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.