Below Stairs

The Classic Kitchen Maid’s Memoir That Inspired 'Upstairs, Downstairs' and 'Downton Abbey'

By: Margaret Powell

Narrated by: Mary Wells

Length: 5 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's Summary

Brilliantly evoking the long-vanished world of masters and servants portrayed in Downton Abbey and Upstairs, Downstairs, Margaret Powell’s classic memoir of her time in service, Below Stairs, is the remarkable true story of an indomitable woman who, though she served in the great houses of England, never stopped aiming high. Powell first arrived at the servants' entrance of one of those great houses in the 1920s. As a kitchen maid - the lowest of the low - she entered an entirely new world; one of stoves to be blacked, vegetables to be scrubbed, mistresses to be appeased, and bootlaces to be ironed. Work started at 5:30 am and went on until after dark. It was a far cry from her childhood on the beaches of Hove, where money and food were scarce, but warmth and laughter never were. Yet from the gentleman with a penchant for stroking the housemaids’ curlers, to raucous tea-dances with errand boys, to the heartbreaking story of Agnes the pregnant under-parlormaid, fired for being seduced by her mistress’s nephew, Margaret’s tales of her time in service are told with wit, warmth, and a sharp eye for the prejudices of her situation. Margaret Powell's true story of a life spent in service is a fascinating "downstairs" portrait of the glittering, long-gone worlds behind the closed doors of Downton Abbey and 165 Eaton Place.

©1968 Margaret Powell and Leigh Crutchley (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Interesting Look into a Kitchen Maid's Real LIfe

What did you love best about Below Stairs?

I liked that the author had several different positions and therefore several different experiences which meant that her bosses were neither all bad or all good (in the eyes of those that worked for them). It also meant that she came across alot of different characters that worked in service who reflect different personalities and outlooks on their work.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Below Stairs?

The amount of work a scullery maid had to do with unpleasant products (no nice cleaning products back then!) and the taunting she received when cleaning the outside doorstep and how men were less likely to date her if they knew she was in service.

Which character – as performed by Mary Wells – was your favorite?

The author

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, but I enjoyed it.

Any additional comments?

I am not sure if there is a photo section in this book. But I am always hesitant to purchase biographies or memoirs on audible in case the hard copy of the book has photos & drawings as I think they add a lot the story being told and I enjoy them. I would like it if audible included a download of any images included in a hard copy for reference.

Cooking and cleaning before the modern stoves etc

What attracted me to the book was the title saying it inspired "Upstairs, Downstairs" and "Downton Abby" . This is a story of a 14 year old off to work in service. Teenagers working was common in those years, the story took place just before WWI and after. Mary Wells did such a good job narrating and the book was written in a relaxed style I felt as if I was having a cup of tea with a friend, who was telling me about her first jobs. Up at 5:30 a.m. scrubbing and cleaning, light coal fires, and can you believe ironing bootlaces after shinning the shoes. From what she described I think houses must have been cleaner than today OR the coal heating made the constant cleaning a necessity. Having to cook everything from scratch, groceries delivered daily, (no refrigeration), making your own house cleaning solutions, no wonder they went to bed exhausted. Sure glad we have all our modern implements otherwise would never have time for anything but cleaning and cooking. The story is short, and written in a breezy manner that makes the ending come up way to fast. The book gives one a look into a way of life that is mostly gone after WWI.

Less than I was expecting...

If you are a fan of Downton Abbey or Upstairs, Downstairs, be warned: this memoir is nothing like them. Nor is it particularly well written. I almost couldn't get through the first seven chapters because of the constant reiteration of the phrases "back then" "back in those days" and "back in the old days." It's relentless, kind of verbal Chinese water torture. Eventually, it either lessened or I got used to it.

As to content, this isn't a novel or an expose of any kind. There isn't much that struck me as shocking as the author seemed to expect (for example, some servants liked to read) , but that may be because I am an American reading this in the twenty-first century. Or that "them upstairs" expected those below to be grateful to them. There was some interesting detail about the mechanics of housekeeping and how Margaret learned to cook. The news that fresh food made from scratch tastes way better than what we have today just didn't strike me as amazing news.

Since this was an impulse download done at a time I was trying to distract myself, the book really didn't suit my purposes. I wish I'd kept searching, but not terrible. Just terribly bland.

Worthwhile listen

Would you consider the audio edition of Below Stairs to be better than the print version?

An engaging read, the narrator did a fine job.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The main character is a woman happy to be who she is, but unwilling to accept less than she can be. An interesting slice of life tale that helps put one's own struggles into perspective.

What about Mary Wells’s performance did you like?

The narration is simple and direct, with good humour.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Many of the stories stayed with me afterwards.

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed being in her world.

Entertaining

I enjoyed it. The memoirs of a young woman who wants to become a cook. Be warned, the Servant's hall book contains a lot of similar content to this, so if you buy this one, be careful the sequel has lots of the same material.

Overall, liked it. well narrated, good listen..

Disappointing

This was just ok. Not a bad read, narrator was fun to listen to, but the story was very anticlimactic.

Really not an interesting read

I was expecting so much better, bearing in mind this supposedly, had inspired Downton Abbey. Right. If it had, Downton abbey would not be the gigantic success it is. This book was extremely slow, boring and in the audible version, even the narrator was terrible. I really don't advise you to waste time and money with this book, sadly. I read a lot, but I will not purchase more books from the same author. Only maybe the last 6 chapters became a tiny bit more interesting. Pls note that I absolutely love reading historical books, and read many of them, and I have a keen interest in that subject.

Very good listen

What other book might you compare Below Stairs to and why?

None. this is the first audio book of this type that I've listened to.

Have you listened to any of Mary Wells’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No I haven't.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No extreme reactions one way or the other. Just an enjoyable listen

Any additional comments?

I was a little disappointed that this read like someone's memoirs instead of a novel. Also, I wish it was longer. But all in all I still enjoyed it

Meh...

Semi-interesting but not much to it ... A bit on the boring side and not really worth a full credit

Below Stairs

Fantastic account of life back then. Young women of today should fread and be thankful of life today.