{"product_id":"below-stairs","title":"Below Stairs","description":"\u003cp\u003eArriving at the great houses of 1920s London, fifteen-year-old Margaret’s life in service was about to begin…\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e As a kitchen maid – the lowest of the low – she entered an entirely new world; one of stoves to be blacked, vegetables to be scrubbed, mistresses to be appeased, and even bootlaces to be ironed. Work started at 5.30am and went on until after dark. It was a far cry from her childhood on the beaches of Hove, where money and food were scarce, but warmth and laughter never were.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Yet from the gentleman with a penchant for stroking the housemaids’ curlers, to raucous tea-dances with errand boys, to the heartbreaking story of Agnes the pregnant under-parlourmaid, fired for being seduced by her mistress’s nephew, Margaret’s tales of her time in service are told with wit, warmth, and a sharp eye for the prejudices of her situation.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Brilliantly evoking the long-vanished world of masters and servants, \u003ci\u003eBelow Stairs\u003c\/i\u003e is the remarkable true story of an indomitable woman, who, though her position was lowly, never stopped aiming high.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ''Enormous gusto, salty humour, wisdom'' \u003ci\u003eEvening Standard\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ''Shrewd, unabashed, wickedly funny, a unique front-line report of her life''s experiences'' Jack De Manio, BBC\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"MediaPlace","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57319190626686,"sku":"NW9780330535380","price":8.03,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1379\/1261\/files\/9780330535380.jpg?v=1778727216","url":"https:\/\/mediaplace.com\/products\/below-stairs","provider":"MediaPlace","version":"1.0","type":"link"}