英国仆人楼下生活的真实故事

dddDrPamelaCoxlooksatthegrandhousesoftheVictorianrulingelite-largecountryestatesdependentonanarmyofstafftoilingawaybelowstairs.TheVictoriansusheredinanewidealofservitude-whereloyal,selflessservantsweredepersonalisedstereotypeswithstandardiseduniforms,hairstylesandevengenericnamesdenotingposition.IntheimmaculatelypreservedroomsofErddiginNorthWales,portraitsofservantslikeloyalhousekeeperMrsWebsterhintatanaffectionaterelationshipbetweenfamilyandservants,buttherealityformostwasquitedifferent.Inotherstatelyhomes,hiddenpassageskeptservantsseparatefromthefamily.Anonymity,invisibilityandsegregationwereacrucialpartoftheirgruellingjob-andthestrictservanthierarchyevenkept