The Housekeeper’s Tale: The Women Who Really Ran the English Country House

Presented by Tessa Boase

Working as a housekeeper was one of the most prestigious jobs a 19th and early 20th century woman could want, and also one of the toughest. A far cry from the Downton Abbey fiction, the real-life housekeeper was up against capricious mistresses, low pay, no job security and gruelling physical labour. Until now, her story has never been told. Delving into secret diaries, unpublished letters and the neglected service archives of our stately homes, Tessa Boase tells a series of poignant and dramatic stories about some of Britain’s most prominent households which are all, today, open to the public.

Dates and Locations

Wednesday 5 August 2026 Chatswood (NSW)

Wednesday 12 August 2026 Geelong (VIC)

Saturday 29 August 2026 Perth (WA)

Click on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.