DOWNTON TEA

Downtown Abbey is a fabulous mini series, produced by the BBC. It's a wartime saga that follows the lives of an Aristocratic English family and their servants during the wartime... sort of an " Upstairs, Downstair" story.  If you you haven't watched this series ... please do take the time to  make yourself a pot full of tea and get acquainted with the fabulous lives and characters of this award  winning  show.  

You can watch the whole series in one day on " PBS.org streaming", if you love a good English Drama. 

You'll understand this teatime chatter, if you've watched the series... If not, you're WELCOME to join into a spot of tea and meet Lady Violet, the Dowager Countess of Grantham... a real character( ha ha )

So Ladies  ... Shall we let  teatime begin, or rather, let's catch up to the Teatime Tuesday conversations and quotes with Lady Violet.  

" Sometimes, I feel as if I were living in a H.G. Wells novel."

Well Yes "Lady Violet ", after all you are a character from a script... and Maggie Smith , you're a superb Grand Lady, with great one liners... BRAVO !!!

By chance... This set is stamped by Royal Doulton as " Grantham' ... Ha ha .. so hilarious that the fictional, Downton Abbey should choose this name ... I did a little research and found it to be a peaceful little medieval  English Village,  that began as a ' Saxon' word ' ..( Ham) meaning  somebodies name or home.

A juicy little tidbit is that , Sir Issac Newton was born in Woolsthorpe near, Grantham and attended King's School, near Grantham, so  that certainly puts the village of Grantham on the map.

This Granthan teaset is an antique Royal Doulton China set  that was gifted to me, from my husbands', mothers, mother who bought it for  a penny in a cereal package.

Imagine ...  Royal Doulton  in a cereal box ... My mother -in-law, remembered it as the porridge pattern and poo- pooed it's grand name. Personally ... I love the whimsical swirls and all the delightful posies that adorn this vintage set. 

Knowing that it was used  everyday, before I or my husband, Kim  were born, makes it even more special.  Unfortunately, my mother-in-law, Peggy  dislikes it's familiar memories of war and loss of loved ones .... Goodness ... I never realized that pieces of china could carry such a legacy. I'm resolved to enjoy these dishes because of family connections and the many unknown good times that may have been. .. Now ladies,  let's return to Lady Violet !!!!! 

" I'm a woman Mary. I can be as contrary as I choose."

In Downton Abbey, Lady Violet had so many fabulous one liners...and I love the name ' Violet "and I also love the woman, that they have created. Lady Violet and most Victorians would have  enjoyed drinking tea from a  fine china cup. Perhaps, a grand lady would choose this pretty cup and saucer for her teatime fancy.

I do hope the violets pop up into this tea and allow you to see how very sweet this teacup really  is.  Can you see them round the bottom of the cup ? I chose  this lovely  teatime duo with violets and forget-me-nots in mind... and of course it  also reminded me of , "SPRING".

(Slurp...sip...slurp..sip)... Really, I  drink my tea quite graciously, but do forgive a good  loud sip and slurp every once in awhile. ( ha ha)

 Lady Violet, would of course, object to the complete lack of our Canadian or American manners, since she believes that we live in wigwams.

QUOTE

Lady Grantham: " Why would you want to go to a real school? You're not a doctor's daughter."

Sybil: "Nobody learns anything from a governess, apart from French and how to curtsy."

Lady Grantham: "What else do you need?Are you thinking of a career in banking?"

Cora: " Things are different in America."

Lady Grantham: " I know, They live in wigwams."

  The golden  filigree on this saucer is  definitely a harbinger of Spring with it's floral whispers and  sweet blue nosegay. I am almost tempted to sip from the saucer( ha ha).. but I think that would be a Victorian,

 " no-no ".

Wouldn't you love to engage Lady Violet into a teatime chat about etiquette and manners? What fun we could have!!!!

Of course .. It may bring you to a  " Lady Violet " moment ... HA HA ... and ... She is quite  a Teatime Lady ... with an opinionated Teatime Voice  !!! The perfect Mother -in -Law ( Ha ha )

QUOTE

Lady Grantham: "You are quite wonderful the way you see  room for improvement wherever you look. I never knew such reforming zeal."

Mrs. Crawley: "I take that as a compliment."

Lady Grantham: "I must've said it wrong".

" You'll find there's never a dull moment in this house."

I hope you enjoyed  seeing my "Lady Violet "ATC's . I just couldn't resist making a few cards of this grand, Dowager Countess.

So Ladies, please do sit back, enjoy another cup of tea and watch "Downtown Abbey" while I scurry into blogland to visit a few Teatime friends. Thanks for another extraordinary teatime chat..





Sharing Tea with :
Sandi @ http:sandimyyellowdoor.ca
Terri @ http:artfulaffirmations.com
Martha@http:marthasfavorites.com
Ruth @ http:antiquesandteacups.ca