Diamonds at Dinner : My Life As a Lady's Maid in a 1930s Stately Home

A fascinating memoir of life as a lady's maid in a big house in the 1930s, covering the beauty of the house, the housing of royals escaping the Nazis, the hard work of staff, and the experience of joining the army to serve a Countess Hilda Newman was a maid to Lady Coventry at the Worcestershire stately home of Croome Court in the 1930s. In her fascinating memoir of life below the stairs (as well as glimpses from inside the big house), she reveals what it was like living and working in the 18th Century Neo-Palladian mansion surrounded by parkland landscaped by Lancelot "Capability" Brown. During World War II Croome Court housed the exiled Dutch Royal Family, who escaped the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. It was also the top-secret RAF base Defford, where radar was developed and repairs were carried out on aircraft fighting in the Battle of Britain. Hilda remembers life both upstairs and down, from the grand long gallery designed by Robert Adam and the tapestry room (since removed and transferred to the Metropolitan Museum in New York), to the hard labor demanded of serving staff and what it was like in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), the women's branch of the British Army, which she joined to serve the Countess in 1940. 'i Thought I'd Gone To A Prison'this Was Hilda Newman's First Impression When, At The Age Of 19, She Left Her Parents' Little Terraced Cottage In Lincolnshire And Embarked On A New Life As A Lady's Maid At Croome Court, The Enormous Stately Home Of Lord And Lady Coventry.the Year Was 1935: The Twilight Of The English Aristocracy. It Was A Time Of Wealth And Glamour; Of Lavish Balls And Evening Gown; Of Tiaras And A Coronation. As Personal Maide To Lady Coventry, Hilda Had A Unique Insight Into The Leisured Life Of One Of Britain's Most Noble Families.in Her Fascinating Memoir Of Life Upstairs And Down, Hilda Takes Us Back To A Gilded Era Which Would Be Brutally Swept Away By The Second World War. Hers Is A Very Personal Story Of Being Transplanted From A Tiny House With No Bath Or Hot Water To An Eighteenth-century Neo-palladian Mansion Surrounded By Parkland Landscaped By Lancelot 'capability' Brown.but It Also The Remarkable Story Of The Family Who Service She Entered - And That Of Croome Court Itself: During World War Two, It Housed The Dutch Royal Family - Who Had Fled The Nazi Occupation - And It Was Also Home To The Top-secret Raf Base Where Radar Was Developed. This Is Hilda's Story. Annotation I THOUGHT ID GONE TO A PRISONThis was Hilda Newmans first impression when, at the age of 19, she left her parents little terraced cottage in Lincolnshire and embarked on a new life as a ladys maid at Croome Court, the enormous stately home of Lord and Lady Coventry.The year was 1935: the twilight of the English aristocracy. It was a time of wealth and glamour; of lavish balls and evening gown; of tiaras and a Coronation. As personal maide to Lady Coventry, Hilda had a unique insight into the leisured life of one of Britains most noble families.In her fascinating memoir of life upstairs and down, Hilda takes us back to a gilded era which would be brutally swept away by the Second World War. Hers is a very personal story of being transplanted from a tiny house with no bath or hot water to an eighteenth-century Neo-Palladian mansion surrounded by parkland landscaped by Lancelot Capability Brown.But it also the remarkable story of the family who service she entered and that of Croome Court itself: during World War Two, it housed the Dutch Royal Family who had fled the Nazi occupation and it was also home to the top-secret RAF base where radar was developed. This is Hildas story "The year was 1935: the twilight of the English aristocracy. It was a time of wealth and glamour; of lavish balls and evening gowns; of tiaras and a Coronation. As personal maid to Lady Coventry, Hilda had a unique insight into the leisured life of one of Britain's most noble families. In her fascinating memoir of life upstairs and down, Hilda takes us back to a gilded era which would be brutally swept away by the Second World War. Hers is a very personal story of being transplanted from a tiny house with no bath or hot water to an eighteenth-century Neo-Palladian mansion surrounded by parkland landscaped by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown. But it is also the remarkable story of the family whose service she entered - and that of Croome Court itself: during World War Two, it housed the Dutch Royal Family - who had fled the Nazi occupation - and it was also home to the top-secret RAF base where radar was developed. This is Hilda's story."--Publisher's description 'I THOUGHT I'D GONE TO A PRISON' This was Hilda Newman's first impression when, at the age of 19, she left her parents' little terraced cottage in Lincolnshire and embarked on a new life as a lady's maid at Croome Court, the enormous stately home of Lord and Lady Coventry. The year was 1935: the twilight of the English aristocracy. It was a time of wealth and glamour; of lavish balls and evening gown; of tiaras and a Coronation. As personal maide to Lady Coventry, Hilda had a unique insight into the leisured life of one of Britain's most noble families