How Americans Saved Britain

I thought that the heading would catch your attention. You probably are thinking about World War I or II, but you are wrong (at least for this post).

The popular TV series, Downtown Abbey, has caught the attention of people everywhere and from the FB groups I am in, I think Americans particularly have become fans of the series. I have yet to see it but want to watch it from the beginning so am looking to see if I can rent it and catch up.

Jane gave me an article from the Daily Mail, "The Yankee heiresses who saved Britain's real-life Downtowns," because she knew that I am interested in things like this.

I already knew that Winston Churchill's mother, Consuelo Vanderbilt, was American but never really gave any thought about the how or the why she and his dad met. Her dad was a railroad tycoon. She could not understand the snobbery around her, so much so the butler would not bend over to put a log on the fire and called for the footman to do it instead. Consuelo did it herself!

According to this article, there were some rich Americans who did not have titles and Titled British who did not have money and the two came together. It says that they deliberately targeted rich Americans so that they could maintain their stately homes.

It made me laugh when the article said that the Americans were keen to be "more English than the English" but they drew the line at what they were willing to give up in terms on living standards. For instance, at that time many stately homes did not have modern lighting, heating and plumbing. In fact some of the posh people felt that they deserved to have servants carrying hot water to the zinc bathtubs in their rooms. Other people were led to bed by a butler and a candle. These Americans were not having it and they often upgraded these homes.

It also reminded me that Edward VII was one of these people who was mesmerized by Americans and in fact he abdicated so that he could marry the twice divorced American Wallis Simpson.

If you are interested in this topic, you can read more in the book An Exuberant Catalogue of Dreams by Clive Aslet.