Book Review: Below Stairs by Margaret Powell

Below Stairs is a memoir written by Margaret Powell where she brings forth her own experiences as a domestic servant in early 20th-century England. This book has gone on to inspire television shows such as Upstairs, Downstairs and Downtown Abbey. 

Powell has a very interesting way of writing, I would describe it as very amusing and caustic. It was the first book she had ever written and she had not gone to grammar school when she was younger. Therefore I did not expect there to be such exquisite writing. Although I was pleasantly surprised, I found myself having to jot down a few words that I did not understand. Otherwise, I found it really easy to immerse myself in the book because it felt as if I was having a conversation with Margaret Powell. It is unlike anything I’ve read before and I look forward to reading more like it. 

Through this book, Powell tries to convey the struggles, hardships and occasional joys experienced by herself and her fellow servants. In 1968, when the book was published, nothing like this book had been produced before. It serves as a valuable historical document, in that it portrayed the social dynamics and class divisions of the era. Powell writes about her firsthand account of being a kitchen maid and cook. She describes the clear contrast between the “upstairs” and “downstairs” worlds. She gives vivid descriptions of the cramped and often austere conditions of the servants’ living quarters and working areas. People were normally stuck in the domestic service for the rest of their lives. Powell reports on all the formalities that were taken to separate the two worlds. This made her feel inhuman and miserable, such an incident occurred on page 58…

“Mrs Clydesdale came down the stairs. I went to hand her the papers. She looked at me as if I were doing something sub-human. She didn’t speak a word, she just stood there looking at me as though she could hardly believe someone like me could be walking and breathing”

“I thought it was terrible … that someone could think that you were so low that you couldn’t even hand them anything out of your hand”

She also describes how Christmas was in the domestic service. Christmas is a jolly and joyful holiday but for Powell, it was rather bleak. It was an incredibly stressful time of year, a lot had to be done for the lavish dinner parties that went on upstairs. They had a little celebration in which the servants got presents and bonuses from the employers but Powell thought it was terrible. 

“I hated this parade of Christmas goodwill, and the pretense that we also had a good time at Christmas” (page 93)

Powell recalls all the instances in which there has been mistreatment and disdain from employers, exposing the unfairness and inequality of life in domestic service. She points out that servants have lives too. They have dreams, goals and aspirations beyond their servitude. Powell describes the solidarity and camaraderie that was formed below the stairs.

The true highlight of this book is when Powell recalls the humorous incident that occurred during her time in service. Such as "The gentlemen who liked to stroke the housemaids curlers" or the time she accidentally poured a whole bunch of hot potatoes down a guest's cleavage. An enjoyable read indeed.