The Real Downton Abbey: Above stairs

Aims

 To consider those who lived ‘above stairs’  Exploring: o The origins and history of the British aristocracy o The ‘above stairs’ hierarchy – did this mirror that of ‘below stairs’?  Also, to consider the changes which took place during our period and which impacted on the upper classes – changes we will revisit in more detail during the module

The origins of the British aristocracy

 The British aristocracy is divided into three main classes: 1. The Peerage 2. The Baronetage 3. The Knightage  Each class has within it sub-groups and/or hierarchies  Peers and Baronets are hereditary titles or ‘dignities’ – i.e. they can be passed down through the line o In England primogeniture has often dictated that a title is inherited through the male line; however, this is by no means absolute, e.g. Earldom of Gloucester o Primogeniture could also be broken but only by the monarch  Knights are ‘conferred’ – so titles are given and are for life only, they cannot be passed onto offspring  All titled individuals can be mapped onto a ‘table of precedence’ (hierarchy) – with the highest and oldest ranking first

How is this hierarchy maintained?

Debrett’s peerage: was established in 1769, and John Debrett's work ‘The Peerage’ became the steward of aristocratic heritage. Now, Debrett's is part of the British cultural fabric, appearing in classic books such as Vanity Fair and Brideshead Revisited, and works by Oscar Wilde, George Orwell and PG Wodehouse.

The introduction of new titles meant that Debrett’s regularly needed to be updated in order to preserve heritage and dictate the hierarchy. The Peerage

 A peer of the realm is someone who holds one (or more) of five possible titles (duke, marquess, earl, viscount, baron) inherited from a direct ancestor or bestowed upon him by the monarch. o Duke – Duchess – Your Grace o Marquess – Marchioness – Lord/ladyship o Earl – Countess - Lord/ladyship o Viscount – Viscountess - Lord/ladyship o Baron – Baroness - Lord/ladyship  Tracing its origins to feudal times, peers were in fact servants who swore an oath of loyalty to the monarch in exchange for protection or a fief - a bequest of land or money. o Control peers – control land – control the country  They were periodically summoned to the Counsel or Parliament, forming the origins of the House of Lords.  Historically the peerage formed a tightly knit group of powerful nobles, inter-related through blood and marriage in successive generations, and highly protective of their lands and rights.  Fortunes are dependent on the crown o New titles = New blood into the aristocracy o The last 3 were created in 1984 . Harold MacMillan – Earl of Stockton . William Whitelaw and George Thomas – Viscounts

The Baronetage

 The Baronetage is formed of Baronets. Baronets are distinct from Barons  They sit below the Peers of the realm in the table of precedence, in their own class, and are called ‘Sirs’. They follow their name with the letters ‘Bt.’  The hereditary order of Baronets (Baronetage) in England was instituted by ‘letters patent’ by King James I on 22 May 1611.  He offered the dignity to: 200 gentlemen of good birth, with a clear estate of £1,000 a year, on condition that each should pay into the king's exchequer in three equal instalments a sum equivalent to three years' pay to thirty soldiers at 8d per day per man

The creation of baronetcies lapsed in 1964

The Knightage

 The Knightage is the collective term for Knights Bachelor, and Knights and Dames of the Orders of Chivalry.  Knights and Dames are titles conferred by The Crown, and are for life only.  A Knight may use the title 'Sir' before his name (i.e. Sir John Smith), and a dame may use the title 'Dame' before her name (i.e. Dame Mary Jones).  Today there are c. 3,000 living knights and dames  All Knights and Dames were recorded in Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage up to and including the 1973-74 edition, but by this date the numbers of honours being created were too great

The Heraldry

 All peers and baronets are entitled to bear a coat of arms, or to apply for a grant of arms.  The ancient science of heraldry is thought to have evolved as a practical way to distinguish one combatant from another, both in tournaments and on the battlefield.  The expression 'Coat of Arms' came about from the practice of a Knight having his family insignia embroidered upon his surcoat - a garment that was worn over his armour or chain mail.  A Peer’s coat of arms will also include a coronet  Most will also include a family motto e.g. ‘God and my right’ – motto of Monarchy

‘Noblesse Oblige’

OR ‘obligation of nobility’

 With privilege comes responsibility - Expectation  This could include paying for local activity – such as access to doctors (pre-NHS, 1948), fetes, fairs  Providing alms for the poor, pensions for retainers  Paying for the upkeep of the local church, supporting local politics, acting as magistrates  To more basic things, such a providing good accommodation for tenants on their land

Above stairs – hierarchies

 Within the Country Houses domain, however, the ‘old’ hierarchies of class and aristocracy had been preserved through the first part of the C20th  The areas in which this was most visible, were when the household was entertaining other members of the peerage  Dinner Parties, House Parties, Shooting Parties, Country House Weekends – all provided environments where proper rules were to be observed  Codified manner of behaviour: o The use of titles and addresses in the correct order o The appropriate dress for each occasion o Sitting in the right place at dinner

Reception hierarchies

 Guests were ‘announced’ at the house using their title  This could be on arrival – if at a ball or evening event  Or at the first evening’s dinner if they were staying at the house  Etiquette dictated that the householders – the host and hostess - spoke to all guests

Dining hierarchies

 Dining tables for dinner involving members of the aristocracy had set seating plans  If it was practical – i.e. numbers permitted – guests would be sat male/female  Guests would also be sat in order of hierarchy – with the Sovereign, if present, at the head of the table  Conversation could be difficult, but etiquette demanded that guests to one’s left and right were given equal conversation time; the norm being to turn for each course

How did this change?

 While within the social sphere hierarchies were maintained, external change eroded the ‘old order’  Many of these changes form parts of our module in their own right: the impact of war, acts of parliament, costs of modernisation …  But there was also ‘internal’ change – an acceptance that the way of life which demanded an ‘obligation’ to one’s servants, tenants, and local residents, was no longer valid – other bodies had taken on the burden of social responsibility.  And once you were no longer beholden to your people, they were no longer beholden to you

Change to life peerage

 The Life Peerage Act of 1958 allowed the government to create life peerages (all baronies).  Life Peers are chosen by the Prime Minister, first from his/her own party, then on recommendation from leaders of opposition parties  Life peers, sometimes referred to as 'working peers', represent the various political parties and are expected to regularly attend the House of Lords.  They can be drawn from any walk of life  This further dilution of the aristocracy (added to the large numbers of individuals joining the Knightage) changed the shape of the Peerage