Downtown Abbey is a pretty good program on BBC America. However,
actual research suggests that British aristocracy treated most of the
domestic class like animals. In fact, I believe some hunting dogs had
it much better than your typical laundry maid. Yes, the Butler and
Housekeeper were treated with respect, but still, seems like this
program is quite inaccurate regarding the Victorian domestic class.
Maybe it's simply liberal Brit revisionist history at work again,
through the auspices of 'high entertainment' by the BBC.

On Feb 3, 5:16*pm, Tater Cole wrote:
Downtown Abbey is a pretty good program on BBC America. However,
actual research suggests that British aristocracy treated most of the
domestic class like animals. In fact, I believe some hunting dogs had
it much better than your typical laundry maid. Yes, the Butler and
Housekeeper were treated with respect, but still, seems like this
program is quite inaccurate regarding the Victorian domestic class.
Maybe it's simply liberal Brit revisionist history at work again,
through the auspices of 'high entertainment' by the BBC.

Tater, I think you are spot on with your observation--most of our
slaveholding class in the South were former British aristos who were
simply re-creating the formula they enjoyed back in the home country.

It's "DownTON," not "Downtown."

That said, I saw a short bit on the similarities between an upper
class British accent and an American southern accent, and it is all in
the inflection when the words are spoken. It was fascinating to
listen to an expert read the same lines first in the British style and
then in the southern (aka Savannah) style.

N.

unklbob wrote:
On Feb 3, 5:16*pm, Tater Cole wrote:
Downtown Abbey is a pretty good program on BBC America. However,
actual research suggests that British aristocracy treated most of the
domestic class like animals. In fact, I believe some hunting dogs had
it much better than your typical laundry maid. Yes, the Butler and
Housekeeper were treated with respect, but still, seems like this
program is quite inaccurate regarding the Victorian domestic class.
Maybe it's simply liberal Brit revisionist history at work again,
through the auspices of 'high entertainment' by the BBC.

Tater, I think you are spot on with your observation--most of our
slaveholding class in the South were former British aristos who were
simply re-creating the formula they enjoyed back in the home country.

On Feb 3, 10:16*pm, Tater Cole wrote:
Downtown Abbey is a pretty good program on BBC America. However,
actual research suggests that British aristocracy treated most of the
domestic class like animals. In fact, I believe some hunting dogs had
it much better than your typical laundry maid. Yes, the Butler and
Housekeeper were treated with respect, but still, seems like this
program is quite inaccurate regarding the Victorian domestic class.
Maybe it's simply liberal Brit revisionist history at work again,
through the auspices of 'high entertainment' by the BBC.


I knew several people who were in "service" as it is called.
Back then,they were treated like shit.
Badly paid with cramped filthy cold accommodation.
But everything was tough back then, everyone was treated like shit not
just in the UK.
Worst of all was the USA where immigrants were lured by false promises
and then put in sweatshops etc.

Where service exists now (pretty limited) life is a lot better.

Before WW2, even quite small households would have a "housekeeper" at
least. Even terrace houses.
About 25% of the population was employed as servants of some sort.

"harry" wrote ...

On Feb 3, 10:16 pm, Tater Cole wrote:
Downtown Abbey is a pretty good program on BBC America. However,
actual research suggests that British aristocracy treated most of the
domestic class like animals. In fact, I believe some hunting dogs had
it much better than your typical laundry maid. Yes, the Butler and
Housekeeper were treated with respect, but still, seems like this
program is quite inaccurate regarding the Victorian domestic class.
Maybe it's simply liberal Brit revisionist history at work again,
through the auspices of 'high entertainment' by the BBC.


I knew several people who were in "service" as it is called.
Back then,they were treated like shit.
Badly paid with cramped filthy cold accommodation.
But everything was tough back then, everyone was treated like shit not
just in the UK.
Worst of all was the USA where immigrants were lured by false promises
and then put in sweatshops etc.

Where service exists now (pretty limited) life is a lot better.

Before WW2, even quite small households would have a "housekeeper" at
least. Even terrace houses.
About 25% of the population was employed as servants of some sort.

If you are comparing how they were treated then to how you think now it's
irrelevant. I say that as the general population of this Country were living
in total poverty especially in the Cities like London. More than one family
to a room, and they were big families, one toilet between hundreds, no
washing facilities, just like some of the worst shantytowns of today. When
you got old or could not work the Workhouse became your home or you died. So
getting a clean room, with clean bed linen and clothes to wear and food
provided was heaven for most.
Yes they were mostly treated hard but then life was hard everywhere for the
normal population. 16 hour days 6 days a week and you had to attend Church
twice on Sundays.

--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On 07/02/2012 14:46, Bob Hobden wrote:
"harry" wrote ...

If you are comparing how they were treated then to how you think now
it's irrelevant. I say that as the general population of this Country
were living in total poverty especially in the Cities like London. More
than one family to a room, and they were big families, one toilet
between hundreds, no washing facilities, just like some of the worst
shantytowns of today.

One toilet? they were lucky - We lived for three months in a paper bag
in a septic tank. We used to have to get up at six in the morning, clean
the paper bag, eat a crust of stale bread, go to work down t' mill,
fourteen hours a day, week-in week-out, for sixpence a week, and when we
got home our Dad would thrash us to sleep wi' his belt.

On 04/02/2012 07:36, harry wrote:
On Feb 3, 10:16 pm, Tater wrote:
Downtown Abbey is a pretty good program on BBC America. However,
actual research suggests that British aristocracy treated most of the
domestic class like animals. In fact, I believe some hunting dogs had
it much better than your typical laundry maid. Yes, the Butler and
Housekeeper were treated with respect, but still, seems like this
program is quite inaccurate regarding the Victorian domestic class.
Maybe it's simply liberal Brit revisionist history at work again,
through the auspices of 'high entertainment' by the BBC.


I knew several people who were in "service" as it is called.
Back then,they were treated like shit.

A generalisation. My grandmother was "in service" as a young woman and
her employer could not have been nicer. An army major in Woolwich, who
even provided medical cover, rudimentary though it was around the turn
of the 20th Century.

"mikeos" wrote

Downtown Abbey is a pretty good program on BBC America. However,
actual research suggests that British aristocracy treated most of the
domestic class like animals. In fact, I believe some hunting dogs had
it much better than your typical laundry maid. Yes, the Butler and
Housekeeper were treated with respect, but still, seems like this
program is quite inaccurate regarding the Victorian domestic class.
Maybe it's simply liberal Brit revisionist history at work again,
through the auspices of 'high entertainment' by the BBC.


I knew several people who were in "service" as it is called.
Back then,they were treated like shit.

A generalisation. My grandmother was "in service" as a young woman and her employer could not have been nicer. An army major in
Woolwich, who even provided medical cover, rudimentary though it was around the turn of the 20th Century.

"In service" -- now there's one hell of a euphemism.

--Tedward

On Feb 7, 12:46*pm, mikeos wrote:
On 04/02/2012 07:36, harry wrote:

On Feb 3, 10:16 pm, Tater *wrote:
Downtown Abbey is a pretty good program on BBC America. However,
actual research suggests that British aristocracy treated most of the
domestic class like animals. In fact, I believe some hunting dogs had
it much better than your typical laundry maid. Yes, the Butler and
Housekeeper were treated with respect, but still, seems like this
program is quite inaccurate regarding the Victorian domestic class.
Maybe it's simply liberal Brit revisionist history at work again,
through the auspices of 'high entertainment' by the BBC.

I knew several people who were in "service" as it is called.
Back then,they were treated like shit.

A generalisation. My grandmother was "in service" as a young woman and
her employer could not have been nicer. An army major in Woolwich, who
even provided medical cover, rudimentary though it was around the turn
of the 20th Century.

Leeches were cheap

On Feb 3, 4:16*pm, Tater Cole wrote:
Downtown Abbey is a pretty good program on BBC America. However,
actual research suggests that British aristocracy treated most of the
domestic class like animals. In fact, I believe some hunting dogs had
it much better than your typical laundry maid. Yes, the Butler and
Housekeeper were treated with respect, but still, seems like this
program is quite inaccurate regarding the Victorian domestic class.
Maybe it's simply liberal Brit revisionist history at work again,
through the auspices of 'high entertainment' by the BBC.

Kate Winslet was good in that Titanic movie.
A bit chubby maybe, but really, quite a fine thespian.

On Feb 4, 9:20*am, Toby Drake wrote:
On Feb 3, 4:16*pm, Tater Cole wrote:

Downtown Abbey is a pretty good program on BBC America. However,
actual research suggests that British aristocracy treated most of the
domestic class like animals. In fact, I believe some hunting dogs had
it much better than your typical laundry maid. Yes, the Butler and
Housekeeper were treated with respect, but still, seems like this
program is quite inaccurate regarding the Victorian domestic class.
Maybe it's simply liberal Brit revisionist history at work again,
through the auspices of 'high entertainment' by the BBC.

Kate Winslet was good in that Titanic movie.
A bit chubby maybe, but really, quite a fine thespian.

Kate? A thespian? I thought she loved men? :P

On Feb 4, 4:42*am, Devils Advocaat wrote:

Kate Winslet was good in that Titanic movie.
A bit chubby maybe, but really, quite a fine thespian.

Kate? A thespian? I thought she loved men? :P

I have first..ahem...*hand* evidence of that.

On Feb 6, 10:59*pm, "Damon Hynes, Cyclone Ranger"
wrote:
On Feb 4, 4:42*am, Devils Advocaat wrote:

Kate Winslet was good in that Titanic movie.
A bit chubby maybe, but really, quite a fine thespian.

Kate? A thespian? I thought she loved men? :P

I have first..ahem...*hand* evidence of that.

Of her being a thespian or a lover of men?

Devils Advocaat wrote:
On Feb 4, 9:20 am, Toby Drake wrote:

Kate Winslet was good in that Titanic movie.
A bit chubby maybe, but really, quite a fine thespian.

Kate? A thespian? I thought she loved men? :P

If a lesbian is a thesbian, can't she fake an orgasm convincingly with a guy?

Disculpa Senora Toby Drake, pero did you really mime the following on
2/4/2012 4:20 AM???
On Feb 3, 4:16 pm, Tater wrote:
Downtown Abbey is a pretty good program on BBC America. However,
actual research suggests that British aristocracy treated most of the
domestic class like animals. In fact, I believe some hunting dogs had
it much better than your typical laundry maid. Yes, the Butler and
Housekeeper were treated with respect, but still, seems like this
program is quite inaccurate regarding the Victorian domestic class.
Maybe it's simply liberal Brit revisionist history at work again,
through the auspices of 'high entertainment' by the BBC.

Kate Winslet was good in that Titanic movie.
A bit chubby maybe, but really, quite a fine thespian.

Bullshit - Kate Winslet is a fat cow.

--
Lighthouses are more helpful than churches.
-- Not Benjamin Franklin