liked a little more historical background - Powell keeps saying things were different from 'today' (which is 1968 when this book was published) but she doesn't linger on the topography of London or Hove, which I missed. I would have liked for her to give a broader account of her life, similar to how Jennifer Worth did in her memoirs as a midwife (but then that's comparing Below Stairs to what's in my opinion the best 'career account' book out there, which isn't fair). Show Less
LibraryThing member akblanchard
You know the book-reviewing cliché: "reading this book is just like sitting down and having a cup of tea with your new best friend". Below Stairs really is like that. Margaret Powell depicts her life in domestic service in 1920s England in a breezy, conversational manner, although not without
Powell was born in 1907. Her working-class family had too many children and often, not enough to eat. Beginning in her early teens, she found work as a kitchen maid in the homes of the upper crust, eventually climbing up the staff hierarchy to the position of cook. It was a harsh life of strenuous labor, made even more difficult by her employers' habit of acting as though their servants were invisible.
In her later years, after leaving domestic service, marrying and having children, Powell was finally able to complete her education and write this book. Powell depicts a way of life that no longer exists, but, as far as Powell is concerned, there's no reason to be nostalgic for working conditions that were only a few steps above those of actual slavery. She writes, "[The servants] weren't free in any way. So maybe that was the reason why the work and those that did it were looked down upon, because we were...bound to our employers." (p. 190).
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occasional moments of righteous indignation, and even, she admits, bitterness. Powell was born in 1907. Her working-class family had too many children and often, not enough to eat. Beginning in her early teens, she found work as a kitchen maid in the homes of the upper crust, eventually climbing up the staff hierarchy to the position of cook. It was a harsh life of strenuous labor, made even more difficult by her employers' habit of acting as though their servants were invisible.
In her later years, after leaving domestic service, marrying and having children, Powell was finally able to complete her education and write this book. Powell depicts a way of life that no longer exists, but, as far as Powell is concerned, there's no reason to be nostalgic for working conditions that were only a few steps above those of actual slavery. She writes, "[The servants] weren't free in any way. So maybe that was the reason why the work and those that did it were looked down upon, because we were...bound to our employers." (p. 190).
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LibraryThing member PatienceFortitude
I enjoyed this, both for her insights and descriptions of what being in domestic service meant, and for the fact that she never took to it blindly and subserviently-- the memoir emphasizes her having her own independent thoughts, and seeking out situations where she could be treated fairly. Also,
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several touches of wry humor. A great read! Show Less
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1968
Physical description
224 p.; 5.48 inches
ISBN
9781250023216