The Downton Abbey-style love story between a maid and valet that ended in tragedy: Photos, letters and mementos reveal 'below stairs' romance in shadow of WWI

Daily Mail​

15 hours ago

As a relationship that defied convention, the romance between valet John Bates and maid Ann Smith in Downton Abbey warmed the hearts of millions of viewers.
The love story was, of course, all the invention of the hit ITV show's creator, Julian Fellowes.
But now, a trove of photos, letters and mementos shed light on a real-life romance between servants in the shadow of the First World War.
Valet Alf Edwards and kitchen maid Caroline Palmer married in 1916 after meeting when both were on the staff at the palatial Brodsworth Hall in South Yorkshire.
The couple had three happy years and two sons together, before Palmer died from tuberculosis, leaving Caroline a widow for nearly 50 years.
The objects telling the story of their relationship have been donated to English Heritage by the couple's grandson.
They include Alf and Caroline's war registration cards, their marriage certificate and several photographs.
With hundreds employed at the Brodsworth, it would not have been a surprise had Alf and Caroline never gotten to know each other.
But, in the course of indulging his passion for photography, Alf had taken to using a staff kitchen as a makeshift studio to dry his images, and it was there that he and Caroline crossed paths.
Being of fighting age, Alf would ordinarily have followed most of the men employed at Brodsworth into being conscripted in the war.
But because of his poor health, he remained working at the estate, which was the home of Charles Thellusson and his wife Constance
Alf and Caroline began courting and then quickly became engaged. They did briefly separate after Caroline was advised against marriage due to Alf's poor health.
But the couple could not stay apart for long. They reunited and got married on July 17, 1916.
The pair then took a honeymoon and had professional photographs taken in a studio in Chichester.
The couple later lived in a cottage on the Brodsowrth estate, and Alf took on the additional role of chauffeur.
But their happiness was cut short when Alf's precarious health took a terminal turn. He died aged just 34 in September 1919.
Alf's death came just months after his boss had passed away. The day after Alf died, Thellusson's widow expressed her condolences in a letter to Caroline.
She also tried to comfort her and shared her own grief.
Caroline, aged just 30, was left with their two sons, who were only two and five months old.
The widow lived until 1968, when she died not long before her 79th birthday.
By then, she had two grandsons.
The registration cards that have been donated to English Heritage list Alf's and Caroline's respective job titles and Brodsworth Hall as their place of work.
Alf was a keen craftsman, as evidenced by the carved wooden picture frame he made for Caroline.
Housing a photo of her, it also boasts a 'good luck' message and has a horseshoe affixed to it.
Alf also made a small wooden stool using oak felled on the estate.
The stool features a carving by the valet of the hall and is dated 1915.
Alf's camera was made by legendary New York firm Eastman Kodak (now better known simply as Kodak).
It is believed he bought the camera during a trip he took with the Thellussons to the east coast of the USA in 1914.
The valet used it to take many photos of Brodsworth staff, as well as images of the hall's interior and gardens.
Also given to English Heritage is Caroline's gold wristwatch, which can be seen in her wedding photograph.
For the rest of her life, Caroline kept a photo of Alf in shooting attire on display. It features in a silver frame. Both frame and photo have been donated too.
The couple's romance was not the only one between staff at Brodsworth. At the start of 1916, cook Martha Lockey had married chauffeur George Raper.
Brodsworth Hall was built between 1861 and 1863 for Charles Sabine Thellusson, on the estate his great-grandfather had bought in the late 18th century.
It was given to English Heritage in 1990, when it had fallen into disrepair.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the building being open to the public.
As part of the anniversary celebrations, objects linking to the official opening by Princess Margaret will be displayed.
Caroline and Alf's grandson, Gordon Edwards, said: 'My family has cared for these significant items reflecting our family history and the history of Brodsworth for many years, and it has always been a fascinating record for us to look back on.
'We're so pleased to be able to donate these objects to English Heritage so they can continue to be cared for, shared with the public, and help to tell the important stories of those people below stairs who lived and worked at Brodsworth Hall.'
Eleanor Matthews, English Heritage's curator of collections and interiors, said: 'It is extremely rare to have such a collection relating to the lives of servants survive, and to have them return to Brodsworth Hall over 100 years later is truly astounding.
'Alf's photographs are incredibly important to the history of the site and have provided us with the earliest image of staff at the estate – hopefully in time we will be able identify them all.
'We've learned too that Alf and Caroline were very well liked by the Thellussons, with Charles appearing as Godfather on their first son's baptism card, and his wife Constance's correspondence with Caroline after Alf's death.
'These beautiful, poignant items tell a story largely unknown to us until now and, thanks to this donation, we are able to add another layer of understanding to the rich fabric of Brodsworth's history.'