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This is an alphabetical list of characters from the
ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...
series '' Upstairs, Downstairs'', which aired from 1971 to 1975.


Cast

; Key : Regular cast (4 or more episodes) : Recurring cast (2–3 episodes) : Guest cast (1 episode)


''Upstairs''


Bellamy family


Lady Marjorie Bellamy

Portrayed by
Rachel Gurney Rachel Gurney (5 March 1920 – 24 November 2001) was an English actress. She began her career in the theatre towards the end of World War II and then expanded into television and film in the 1950s. She remained active, mostly in television a ...
, Lady Marjorie Helen Sybil Bellamy (née Lady Marjorie Helen Sybil Talbot-Carey; 6 May 1860 or 12 July 1864 – 15 April 1912) is the wife of Richard Bellamy and the mother of James and Elizabeth. In the summer of 1906, she has an affair with a much younger man, Charles Victor Hammond, a captain in the Khyber Rifles and a friend of her son James. Lady Marjorie continues to employ their under-parlour maid Sarah when she becomes pregnant and then miscarries the illegitimate child of James. Blackmail for Lady Marjorie's affair later helps her chauffeur and Sarah in leaving service and purchasing their own business, a garage. Lady Marjorie dies in 1912, a victim of the sinking of the , while her lady's maid, Miss Roberts, survives.


Richard Bellamy

Portrayed by
David Langton David Muir Langton (born Basil Muir Langton-Dodds; 16 April 1912 – 25 April 1994) was a British actor who is best remembered for playing Richard Bellamy in the period drama '' Upstairs, Downstairs''. Early years David Langton was born Basi ...
, Richard Pemberton Bellamy,
Viscount A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-hereditary, administrative or judicial ...
Bellamy of
Haversham Haversham is a village in the City of Milton Keynes unitary authority area, in Buckinghamshire, England. It is situated to the north of (and separated by the River Great Ouse from) the Milton Keynes urban area, near Wolverton and about north of ...
(1853–before 1936),Rose says that the "Bellamys" gave her the silver teapot; she left service before 1936, yet mentions both of them, meaning Richard was dead by 1936 but alive when Rose left. was the youngest son of the
parson A parson is an ordained Christian person responsible for a small area, typically a parish. The term was formerly often used for some Anglican clergy and, more rarely, for ordained ministers in some other churches. It is no longer a formal term d ...
of Burnham Trenton in Norfolk, Charles Bellamy, and his wife Hannah. As a young man he won a scholarship to
Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
, where he excelled. In 1880, he married the wealthy Lady Marjorie Talbot-Carey and became a
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...
MP. They had two children, James and Elizabeth. Richard has an older brother named Arthur ( John Nettleton), who bullied Richard as a child. In 1909 Arthur visits Richard, the two have a falling out and they never speak to each other again. Early in the series he becomes a junior minister (Civil Lord of the
Admiralty Admiralty most often refers to: *Admiralty, Hong Kong *Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964 *The rank of admiral *Admiralty law Admiralty can also refer to: Buildings * Admiralty, Traf ...
in the Balfour ministry. He has a brief, steamy affair with a Vienna-born French Countess de Ternay, which ends on wistfully friendly terms when they both realise neither has the wealth that their public appearances imply. Widowed by Lady Marjorie's death, he marries Virginia Hamilton, a war widow, in 1919. He is later created Viscount Bellamy of Haversham and a
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George III. It is named in honour ...
. In the 2010 revival of ''Upstairs, Downstairs'', Rose Buck refers to her late master, Lord Richard Bellamy of Haversham, with the implication that Richard had died sometime between 1930 and 1936; Rose later claims that "The Bellamys", meaning Richard and Virginia, gave Rose a teapot for all of her hard work when she left their service sometime between 1930 and 1936.


Elizabeth Bellamy

Portrayed by
Nicola Pagett Nicola Mary Pagett Scott (15 June 1945 – 3 March 2021), known professionally as Nicola Pagett, was a British actress, known for her role as Elizabeth Bellamy in the 1970s TV drama series '' Upstairs, Downstairs'' (1971–1973), as well as being ...
, Miss Elizabeth Bellamy, later Elizabeth Kirbridge and then The Honourable Elizabeth Wallace after her father's elevation to the peerage (b. 1887), is the daughter of Richard and Lady Marjorie Bellamy and the sister of James. Elizabeth is sent to finishing school in Germany and upon her return to London, finds the upper class life of the Bellamys claustrophobic. Experimenting with socialism and women's liberation without an understanding of the true costs of activism, she marries penniless and sexually ambiguous poet Lawrence Kirbridge. Elizabeth tries to have the marriage annulled, but becomes pregnant by Lawrence Kirbridge's publisher, through a cold-blooded arrangement between Lawrence and the publisher to seduce her. Elizabeth gives birth to a daughter, Lucy Elizabeth, and her father and mother make provision for Lawrence so that the couple can separate. Elizabeth takes up with Julius Karekin, an opportunistic, wealthy businessman who uses her to gain access to her father and his government connections and then gives Elizabeth a hat shop. Elizabeth fails to read her true situation, seeing the gift as loving support of her new-found equality: meanwhile, the businessman uses his new connections to court a Marchioness. Elizabeth moves to New York and marries Dana J. Wallace in about 1911, and never again appears in the series, remaining in America.


Georgina Worsley

Portrayed by
Lesley-Anne Down Lesley-Anne Down (born 17 March 1954) is a British actress, singer and former model. She achieved fame as Georgina Worsley in the ITV drama series '' Upstairs, Downstairs'' (1973–75). She received further recognition for her performances in t ...
, Georgina, Marchioness of Stockbridge (née Georgina Worsley, born 28 November 1895) is the step-daughter of Lady Marjorie's brother Hugo, her natural father having died in a hunting accident when she was six years old. Her mother and step-father die along with Lady Marjorie in the sinking of the in 1912, after which she moves into 165 Eaton Place. She spends the war years serving in France as a VAD Nurse, where her patients include her step-cousin James. During the 1920s, she joins the ranks of young people known as the "Bright Young Things"—silly, giddy, empty-headed types—but changes her ways after she accidentally runs over and kills a farmworker. She is saved by the testimony of Robert,
Marquess A marquess (; french: marquis ), es, marqués, pt, marquês. is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman wi ...
of Stockbridge, whom she later marries.


James Bellamy

Portrayed by Simon Williams,
Major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
The Honourable James Rupert Bellamy MC (1881 – October 1929) is the son of Richard and Lady Marjorie Bellamy and the brother of Elizabeth. He attended the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst and serves as an officer in the Life Guards of the British Household Cavalry until 1919. He has a series of relationships with women of inferior birth, and fails to launch himself as a responsible adult capable of managing a career, his money and relationships. He is sent off to a military post in India so that he would not be present when his illegitimate child with an underparlour maid is born; the child dies in childbirth. He returned to England with a middle class fiancé, putting pressure on the underparlour maid to find another situation. After losing his fiancé, he leaves the military for a position with an investment firm prior to meeting Hazel Forrest, whom he marries. He rejoins the Army in World War I. Hazel predeceases him in 1918. He commits suicide after losing his fortune in the
Wall Street Crash of 1929 The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also known as the Great Crash, was a major American stock market crash that occurred in the autumn of 1929. It started in September and ended late in October, when share prices on the New York Stock Exchange colla ...
.


Hazel Bellamy

Portrayed by
Meg Wynn Owen Margaret Wright ( Shuttleworth, 8 November 1939 – June 2022), better known as Meg Wynn Owen, was a British actress known for her role as Hazel Bellamy in '' Upstairs, Downstairs''. She also appeared in ''Gosford Park'', ''Love Actually, Pride ...
, Hazel Bellamy (née Hazel Patricia Forrest; circa 1883–1918) first appears in the episode "
Miss Forrest "Miss Forrest" is the first episode of the third series of the British television series, '' Upstairs, Downstairs''. The episode is set in 1912, and is the last appearance of Rachel Gurney as Lady Marjorie Bellamy. It also introduces Hazel Fo ...
" as secretary to Richard Bellamy; she is a middle class young woman who has been earning a living as a secretary for ten years, against her parents' wishes. This conflict gives the viewer a rare view of the interior of her parents' middle-class home: one of the few domestic locations in the series other than the Bellamys' home. James is immediately attracted to her, and within two years they marry, after she initially declined his proposal, having been married before to a violent alcoholic named Patrick O'Connor. The class divide between James and Hazel causes early conflicts with Hazel's parents, the Bellamys' staff and in the marriage. In the early months of 1914 Hazel suffers a miscarriage which sends her into an extended depression. During the war she falls in love with a young airman named Jack Dyson, who dies in action. Hazel is particularly close to Richard, Georgina and Rose, but Hudson never truly accepts her, a middle class woman, as mistress of the house. Hazel dies in the
Spanish flu pandemic The 1918–1920 influenza pandemic, commonly known by the misnomer Spanish flu or as the Great Influenza epidemic, was an exceptionally deadly global influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 influenza A virus. The earliest documented case was ...
days before
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
ends in 1918.


Virginia Bellamy

Portrayed by
Hannah Gordon Hannah Campbell Grant Gordon
Film reference website
(born 9 April 1941) is a Scottish actress and presenter ...
, Virginia, Viscountess Bellamy of Haversham (formerly Virginia Hamilton) is the widow of
Naval Officer An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service. Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer, or a warrant officer. However, absent context ...
Charles Hamilton (killed during
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
when sank in 1914). She meets Richard when she asks for help to establish a fund for the children of naval officers killed in battle, and they initially dislike each other. Virginia returns about a year later, when her seventeen-year-old son Michael (who is at that time serving as a midshipman aboard a British Navy coastal patrol boat) is
court-martial A court-martial or court martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of memb ...
led for cowardice. At Hazel's urging, Richard asks family solicitor Sir Geoffrey Dillon to help. Michael is subsequently killed in action. By this point, both Richard and Hazel have become extremely fond of Virginia and her two other children, Alice and William. She becomes a viscountess when she and Richard marry in 1919 and honeymoon in France following the signing of the Versailles Peace Treaty.


Other Upstairs characters


Lady Southwold

Veteran actress
Cathleen Nesbitt Cathleen Nesbitt (born Kathleen Mary Nesbitt; 24 November 18882 August 1982) was an English actress. Biography Born in Birkenhead, Cheshire,Before 1 April 1974 Birkenhead was in Cheshire England to Thomas and Mary Catherine (née Parry) Nesb ...
portrayed Lady Mabel Talbot-Carey, Countess of Southwold. She was the mother of Lady Marjorie and grandmother of James and Elizabeth Bellamy. She married Walter Hugo Talbot-Carey, large landowner and influential Conservative politician, sometime in the early 1860s; by this marriage she had two children – Lady Marjorie and Hugo, Lord Ashby and later Earl of Southwold. Her husband also had a brother and at least one nephew, who succeeded Hugo as Earl of Southwold in 1912 when he and his sister Lady Marjorie died in the sinking of the . She was often accompanied by her useful but snobbish lady's companion Miss Hodges, a clergyman's daughter from Cromer. On a visit to 165 Eaton Place Lady Southwold allegedly loses a valuable brooch, leading to a suspicion of theft by the staff. A Cartier jeweller later arrives at the house stating that she left the item at the shop to have a loose stone reset. At Christmas 1913 she gives Georgina a diamond filigree necklace that has been in the family for four generations. Towards the end of World War I the old lady insists on a private ambulance being used to bring her wounded grandson James back from France. The possibility of Georgina going to 'her grandmother's hoise at Southwold is mentioned at the time of Hazel's death, so Lady Southwold was still alive in November 1918. She is not, however, referred to again in any way.


Lady Castleton

Portrayed by
Margaretta Scott Margaretta Mary Winifred ScottBrian McFarlane, "Scott, Margaretta Mary Winifred (1912–2005)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, Jan 201available online Retrieved 30 August 2020. (13 February 1912 – 15 Apri ...
, Lady Southwold's sister, Lady Katherine "Kate" Castleton (died 1921), was to have presented Elizabeth to King Edward VII at a Londonderry House ball in 1905. By 1912, she is known as 'stone deaf and not very good company' dying in 1921 and leaving James £1,000, some of which he used to buy an aeroplane.


"Bunny," Marquess of Newbury

Portrayed by John Quayle, Lord Newbury (later the Marquess of Newbury) is James Bellamy's best friend, who attended the same schools and served as an officer in the Household Cavalry with him. A meek, quiet, and decent man known to his friends as Bunny, he marries Lady Diana Russell in 1912 having inherited his title and estates the previous year. He served gallantly in the Great War up to 1917 when he was promoted to be an aide-de-camp and taken out of the frontline. Dominated by his spouse, he is happiest playing his expected role of a traditional English country squire, a duty described by his wife as "scratching the backs of pigs with a glazed look in his eye." Faced with his wife's adultery, he refuses to cause a scandal believing that "no man should divorce a woman" and offers to give her grounds instead. When Diana returns to him, he takes her back without a qualm, but the couple remain childless.


Diana Newbury

Portrayed by
Celia Bannerman Celia Bannerman (born 3 June 1944) is an English actress and director. Career Bannerman was born at Abingdon, Oxfordshire, and trained at the London Drama Centre. She started her professional career with Ralph Richardson as Dolly in Bernard S ...
, Diana, Marchioness of Newbury (née Lady Diana Russell 1883-) is a childhood friend and love interest of James, but taking her mother's advice to 'marry well', weds his wealthy best friend Bunny instead. At a weekend hunting party at Somerby Park in 1913, Diana, jealous and contemptuous of James' middle-class wife Hazel, secretly switches horses on her, nearly causing a disastrous accident. In the spring of 1923 James and Diana meet by chance at an illicit London jazz club and have a weekend fling at a cottage in Sandwich as Diana schemes for them both to run away to the Continent. Diana's plans are thwarted and a divorce scandal looms; James offers to marry her but confesses that the war destroyed the man she once knew and that he cannot 'get on' with life, content instead to watch it go by. Diana, faced with James' ambivalence and defeatism, returns to Bunny who takes her on a world cruise to try and rekindle their relationship.


Henrietta Winchmore

Portrayed by Jenifer Armitage, Henrietta Winchmore is the best friend of Elizabeth; she lives in her own apartment. She is a fellow feminist and Fabian Socialist who takes Elizabeth in when she runs away from her family after an altercation. Winchmore briefly challenges Richard on his conservative view as opposed to her liberal/radical views and serves as Elizabeth's maid of honour at her wedding.


Julius Karekin

Portrayed by
Donald Burton Donald Graham Burton (10 February 1934 – 8 December 2007) was an English theatre and television actor. Life and career Donald was born in Norwich, England, on 10 February 1934. He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art on a scholarship ...
, Julius Karekin (born 1875) is a wealthy social climber and a very knowledgeable and talented stockbroker of
Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
descent, who has an affair with the recently separated Elizabeth Kirbridge. He saves Elizabeth from imprisonment by mentioning her family and connections to the police after she takes part in a
suffragette A suffragette was a member of an activist women's organisation in the early 20th century who, under the banner "Votes for Women", fought for the right to vote in public elections in the United Kingdom. The term refers in particular to members ...
attack on a government minister's London home. He uses her to further his career and contacts, and gives Elizabeth a hat shop in Mayfair's Brook Street, and successfully manages the stocks she inherited from a recently deceased great-aunt. To further his influence, Karekin buys the lease on 165 Eaton Place when it is put up for sale upon Lord Southwold's death, subsequently giving the deed to Elizabeth to help save her parents from eviction. Owing to Richard Bellamy's connections, he becomes a good friend of Arthur Balfour, financial adviser to the Tory Party, and a candidate for membership in the exclusive Pall Mall men's club, the Athenaeum. However, Elizabeth and he later part company.


Lady Dolly Hale

Portrayed by Madeleine Cannon, Lady Dorothy "Dolly" Beatrice Louisa Hale is one of Georgina's closest friends and a fellow "Bright Young Thing". Lady Dolly is the daughter of the Earl of Shelbourne and lives, in 1928, in
Mayfair Mayfair is an affluent area in the West End of London towards the eastern edge of Hyde Park, in the City of Westminster, between Oxford Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly and Park Lane. It is one of the most expensive districts in the world. ...
. In 1927, while visiting Georgina, Lady Dolly meets Frederick, the Bellamy's footman, and they soon start an affair. Lady Dolly then secretly arranges for Georgina and Frederick to have to kiss in a film that they are both starring in. Despite this, Georgina and Lady Dolly remain friends, although Frederick leaves service. However, in the summer of 1928, Lady Dolly, Georgina, Lord Stockbridge and three others take part in a
scavenger hunt ''Scavenger Hunt'' is a 1979 American comedy film with a large ensemble cast which includes Richard Benjamin, James Coco, Scatman Crothers, Ruth Gordon, Cloris Leachman, Cleavon Little, Roddy McDowall, Robert Morley, Richard Mulligan, Tony Randa ...
; Georgina drives them down to finish the hunt, and runs over and kills a man on his
bicycle A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-powered assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A is called a cyclist, or bicyclist. Bic ...
. At the ensuing
inquest An inquest is a judicial inquiry in common law jurisdictions, particularly one held to determine the cause of a person's death. Conducted by a judge, jury, or government official, an inquest may or may not require an autopsy carried out by a coro ...
, Lady Dolly, who takes
cocaine Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly recreational drug use, used recreationally for its euphoria, euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from t ...
, gives evidence which harms Georgina's case. After the inquest, Georgina states that she never wants to see Lady Dolly again.


Lady Prudence Fairfax

Portrayed by
Joan Benham Joan may refer to: People and fictional characters *Joan (given name), including a list of women, men and fictional characters *:Joan of Arc, a French military heroine *Joan (surname) Weather events *Tropical Storm Joan (disambiguation), multiple ...
, Lady Prudence Fairfax (born 1862) is Lady Marjorie's oldest and closest friend. She makes her first appearance in Series 1, episode 5 "A Suitable Marriage". She can be gossipy and frivolous, but she remains a close and trusted family friend until the end of the complete series. She is informally called "Pru", and James calls her Aunt Pru, although she is not related to the Bellamys. Despite that, she is often included in family celebrations and is considered family by the Bellamys and due to the fact that she is such a constant and familiar presence at 165 Eaton Place, she is well-liked and respected by the Bellamy servants. The early series reveals that Lady Prudence was married with a daughter in her late teens or early twenties named Agatha. Subsequent series refer to an aging husband named Archie who dies off screen leaving her a widow; she attends Elizabeth's 1909 wedding with Agatha (her only appearance during the entire run, but with no dialogue). Eventually, Agatha herself gets married. After Lady Marjorie dies, Lady Prudence periodically visits 165 Eaton Place to see how Richard Bellamy and son James are coping. She had also hopes to be the one to marry the widowed Richard, having known him for many years, but even though she did not, remains a close family friend even though Richard is remarried later, to Virginia Hamilton. She was not mentioned in the 2010 continuation, presumably having died in the years (1930 to 1936) between the two incarnations of the show.


Mrs. Van Groeben

Portrayed by
Yolande Turner Yolande Turner, also known as Yolande Finch (12 December 1935 – 6 November 2003), was a British actress and screenwriter. Born in South Africa as Yolande Eileen Turnbull, she was the second wife of actor Peter Finch, by whom she had two child ...
. A social climbing colonial of Dutch descent, Mrs. Van Groeben (born 1862) is a haughty and unpleasant ''nouveau riche'' woman from Cape Town, South Africa. She is married and has a daughter named Wilhelmina, who claims to be 'great, great friends' with Lady Prudence Fairfax's daughter, Agatha, even though they only just met the previous night. Mrs. Van Groeben is an acquaintance of Lady Marjorie, Lady Prudence and Lady Templeton who works with them on a domestic servants aid committee, but her snobbery and condescending attitude result in her being deeply disliked by all three women, especially Lady Templeton. So conceited is she, that she believes that she is a subject of envy in London society. Mrs. Van Groeben employs a young footman named William, whom she adopted from an orphanage (while she was still in South Africa) and appears to be overly fond of. In the episode '' I Dies from Love'', set during the summer of 1907, the scullery maid, Emily, falls in love with William and the two spend most of their days off together. When Mrs. Van Groeben discovers the relationship, she becomes jealous and forbids William from ever having any more to do with Emily, and bribes him with a new uniform and a promotion. When William cruelly drops Emily, Emily is so devastated that she hangs herself. When Lady Marjorie reveals the news about Emily, Mrs. Van Groeben is uncaring about what happened. After the episode, she is mentioned only once more when Lady Marjorie states how much she had liked a dinner that Mrs. Bridges had made.


Lawrence Kirbridge

Portrayed by
Ian Ogilvy Ian Raymond Ogilvy (born 30 September 1943) is an English actor, playwright, and novelist. Early life Ogilvy was born in Woking, Surrey, England, to Francis Fairfield Ogilvy, brother of advertising executive David Ogilvy, and actress Aileen ...
, socialist poet Lawrence Arthur Kirbridge (born 1879) is Elizabeth Wallace's first husband. The maternal grandson of a
Dorset Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset (unitary authority), Dors ...
baronet A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...
, he was educated at the
University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
and married Elizabeth in June 1908 or 1909.According to Series One, they marry in 1909. In Series Two, however, the date was changed, and they were said to have married in 1908. Their marriage soon falls apart as Lawrence is not only an unrealistic romantic, but is also uninterested in sex (at least with women; there is the strong suggestion that he is in fact homosexual, such as the all-male parties held at the newlyweds' house, and the rather charged relationship Lawrence has with his manservant). Unwilling to accept marital responsibilities and unable to consummate the marriage, he encourages his publisher to seduce Elizabeth instead. The event occurs at a soiree in the Kirbridge home, but it does little to improve their marriage. When three months later Elizabeth seeks an annulment, the affair and a surprise pregnancy come to light, and to avoid scandal Lawrence is given an allowance and sent abroad, to return only for the sake of appearances at the baby's christening, where he accepts paternity.


Robert, Marquess of Stockbridge

Portrayed by
Anthony Andrews Anthony Colin Gerald Andrews (born 12 January 1948) is an English actor. He played Lord Sebastian Flyte in the ITV miniseries ''Brideshead Revisited'' (1981), for which he won Golden Globe and BAFTA television awards, and was nominated for an ...
, Lord Robert Charles Algernon St. John Stockbridge, Marquess of Stockbridge (born 1901) is the son of the Duke and Duchess of Buckminster. He is a somewhat reluctant member of Georgina Worsley and Lady Dolly's social group of 'wild young things'. He and Georgina fall in love, but his parents insist that he be sent on a long trip around the world without her before they will give him their permission to marry, which they do in the summer of 1930.


Sir Geoffrey Dillon

Portrayed by
Raymond Huntley Horace Raymond Huntley (23 April 1904 – 15 June 1990) was an English actor who appeared in dozens of British films from the 1930s to the 1970s. He also appeared in the ITV period drama '' Upstairs, Downstairs'' as the pragmatic family so ...
, Sir Geoffrey Dillon (born 1838) is the Talbot-Carey family
solicitor A solicitor is a legal practitioner who traditionally deals with most of the legal matters in some jurisdictions. A person must have legally-defined qualifications, which vary from one jurisdiction to another, to be described as a solicitor and ...
, as well as the Bellamy family solicitor and a personal friend of Richard and Lady Marjorie. His first loyalty is to the Talbot-Careys, but he often proves helpful to the Bellamys as well. Sir Geoffrey was originally called Sir George Dillon in John Hawkesworth's novelisation of the show's scripts. The character appeared throughout the show until the very last episode, meaning that if the timeline were to be accurate, Dillon was still practising law at the age of 92.


''Downstairs''


Alfred Harris

Portrayed by
George Innes George Innes (born 8 March 1938) is a British actor. Stage career Innes was born in Stepney, East London, and began his career on the stage with the National Theatre of Great Britain under Laurence Olivier. Before that, he trained at Toynbee ...
, Alfred Harris (1868–1913) is the original
footman A footman is a male domestic worker employed mainly to wait at table or attend a coach or carriage. Etymology Originally in the 14th century a footman denoted a soldier or any pedestrian, later it indicated a foot servant. A running footman deli ...
at Eaton Place from 1895. In 1905 he is forced to flee in disgrace after being caught in a sexual situation with an upstairs guest, Baron Klaus von Rimmer. In 1913, Alfred returns to Eaton Place in search of refuge, after murdering his most recent employer (and lover). A dramatic standoff results, with Alfred holding Edward hostage at knifepoint. Alfred is subsequently hanged, although Rose protests against the sentence, arguing it was not right to execute a person 'who's not right in the head.'


Daisy Peel (later Barnes)

Daisy Barnes (née Daisy Peel) (born 11 May 1895) is the under house parlour maid from 1913 to 1918, and the head house parlour maid from 1919 to 1930, when she goes with Edward to work for Lord and Lady Stockbridge. Daisy was raised in a poor family in the London slums,Goodwill to all men. Upstairs, Downstairs Series 3 Episode 9. 1974. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 1 Oct. 2019. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0738002/ and she is especially sympathetic to the struggles of the working class. She is portrayed by
Jacqueline Tong Jacqueline Tong (born 21 May 1951) is an English actress. She is best known for playing Daisy Peel in the television series '' Upstairs, Downstairs'' (1973–1975), for which she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Contin ...
, who was nominated for an Emmy (Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actress).


Edward Barnes

Portrayed by
Christopher Beeny Christopher Winton Beeny (7 July 1941 – 3 January 2020) was an English actor and dancer. He had a career as a child actor, but was best known for his work as the footman Edward Barnes on the 1970s television series '' Upstairs, Downstairs'', ...
, Edward Barnes (born 24 January 1889) replaces Alfred as footman in 1906, and stays until he leaves to go to war in 1915, having just married Daisy. Edward is a high-spirited, honest and happy person and the source of happy banter, but suffers from severe
shell shock Shell shock is a term coined in World War I by the British psychologist Charles Samuel Myers to describe the type of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) many soldiers were afflicted with during the war (before PTSD was termed). It is a react ...
after returning from the front. After the war, and following a short period in which he and Daisy leave service, he becomes
chauffeur A chauffeur is a person employed to drive a passenger motor vehicle, especially a luxury vehicle such as a large sedan or limousine. Originally, such drivers were often personal employees of the vehicle owner, but this has changed to speciali ...
and under butler to the Bellamys, and in 1930 he becomes
butler A butler is a person who works in a house serving and is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some a ...
to Lord and Lady Stockbridge.


Emily

Portrayed by
Evin Crowley Evin Crowley is a Northern Irish actress born 1945, Bangor. Evin started as a Lyric Player at the home of Mary O'Malley and her husband (later to become the Lyric Theatre, Belfast). Career Evin first appeared on stage from the mid-to-late 19 ...
, the devout Catholic Irish kitchen maid Aoibhinn (pronunciation the same as the Anglicised version of the actress's name) is known in the house as Emily (1881–1907). She is a very kind, if awkward, girl who is frequently scolded by Mrs Bridges. In the episode ''I Dies From Love'', Emily falls hopelessly in love with a
footman A footman is a male domestic worker employed mainly to wait at table or attend a coach or carriage. Etymology Originally in the 14th century a footman denoted a soldier or any pedestrian, later it indicated a foot servant. A running footman deli ...
named William from the household of Lady Bellamy's committee associate, Mrs. Van Groeben. They spend several of their days off together, and Emily desperately wants to marry him. However, when an envious Mrs. Van Groeben tells William he cannot see Emily any more, William drops her, revealing that he never cared about her anyway; he tells his mistress "It was only a bit of fun". But no-one (except for Rose) really understands how much in love Emily is. Mrs. Bridges quite savagely dresses Emily down about her affections for William. She is completely lost without William, and when he cruelly ignores her on his next visit to the house and returns her love letter unopened, Emily is so distraught that she commits suicide. Mrs. Bridges's bad conscience over the suicide is not assuaged until Sarah, an under-parlour maid who has worked for a carnival, leads a fake seance in which Sarah relays Emily's forgiveness to Mrs. Bridges.


Frederick Norton

Portrayed by
Gareth Hunt Alan Leonard Hunt (7 February 1942 – 14 March 2007), known as Gareth Hunt, was a British actor best remembered for playing footman Frederick Norton in '' Upstairs, Downstairs'' and Mike Gambit in '' The New Avengers''. Early life Alan Leona ...
, Frederick Norton (1885–?) first appears as James Bellamy's
Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
Trooper Norton when he arrives at Eaton Place to return some of James's belongings when James is believed killed in October 1917. After the war, and following Edward's departure, Frederick is hired by James as footman. In June 1927, Frederick and Lady Dolly Hale start an affair, and Frederick resigns to start a new life in films and as an escort.


Gregory Wilmot

Portrayed by
Keith Barron Keith Barron (8 August 1934 – 15 November 2017) was an English actor and television presenter who appeared in films and on television from 1961 until 2017. His television roles included the police drama ''The Odd Man'', the sitcom ''Duty Free ...
, Sergeant Gregory Walter Wilmot (circa 1879 – 1916) is Rose's fiancé. A British
sheep farmer Sheep farming or sheep husbandry is the raising and breeding of domestic sheep. It is a branch of animal husbandry. Sheep are raised principally for their meat (lamb and mutton), milk ( sheep's milk), and fiber ( wool). They also yield sheepsk ...
living in Australia, he has
socialist Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the e ...
views. He and Rose meet on a
tram A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...
in April 1914 when he accidentally sits on a plum cake she is carrying. They soon start
courting Courtship is the period wherein some couples get to know each other prior to a possible marriage. Courtship traditionally may begin after a betrothal and may conclude with the celebration of marriage. A courtship may be an informal and private m ...
, and within a week, Rose agrees to go back to Australia with him and become his wife, but hesitant and fearful, she changes her mind at the last minute. A later exchange of letters clears up the alleged rumour that he already had a wife. After the outbreak of war, he becomes a
sergeant Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...
in the
ANZACs ''Anzacs'' (named for members of the all volunteer army formations) is a 1985 Australian five-part television miniseries set in World War I. The series follows the lives of a group of young Australian men who enlist in the 8th Battalion (Austr ...
and fights at the Battle of Gallipoli. While on leave in London 1916, he seeks out Rose and they agree to marry when the war ends; later there is a brief mention that they will marry on his next leave in London. However, late in 1916 he is killed by a
sniper A sniper is a military/paramilitary marksman who engages targets from positions of concealment or at distances exceeding the target's detection capabilities. Snipers generally have specialized training and are equipped with high-precision r ...
while returning from patrol and dies instantly. He leaves Rose £1200 in his
will Will may refer to: Common meanings * Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death * Will (philosophy), or willpower * Will (sociology) * Will, volition (psychology) * Will, a modal verb - see Shall and will ...
; Rose keeps the money as a talisman of their relationship until losing it in the 1929 stock market crash, her investment having been advised by James Bellamy.


Mr Angus Hudson

Angus Hudson (1856–?) is known as "Hudson" to the Bellamys, and as "Mr. Hudson" to the servants. Hudson originally came from Scotland, born to Ian and Margaret Hudson; he also has a brother Donald and a sister Fiona. He works as the
butler A butler is a person who works in a house serving and is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some a ...
of Eaton Place, and is known for his conservative views. He is portrayed by Gordon Jackson, who won an Emmy (Supporting Actor, Single Performance, Comedy or Drama Series, for the episode "The Beastly Hun.").


Lily Hawkins

Portrayed by
Karen Dotrice Karen Dotrice ( ; born 9 November 1955) is a British actress. She is known primarily for her role as Jane Banks in Walt Disney's ''Mary Poppins'', the feature film adaptation of the ''Mary Poppins'' book series. Dotrice was born in Guernsey in t ...
, Lily Hawkins (born circa 1901 in
Shoreditch Shoreditch is a district in the East End of London in England, and forms the southern part of the London Borough of Hackney. Neighbouring parts of Tower Hamlets are also perceived as part of the area. In the 16th century, Shoreditch was an impor ...
, London) arrives at Eaton Place as under house parlour maid in January or May 1919 to replace Daisy, who has left for a new life with Edward. Lily is a quiet, hardworking and caring girl. In the spring of 1924, Lily and Hudson start to spend their time off together and Hudson expresses a desire to marry her. However, Lily sees Hudson as more of a father figure. She leaves Eaton Place without telling anyone and goes to live with her widowed mother in
Banbury Banbury is a historic market town on the River Cherwell in Oxfordshire, South East England. It had a population of 54,335 at the 2021 Census. Banbury is a significant commercial and retail centre for the surrounding area of north Oxfordshire ...
.


Miss Maude Roberts

Portrayed by
Patsy Smart Patsy Smart (14 August 1918 – 6 February 1996) was an English actress, best remembered for her performance as Miss Roberts in the 1970s ITV television drama '' Upstairs, Downstairs''. She also appeared in: ''Danger Man'', '' Only When I Laug ...
, Maude Roberts (1850–?) is Lady Marjorie's long-time Lady's maid (or personal maid). Known as "Roberts" upstairs and "Miss Roberts" downstairs, she is often fussy and suspicious of those around her, both upstairs and downstairs. During an afternoon tea in the servant's hall she reveals a little about herself to the other servants stating that as a young woman her father had caught her dating a young man. Displeased, he later sent her into domestic service where she has risen through the ranks to her lady's maid position and remained to the present. In April 1912, Miss Roberts survives the sinking of the RMS ''Titanic'' while travelling to America with Lady Marjorie, who perishes. After being listed as missing, Miss Roberts shows up at 165 Eaton Place, to the astonishment of the household, having not been registered on the '' Carpathia's'' manifest of survivors. She is however emotionally disturbed by the sinking and loss of Lady Marjorie, taking the blame personally, and is later sent off by Richard to a psychiatric ward.


Mrs Kate Bridges

Kate Hudson, née Bridges (1858–sometime after 1931) was the
cook Cook or The Cook may refer to: Food preparation * Cooking, the preparation of food * Cook (domestic worker), a household staff member who prepares food * Cook (professional), an individual who prepares food for consumption in the food industry * ...
at 165, Eaton Place throughout the whole series. She was portrayed by
Angela Baddeley Madeleine Angela Clinton-Baddeley, CBE (4 July 1904 – 22 February 1976) was an English stage and television actress, best-remembered for her role as household cook Mrs. Bridges in the period drama '' Upstairs, Downstairs''. Her stage career ...
, who was nominated twice for an Emmy (Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actress). In later life she outwardly appears to be a tyrannical and harsh battle-axe, particularly to the awkward scullery-maid, Ruby, but she is a kind and affectionate woman and regards Ruby as the daughter she never had. When another maid, Emily, commits suicide after her suitor coldly rejected her, Mrs. Bridges felt guilt for constantly nagging and scolding Emily. Information given on-screen about the marital status of Mrs Bridges was
contradictory In traditional logic, a contradiction occurs when a proposition conflicts either with itself or established fact. It is often used as a tool to detect disingenuous beliefs and bias. Illustrating a general tendency in applied logic, Aristotle ...
. In the first series episode "
Why is Her Door Locked Why may refer to: * Causality, a consequential relationship between two events * Reason (argument), a premise in support of an argument, for what reason or purpose * Grounding (metaphysics), a topic in metaphysics regarding how things exist in vi ...
", Mrs Bridges mentions a husband who died fifteen years previously; and in the episode featuring a visit to the house by
King Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria a ...
, Lady Marjorie states that their cook was not a French chef but "a temperamental widow from Bristol." However, in the third series finale "The Sudden Storm", Mr Hudson states that there was never a "Mr Bridges", but that the "Mrs" was a courtesy title customarily applied to a cook in a gentleman's household. In the final episode, she and Hudson are married and moved to open a seaside boarding house in Hastings. Kate was still alive and well in 1931 (Rose wrote to 'Mrs Hudson' that year according to the second ''TV Times'' ''Upstairs Downstairs'' special).


Pearce

Portrayed by
Brian Osborne Brian Osborne (26 March 1940 – 8 July 2021) was an English actor. He was best known for his roles in '' Upstairs, Downstairs'' and ''The Sandbaggers''. Osborne also had minor roles in six ''Carry On'' films as well the TV series ''Carry On L ...
, Mr Pearce (1872–?), whose first name is never revealed, is the coachman from 1903 until 1909, when he is replaced by the much-more resourceful and motivated Thomas Watkins. According to the narrative, Pearce does not like new-fangled motor cars, and returns to his previous position as head groom to Lady Wanborough tending to her stables.


Rose Buck

Rose Buck (born 1873) was born to a gamekeeper and his wife on the Southwold estate where Lady Marjorie was born and raised. At the age of 13 she entered service. She says that as a child, she watched a cart arrive on the estate with various goods from London and then leave again and longed to know where it had been, and so went into service with Lady Marjorie when asked. Rose says that, many times during her adult life, she wished she had never noticed the cart. Kind-hearted and loyal but slightly naïve, she is the head house parlourmaid at Eaton Place from 1903 to 1919 (including a short stint as Elizabeth Kirbridge's lady's maid and between maid in Greenwich), and Virginia Bellamy's lady's maid from 1919 to 1930. During the war years she also works as a conductress. She is portrayed by
Jean Marsh Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * Jea ...
, who was nominated for an Emmy for Best Actress in a Drama series four times, winning once. In the revival series, '' Upstairs, Downstairs'' (2010), in 1936, Rose is running her own domestic service agency but is persuaded to return to 165 Eaton Place and serve as housekeeper for its new household.


Ruby Finch

Portrayed by
Jenny Tomasin Jenny Tomasin (22 March 1938 – 3 January 2012) was an English actress best known for her roles in '' Upstairs, Downstairs'' and ''Emmerdale''. Early life Tomasin was born in Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, in 1938 to working class parents. S ...
, Ruby Finch (born 1892) is the scullery maid at Eaton Place. She was preceded by Doris, Nellie, and Emily. It is suggested that she possesses a mild
intellectual disability Intellectual disability (ID), also known as general learning disability in the United Kingdom and formerly mental retardation,Rosa's Law, Pub. L. 111-256124 Stat. 2643(2010). is a generalized neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by signifi ...
. Ruby first comes to Eaton Place in 1908 or 1909, just after Elizabeth's marriage to Lawrence, but leaves in 1915 to become a
munitionette Munitionettes were British women employed in munitions factories during the time of the First World War. History Early in the war, the United Kingdom's munitions industry found itself having difficulty producing the amount of weapons and ammuniti ...
at
Silvertown Silvertown is a district in the London Borough of Newham, in east London, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, Thames and was historically part of the parishes of West Ham and East Ham, Becontree Hundred, hundred of Becontr ...
. She returns early in the following year after the factory is destroyed in the
Silvertown explosion The Silvertown explosion occurred in Silvertown in West Ham, Essex (now part of the London Borough of Newham, in Greater London) on Friday, 19 January 1917 at 6:52 pm. The blast occurred at a munitions factory that was manufacturing explos ...
. She briefly leaves again in 1929 to become maid of all work to the middle class Mrs Waddilove. In 1930 she goes with Mr and Mrs Hudson to work at their boarding house with hopes to inherit it after their deaths.


Sarah Moffat

Portrayed by
Pauline Collins Pauline Collins (born 3 September 1940) is a British actress who first came to prominence portraying Sarah Moffat in '' Upstairs, Downstairs'' (1971–1973) and its spin-off, ''Thomas & Sarah'' (1979). In 1992, she published her autobiography, ...
, Sarah Moffat (born July 1882, also known as Clémence Dumas, Clémence Moffat, and Sarah Delice) claims to be the daughter of Albert Moffat and Marianne Dumas and the great-granddaughter of
Alexandre Dumas Alexandre Dumas (, ; ; born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie (), 24 July 1802 – 5 December 1870), also known as Alexandre Dumas père (where '' '' is French for 'father', to distinguish him from his son Alexandre Dumas fils), was a French writer ...
. She had a brother, Charlie, who died young, and a sister named Sophia. Illiterate and inexperienced, she is sent to Eaton Place by an agency for domestic servants. She is given the name Sarah by Lady Marjorie. She quickly strikes up an unlikely friendship with head house parlourmaid, Rose. In June 1904, Richard Bellamy commissions Guthrie Scone to paint his wife. Sarah is sent to deliver Lady Marjorie's dresses to his studio, and soon Scone is painting her as well. When both paintings are exhibited together as "The Mistress" and "The Maids", Sarah and Rose, whom Scone has painted from Sarah's descriptions, are nearly dismissed, but Scone persuades Richard to keep them on. Two months later, Sarah, upset by James's half-hearted affections, leaves Eaton Place. In 1908, Sarah returns to Eaton Place but leaves again soon after when she is accused of theft. She then begins a career as
music hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as variety. Perceptions of a distinction in Bri ...
entertainer Clémence Dumas/Sarah Delice, known for saucy songs like " What Are We Going to Do with Uncle Arthur?" At about the same time, she starts an affair with James Bellamy and becomes pregnant, resulting in James's being sent to India. Sarah loses the baby and ultimately marries the Bellamys' chauffeur, Thomas Watkins, and they leave service. Their lives after leaving Eaton Place are portrayed in the spinoff series ''
Thomas & Sarah ''Thomas & Sarah'' is a British drama series that aired on ITV in 1979. A spin-off from the BAFTA Award-winning series '' Upstairs, Downstairs'', it stars John Alderton and Pauline Collins reprising their ''Upstairs, Downstairs'' roles. Back ...
''.


Thomas Watkins

Portrayed by
John Alderton John Alderton (born 27 November 1940) is an English actor. He is best known for his roles in '' Upstairs, Downstairs'', ''Thomas & Sarah'', ''Wodehouse Playhouse'', ''Little Miss'' (original television series), ''Please Sir!'', ''No, Honestly' ...
, Thomas David Watkins (born circa 1876) grew up in Wales. In June 1909, he becomes manservant and later chauffeur to Lawrence and Elizabeth Kirbridge, and friends with Rose. Thomas is a bright and resourceful man, looking for "scope" (every opportunity to better himself) and so learns everything he can about driving and fixing motor cars. He identifies himself to Richard Bellamy as "chapel", an expression used for members of independent or nonconformist places of worship: and he certainly is an independent thinker. He can be both kind and very harsh. When the Kirbridge marriage ends, Thomas becomes chauffeur to the Bellamys at Eaton Place where he ultimately blackmails Richard and Lady Marjorie, and leaves service to marry Sarah and to set up a garage business together.


Notes


References


External links

*Richard Marson, "Inside UpDown – The Story of Upstairs, Downstairs", Kaleidoscope Publishing, 2005
Updown.org.uk
- ''Upstairs, Downstairs'' Fansite *Transcript of a story by
Alfred Shaughnessy Alfred James Shaughnessy (19 May 1916 – 2 November 2005) was an English scriptwriter, film director and producer best known for being the script editor of '' Upstairs, Downstairs''. Early life Alfred Shaughnessy was born in London, his father, ...
published in ''
Woman A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female humans regardl ...
'' magazine, 197

{{DEFAULTSORT:Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 TV Series) Characters, List Of Lists of British television series characters