Anna Bates

Anna May Bates (nee Smith)
Biographical information
Marital status	Married
Residence	Downton, Yorkshire
Title(s)	Mrs Bates Miss Smith (previously)
Physical information
Gender	Female
Hair colour	Blond
Family information
Family	John Bates (husband) Mrs Bates (mother-in-law) †
Affiliation
Occupation	Head Housemaid
Loyalty	John Bates Lady Mary Crawley Crawley Family
Behind the scenes
Portrayed by	Joanne Froggatt

Anna May Bates (nee Smith) is the Head Housemaid at Downton Abbey, she is one of the highest-ranking of the female servants, other than Mrs. Hughes and Miss O'Brien. She was worried that she has missed out on her chance at marriage, however she later married John Bates. She is sweet, kind, and always respectful. Anna is popular both downstairs and upstairs, the servants have a lot of respect for her and she's not afraid of standing up to people like O'Brien.

Anna has a good relationship with The Crawley Family, who respect her, and also has a good relationship with the Crawley sisters Lady Mary, Lady Edith and Lady Sybil, especially with Lady Mary Crawley; for whom she keeps a very large secret, which Anna is aware of because Lady Mary had woke her up, who told Anna that she had a one-night stand with Mr Kemal Pamuk, she discovered that Mr Pamuk was died in her bed. Later on that night she, Lady Mary and Cora Crawley move Mr Pamuk body back to his own room to be found the next day. Also Anna informs Lady Mary that John Bates first wife Vera Bates as threatened that she will go to the newspapers about the Lady Mary and Mr Pamuk story, Lady Mary went to Sir Richard Carlisle for help and to stop the story being publish to save and protect her, Crawley family and Anna from ruin. Anna spoke to Lady Mary about her secret plans to get married to John Bates, Lady Mary told her she will cover for her and she oragazine housemaid Jane Moorsum to decorate one of bedrooms for a wedding gift, only she and Jane knew they were married during that time. Anna was truly supportive by the Crawley family, fellow co-workers and Lady Mary when her husband was arrested and on trial for murder; Lady Mary supported and stayed with Anna for throughout Bates's trial and its outcome. Anna became aware of and kept quiet before it was announce to the whole Crawley family that Lady Sybil and the Crawley's family chauffeur, Tom Branson are in a romantic relationship. Anna and Lady Mary discover that they're on their away to Gretna Green to get married. She, Lady Mary, and Lady Edith went after the couple. Anna spotted the Crawley's car which was park on the road where Lady Sybil and Branson were staying. Lady Sybil returned back to Downton with them, when she was leaving she told Tom Branson that she will stay true to him.

One night, Anna, and Ladies Mary and Edith, learned from Lady Sybil that Branson's has new job and she and Tom were announcing their relationship to the Crawley family. Anna told her it was a very big thing and to give up on her world. After Sybil and Tom's announcement the next day, Anna in the Servants Hall at Downton, saw Mr Branson arriving and politely spoke to him. Daisy briefly over hears Anna and Mr Branson talking. Branson informs his former co-workers that he and Lady Sybil are getting married, much to their shock and to Mr Carson's dismay he left the Servants Hall.

Anna has a special relationship with John Bates, their friendship gradually blossomed into romance and she admitted that she loved him. Mr Bates returned her feelings. Though he felt iuneasy about entering a relationship with her as he holds his own secrets. When Bates almost loses his position, he tells Anna to "go to sleep and dream of a better man" but she refused. Anna goes with Mrs. Patmore to London, where she visits Mr Bates's mother, learning the truth about his prison sentence and thus saving his position. At the beginning of the second series, Mr Bates arrives back at Downton (having being in London after his mother died) and he doesn't waste time before informing her that there is a possibility of a divorce ahead so he asks Anna to marry him. She immediatly accepts and they begin to discuss their future. But when his wife Vera Bates turns up and forces Mr Bates to resign, he is forced to leave Anna, breaking not only her heart but her dreams. Eventually she learns through Lady Mary (who found out through Sir Richard Calisle) that Mr Bates has been working in a pub nearby. She visits him and learns that Vera Bates has not been faithful to him. He says he will divorce Vera and come back to Downton very soon, offering Vera more money than the papers will give her. When he returns to Downton as Lord Grantham's valet again by request, she was delighted. By the end of the war, Anna and John discover that his wife Vera Bates was found dead. They got married in secret but they planned to everyone after Lavinia Swire funeral only Lady Mary Crawley and housemaid Jane Moorsum knew they were married, after attended the Miss Swire funeral, She discover that two officers were waiting for Mr Bates, saw him being arrested for murder of Vera Bates, Anna and Mr Bates both declare their feelings for each other before he gets escorted away by the officers. Anna is supported by the Crawley family and co-workers, and she visits John in prison and attends his trial, alongside Lady Mary Crawley, Robert Crawley, Isobel Crawley and Matthew Crawley and lawyer George Murray. The jury found him guilty and sentenced to hang by death, later on his sentance was commuted to life imprisonment. Anna, the lawyers, Robert and the rest of the Crawley family are still planning to appeal the verdict and to get Bates out of prison.

Behind the scenes

• Anna is played by actress Joanne Froggatt in the Downton Abbey television series.
• Anna's full name, before marriage, is mentioned as "Anna May Smith". After she's married, her name changed to "Anna May Bates."
• Joanne Froggatt recently revealed Anna will be promoted to a ladies maid towards the end of series 3, and will get to wear a new dress.