A lady's maid is a female servant that serves as a personal attendant who waits on her female employer, in the context of Downton Abbey, this is usually the Lady of the house. The role of a lady's maid is similar to that of a gentleman's valet.
Details[]
Traditionally, the lady's maid was not as high-ranking as a lady's companion, who was a retainer rather than a servant, but the rewards included room and board, travel and somewhat improved social status. In the servants' hall, a lady's maid took precedence akin to that of her mistress. In Britain, a lady's maid would be addressed by her surname by her employer, while she was addressed as "Miss" by junior servants or when visiting another servants' hall.
A lady's maid's specific duties included helping her mistress with her appearance, including make-up, hairdressing, clothing, jewellery, and shoes. A lady's maid would also remove stains from clothing; sew, mend, and alter garments as needed; bring her mistress breakfast in her room; and draw her mistress's bath. However, she would not be expected to dust and clean every small item, as that would be the job of a housemaid.
Lady's maids in Downton Abbey[]
- Miss O'Brien (Sarah O'Brien) - Lady Grantham's first lady's maid & later Lady Flintshire's lady's maid
- Miss Baxter (Phyllis Baxter) - Lady Grantham's second lady's maid
- Miss Braithwaite (Edna Braithwaite) - Lady Grantham's temporary lady's maid
- Miss Smith (Anna Smith) - unofficial lady's maid to the Crawley sisters, but primarily Lady Mary
- Miss Denker (Gladys Denker) - Dowager Countess of Grantham's lady's maid
- Miss Shore (Marigold Shore) - Rosamund Painswick's lady's maid
- Miss Wilkins - Lady Flintshire's lady's maid
- Miss Reed - Martha Levinson's lady's maid
