Upstairs, Downstairs
The Pre-War Years 2

Elizabeth and Richard at Elizabeth's wedding to the poet Lawrence Kirbridge.

Elizabeth with her "faithful handmaiden" Rose whilst living in Greenwich. Note the statuette on the right which was to play a part in the episode Married Love.

Oh, what are we going to do with Uncle Arthur? A blinking stallion, is Uncle Arthur. When he goes a-strolling in the park, Watch your step, girls, especially after dark. Any old skirt's a flirt for Uncle Arthur, He's over eighty, but how he can run! 'Give us a kiss, my dear,' he'd say, And tickle you on the boom-di-ay, And say it was just a harmless bit, A nice bruise on you, where you sit, A 'Let me go, Uncle Arthur' kind of fun.

During their brief time at Greenwich, Elizabeth conspired with the valet Thomas to persuade her husband Lawrence to buy a car. Elizabeth's first driving lesson ended with a wild ride through the countryside with the car out of control!

Upstairs life was slow and luxurious with evenings spent socialising or quietly playing cards. Like all of their class, the Bellamys also organised lavish dinner parties. The most memorable of these was when King Edward VII himself attended. The King was accompanied by his mistress, Alice Keppel, with the Hudson and the staff being informed that Queen Alexandra "does not play bridge". The evening ended with the event being gatecrashed by the pregnant former maid, Sarah, who had run away from the family estate at Southwold.

Not the most subtle pair of people in history - former servants Thomas and Sarah gatecrash a Bellamy family reunion bearing crass gifts for their erstwhile mistress.