Figure 1.--This image from "Edwardian Country House" shows Master Guy in his blue sailor suit. We wonder with 14 servants why someone could not have given Master Guy a bit of a combing. Click on the image to see his home.
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Figure 1.--This image from "Edwardian Country House" shows Master Guy in his blue sailor suit. We wonder with 14 servants why someone could not have given Master Guy a bit of a combing. Click on the image to see his home. |
Channel 4 followed up the 1900 House with this series on an Edwardian country home set about 1910. The series follows the lives of the Olliff-Cooper family and their
staff of 14 servants. (Note the hyphanated name.) The website for the series even has a snob appeal test that you can take. The boy of the family is "Master Guy".
Who among other outfits wears a sailor suit and a Eton collar suit. The Channel 4 productions are usually quite good about costuming. Master Guy was asked what he was looking forward to most and least. "It will be good to have someone to clear up my toys,
because at home Mummy insists that I have to clear them up piece by piece by piece. A tutor will probably be better than a teacher who has to look after 13
children." "On the other hand I think Edwardian clothing might be a bit itchy and difficult to get on"
Channel 4 followed up the 1900 House with this series on an Edwardian country home set about 1910. The house itself is situated in the Scottish Borders region.
The series follows the lives of the Olliff-Cooper family and their staff of 14 servants. (Note the hyphanated name.) The website for the series even has a snob appeal test that you can take. Britain until 1945 and the electoral victory of the Clemet Atley and his Labour Party was a very class-ridden country. A small group of Brittons (many with hyphinated names) controlled much of the country's wealth. Some had country estates like the Olliff-Coopers to cater to their every needs. Up untill the late 19th century, many of the children would be tutored at home. By the late 19th century, however, boys like Giy would be sent off to boarding preparatory school at age 8 and have a bit of a rude awakening when he was no longer catered to and then at avout 13 progress on to a public (exclusive private) school.
The program focuses on the class system of Edwardian England. The show highlights the daily going ons of a posh family, bird shooting, and fox hunting. The contrast with the household staff is presened in some detail--rather like Upstairs, Down Stairs. The 2001 family has to deal with happenings and stress related situations they are placed in and how they cope, trying to fit in with the stuffed shirt portrayal of the posh family members.
The progam portrays all the mannerisms, clothing, characteristic of the upper class and their upper class circles. Daily soap opera happenings of both the aristocratic family and servants lives are portrayed in the mansion. A HBC reader writes, "I was facinated by the posh boy who did not like being made to have manners, sit still, and use the right cuttlery. He also dislikes the clothes he has to
Figure 2.--Master Guy is seen here with his father, Sir John. He wears an Eton collar and suit. Imaculate white Eton collars in the 1910s wre still considered a necessity for a smartly dressed boy. |
The boy of the family is "Master Guy". Master Guy was asked what he was looking forward to most and least. "It will be good to have someone to clear up my toys, because at home Mummy insists that I have to clear them up piece by piece by piece. A tutor will probably be better than a teacher who has to look after 13 children." "On the other hand I think Edwardian clothing might be a bit itchy and difficult to get on"
The Channel 4 productions are usually quite good about costuming. Master Guy wears a sailor suit and a Eton collar suit. Sailor suits were still quite popular for boys up to about 8 years before being sent off to a preapatory school. We have not not noted photographs of English boys in the 1910s with detailing that had such thin stripes. Master Guy's Eton collar seems to more accurately depict an outfit worn at the time. Master Guy hates wearing knickers sailor suits with or without shorts, Eton suits with or with out kneepants (short trousers), and grey kneesocks. .In a fishing scene, Guy wears
Wellingtons, a cap made of grey wool
I'm not sure when the program was first broadcast in Britain, I think 2001. The series was broadcast by PBS in 2002. A British reader writes, "The series will be popular in the USA. Although the first episode ran an hour, it was so well made and fascinating that the time flew by. It's certainly superior to the previous efforts ("1900 House" and "1940 House"), thanks to the eternal fascination of "Upstairs Downstairs"." Actually HBC was very impressed with "1900 House". It did drag on a bit at times, but it included a wealth of life-style information useful to HBC. We have not yet been able to view "1940 House".
In the last episode of this great program Sir John Ohlupp-Cooper decides to throw a Servants Ball to thank them for all they have done
for him and his family. This will result in the servants tasting a piece of Sir John's luxurious tastes and oppulent lifestyle.
Gambling is tackled too via the Family attending the traditional day out the races (horse racing) along with some of the servants too. They were dressed in their best Royal Ascot Edwardian finery including Master Guy.
Questions are probed by the actors/servants on their probable futures via the 1st World War and the effects on their futures either in the big mansion or future lives or employment outside their work as servants in 1914.
The fact that there would never be a type of "Upstairs Down Stairs" hierarchy of class valuation or contemptuousness towards the lower tier of the class ethos.
A lady Avral who was the sister of the posh edwardian family appeared on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio and talked
about the show and how she was supposed to act and how the servants reacted to her and them. Her sister and husband John loved playing the aristocrat as did younger son Guy who was actually in real
life a wonderful little boy and not the snotty nosed brat that he seemed to be in the 1910 era. The family seemed to value family life and the complete social freedoms of 2001. Avril seemed to dislike the 1910 era and missed her beau from 2001. Master Guy was higher in the house pecking order of hierachy than his singular Aunty Avril. Why did the butler and Sir John not communicate regularly. It was the rules in Edwardian households we are told. A HBC reader writes, "Guy turned out to be a absolute charmer and was cute and precocious plus he adhered to his role and to me he truely belonged in this era sailor suit and all." Down stairs servants Upstairs family hierachy was the general thesis. Boredom was the killer but the family found other ways to entertain each other like horseriding and hunting, singing around the
piano, ballroom dancing, fishing, swimming, and putting on plays. Trevor Chappel interviewed Miss Anson and it was an interesting half hour.
Their was a send off for the family and tears too. Young
Master Guy and his mum were not to happy about going back or forward to the 21st century. After all they finally enjoyed being the last Edwardians. The servants were interviewed too about their Edwardian
life and their real life in year 2001.
1900 House was the first of several recreations of homes set in various historical periods. These programs contain a great deal of inforation about clothing as well as life style which HBC readers may find of interest.
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