The Downton Abbey thread

[tinlizzie]

If you like DA for the history as well as the soap opera factor (I love both), you might like to order the Netflix DVD of another BBC Masterpiece Theater show, this one an Anthony Trollope book -- The Way We Live Now. It provides a look into a scoundrel's shady business practices and the consequences. This was set before Downton Abbey --prior to the turn of the 20th Century -- but can reel you in once you start. Sadly, things don't seem to have changed so much.

 

[Kayelle]

I'm glad to see this post Lizzie. The Way We Live Now has been on my Netflix list for some time and now I'll check it out to be sure.

 

[bakechef]

The way we live now, is also on Netflix instant watch, I may give it a go.

 

[jabbur]

I finally gave in and watched the first season today. Got all 7 episodes in since DH was teaching and the yungun was at band practice. We stream through our Wii. Does anyone know if you can stream amazon stuff with it too? If not, I'll have to watch season 2 on the computer.

 

[buckytom]

If you like DA for the history as well as the soap opera factor (I love both), .

i certainly do, from a personal familial standpoint. my grandfather was heavily involved in movement to "toss off the yoke of english rule" in ireland while living in co. leitrim (a border county just outside the six counties that the english refused to allow to be free.) my grandfather was fairly wealthy from having served in the u.s. army during world war 1, receiving 2 purple hearts in action overseas, and then took his disability pay from the u.s. government back to live in ireland after the war which he invested wisely. my dad was raised in a nice house with indoor plumbing and electricity, private schooling, a maid, and a car of their own. most of these things were very rare in the north midlands of ireland back in the early twenties.

my dad has often talked of things that are mentioned in the show by the chauffeur tom branson (who married lady sybil). things like the black and tans, the fenian brotherhood and the r.u.c., and so on.

 

[tinlizzie]

i certainly do, from a personal familial standpoint. my grandfather was heavily involved in movement to "toss off the yoke of english rule" in ireland while living in co. leitrim (a border county just outside the six counties that the english refused to allow to be free.) my grandfather was fairly wealthy from having served in the u.s. army during world war 1, receiving 2 purple hearts in action overseas, and then took his disability pay from the u.s. government back to live in ireland after the war which he invested wisely. my dad was raised in a nice house with indoor plumbing and electricity, private schooling, a maid, and a car of their own. most of these things were very rare in the north midlands of ireland back in the early twenties.

my dad has often talked of things that are mentioned in the show by the chauffeur tom branson (who married lady sybil). things like the black and tans, the fenian brotherhood and the r.u.c., and so on.

Thank you for personalizing DA for us, BT. I'm sure we'll all be more attentive to the Lady Sybil/Branson story line as it moves forward.

I'm sorry to show my ignorance (and could Google it I know), but might you say something about those latter things you mentioned -- my knowledge of them is scant if not nonexistent.

 

[Gravy Queen]

i certainly do, from a personal familial standpoint. my grandfather was heavily involved in movement to "toss off the yoke of english rule" in ireland while living in co. leitrim (a border county just outside the six counties that the english refused to allow to be free.) my grandfather was fairly wealthy from having served in the u.s. army during world war 1, receiving 2 purple hearts in action overseas, and then took his disability pay from the u.s. government back to live in ireland after the war which he invested wisely. my dad was raised in a nice house with indoor plumbing and electricity, private schooling, a maid, and a car of their own. most of these things were very rare in the north midlands of ireland back in the early twenties.

my dad has often talked of things that are mentioned in the show by the chauffeur tom branson (who married lady sybil). things like the black and tans, the fenian brotherhood and the r.u.c., and so on.

That's fascinating Bucky, where I am from we practically all have Irish heritage . It's not far from me yet I have never been to Ireland, have you been or do you have plans to go ?

 

[Kayelle]

Disclaimer: don't look here if you haven't started on season 3....

Since we are all foodies, I found this interesting blog Downton Abbey Cooks

Enjoy!

 

[tinlizzie]

Thanks, Kayelle. I'll bet we could put some of that gorgeous wedding fruitcake on a plate for the coffee klatsch.

If anyone would like to take a look at Julian Fellowes, there is a BBC series available through Netflix called "A Most Mysterious Murder" on two discs. The description calls him "novelist, actor, director and Oscar-winning screenwriter" (Gosford Park). The mysteries are actual unsolved century-old murders that Fellowes presents in an Alfred Hitchcock manner -- he's quite droll. I could have sworn one of the women victims was our Mrs. O'Brien from DA.

 

[Kayelle]

Thanks Lizzie, I'll give that a look see.

I started watching the old classic series "Upstairs Downstairs" but after the second episode, I gave up. The "British Speak" so hard to understand, and the characters are unlikable and annoying. Downton Abbey it's not! I can hardly wait for the new episode of DA tonight, although I'll be watching it on the website in the morning as "The Golden Globes" and I have a date this evening.

 

[Addie]

Thanks Kayelle. I have it marked for reading at three in the morning when I am wide awake.

 

[buckytom]

Thank you for personalizing DA for us, BT. I'm sure we'll all be more attentive to the Lady Sybil/Branson story line as it moves forward.

I'm sorry to show my ignorance (and could Google it I know), but might you say something about those latter things you mentioned -- my knowledge of them is scant if not nonexistent.

i can't really comment on any of these things as i would have a certain bias that would essentially cause me to speak of these things in a political light which is disallowed at dc, and i'm already in enough trouble here of late for much more trivial matters.

all the same, be careful if or when you search about these topics and consider their source from which the information about them has come. the victors usually write the history in any given situation, but both the english and irish have had a lot to say over the years about "the troubles" as it has come to be known.

 

[buckytom]

That's fascinating Bucky, where I am from we practically all have Irish heritage . It's not far from me yet I have never been to Ireland, have you been or do you have plans to go ?

you might be sorry you asked.

why yes, my last trip to ireland was back in 2003. i saw a lot of ireland that most visiting americans have or will ever see (or will ever want to, really.)

i started in dublin staying with friends in the suburb of balbriggan for a few days, then went with them to their family's home in west belfast. while in belfast i visited a lot of political and historical sites such as the sinn fein headquarters, divis tower, both sides of falls road and shankill road taking pictures of the political murals along the way, paid my respects at the gravesites of bobby sands and the other hunger '80's hunger strikers, and a number of other places along the same lines.

i also toured up the coast road to see the place where the titanic was built, and then visited derry for a day, having lunch in a pub in the bog side and shopping along the wall where bloody sunday occurred. again, i can't really speak to these things here.

but then i went off on my own driving down through kilkenny and into ballinamore, the town where my dad grew up. i even found the house my grandfather built back in 1920, finally owning it free and clear under the saorstat eireann act (a free irish state) in 1922. when the current owner learned that i was in town, he invited me to visit for tea and videotape the house to show my dad when i returned to the states. he even showed me my grandfather's original plans and deed to the house as a free irishman.

next, i travelled across central ireland to co. sligo to photograph some castles, then to co. mayo to the town of westport, partying there for an overnight before doing my pilgrimage up and down croagh patrick, the mountain where st. patrick was said to have built a church and banned all the snakes from ireland. (he was a very thorough saint, even removing all of the snakes' fossils as well, lol).

finally, i went back to ballinamore and then down to mullingar in co. westmeath before heading back to dublin, then back home to america.

so yes, i've been to ireland.

back to downton abbey and the folks who were able to live that way on the money they made from enslaving other nations.

oops. that one slipped out.

i'm hoping that the tom branson/sybil relationship will mention some of the goings on in ireland in '22 in future episodes of downton abbey.

 

[tinlizzie]

Message received, BT.

I gave up the Globes last night to watch DA. But the Globes will, I hope, be another thread.

Nice, juicy episode wasn't it? I was pleased to have watched the full hour last evening of the program on the current owners of Highclere Castle, including that other shoe about the family name Carnarvan. So great-grandfather was the man who with Howard Carter opened the tomb of Tutankhamen in the 20's. Too bad that couldn't have been worked into the DA story line. The current owners have had replicas made of some of the tomb's wonders -- the pieces are in the 'basement' and are visited by tourists. The butler serving the family now shares his time besides butlering by selling tickets for the tours that are helping the Earl keep the castle maintained, said to run about $1 million a year what with constant repairs. He said the money they get for the DA filming is really a help, as well.

 

[buckytom]

i saw that, "the secrets of highclere castle". it was very interesting.

a large part of why people really like da is that it's not only really well written, but a combination of soap opera and comedy sprinkled witb historical references.

as such, there's how matthew came into his recently inherited fortune after the disappearance of the other heir to lavinia swire's father's fortune at one of his tea plantations in india.

there's the reference to the east india company - company rule / british raj, as well as leaving a loose thread about the other heir's whereabouts. again, very well played.

 

[tinlizzie]

I do hope the present Earl of Carnavan gets a nose-hair trimmer for Christmas next.

 

[Kayelle]

 

[Kayelle]

I love all the one liners......

 

[tinlizzie]

I thought Lady Mary looked awfully nice at the Golden Globes -- but so thin!

 

[Gravy Queen]

Buckytom that was a fascinating read! You put me to shame for not getting my arse over there yet !!