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The Housekeeper's Tale
- The Women Who Really Ran the English Country House
- Narrated by: Tessa Boase
- Length: 11 hrs and 36 mins
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The Housekeeper's Tale
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Summary
Working as a housekeeper was one of the most prestigious jobs a 19th and early 20th-century woman could want - and also one of the toughest. A far cry from the Downton Abbey fiction, the real life Mrs. Hughes was up against featured capricious mistresses, low pay, no job security, and grueling physical labor. Until now, her story has never been told.
The Housekeeper's Tale reveals the personal sacrifices, bitter disputes and driving ambition that shaped these women's careers. Using secret diaries, unpublished letters, and the neglected service archives of our stately homes, Tessa Boase tells the extraordinary stories of five working women who ran some of Britain's most prominent households.
Dorothy Doar was Regency housekeeper for the obscenely wealthy first Duke and Duchess of Sutherland at Trentham Hall, Staffordshire. Sarah Wells, a deaf and elderly Victorian (mother to H.G. Wells), was in charge of Uppark, West Sussex. Ellen Penketh was Edwardian cook-housekeeper at the impecunious Erddig Hall in the Welsh borders. Hannah Mackenzie ran Wrest Park in Bedfordshire, Britain's first country-house war hospital. Grace Higgens was cook-housekeeper to the Bloomsbury set at Charleston farmhouse in East Sussex for half a century.
Revelatory, gripping and unexpectedly poignant, The Housekeeper's Tale champions the invisible women behind the English country house.
New version - now with no music.
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What listeners say about The Housekeeper's Tale
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 21-07-17
Interesting
This book was narrated perfectly well but I found the 'incidental ' music unpleasant, annoying and unnecessary.
The content of the book was interesting and thought provoking although I did feel that, at times, the author made some unwarranted assumptions.
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 24-09-18
Arduous tome
Very detailed recollection of a time and profession known little about. Excellent study aid if this subject branches into your field. Fascinating how hard work and loyalty often went unrewarded and little mention made by the housekeeper or her mistress as the author's research seems vast and exhaustive putting this book together. It's a very real recollection of events and not a sort of Downton Abbey with all the juicy bits if that's what you think this is.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- K. G. Harmon
- 15-11-16
Too many stars? Not really.
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Yes, I would because it is not only well researched but absorbing and moving.
Who was your favorite character and why?
Sarah Wells. Her plight late in life and the scrutiny of her famous son made this fascinating.
Have you listened to any of Tessa Boase’s other performances? How does this one compare?
Don't know of any.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
There were too many to mention.
Any additional comments?
The voice is beautiful and modulated and appropriate to the content, though you can occasionally hear indignation bubbling under the surface.
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10 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Josie Lovett
- 22-11-21
Very enjoyable
A really interesting book and look at the undervalued housekeepers of great houses. Enjoyed the narration.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Janice
- 02-09-20
A wonderful look at an upstairs downstairs life.
Really enjoyed this book !
Super narration and such an interesting look at a part of social history from the last 100 years .
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Emily
- 27-08-21
absolutely loved
this book was fascinating. I feel like I understand so much more of the culture of grand house
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ms Bee
- 10-01-23
Really interesting insight
Recommend reading/listening to anyone interested in the hidden lives of these great houses. Nicely separated into individual stories of the house keepers and narration easy to listen to.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lisa
- 26-06-21
Excellent
Very interesting well research and beautifully narrated domestic servants so very badly treated indeed yes
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jane Haynes
- 04-12-17
the housekeepers
Excellent book that gives a great insight housekeepers lives and lot of history l enjoy the book
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- J Moncrieff
- 24-01-24
Fascinating insight
Tessa’s book really brought the lives of the housekeepers to life and how their role changed through time. Well narrated too at just the right speed.
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