Lady Marjorie Bellamy
Encyclopedia
The Lady Marjorie Helen Sybil Bellamy (nee Talbot-Carey; 6 May 1860 or 12 July 1864 – 15 April 1912) was a fictional character in the ITV
drama
Upstairs, Downstairs
. She was portrayed by Rachel Gurney
.
, Wiltshire
in the home of her wealthy parents, Walter Talbot-Carey, 12th Earl of Southwold and Mabel, the Countess of Southwold. The Earl was a major influence in the Conservative Party
. She had one brother, Hugo, Viscount Ashby, who later became 13th Earl of Southwold.
Despite parental objections, she ended up marrying the younger son of a country parson
, Richard Bellamy in 1880 and they lived rent free in a grand
Victorian
townhouse
which Lady Marjorie's father the Earl of Southwold owned the lease, 165, Eaton Place in London's fashionable Belgravia
. They had two children, James
(born 1881) and Elizabeth
(born 1887). Shortly before their marriage, Richard had become a Conservative MP
with the help of her father.
but also as basically kind. She maintained social and class distinctions at all times and, unlike her upright husband, is less concerned about absolute moral values than appearances.
In the summer of 1906, she had an affair with a much younger man, Charles Victor Hammond, a Captain in the Khyber Rifles
and a friend of her son. After the affair had been going on for some time (presumed secret but never was), he asked her to run off with him but she refused as she realised her duty to her family. Her lover was later, by then a Major, killed during a battle in India
in 1909. He was awarded the Victoria Cross
. In a later episode, a man (Mr.Dooley) who had been Hammond's military batman (personal attendant) showed up with a packet of love letters she had written to him. Rebuffed at the front door of 165 Eaton Place by Mr. Hudson (the butler) as an "unwashed Irish vagrant", he went around to the mews to make himself agreeable to Thomas the chauffeur. In a sting attempt by the chauffeur, who was given the letters for the purpose of negotiating with Lady Marjorie, monies were extorted from both Bellamys, each unknown to the other, with the convoluted result that ended with Mr. Dooley in jail (on an unrelated charge) and all monies restored to the individuals—with Thomas receiving a gratuity from each of the Bellamys.
She was always having trouble with her two children. Elizabeth was a wild child and flirted with socialism
, and she married in 1908 a man who failed to consummate their marriage (the story line all but confirms his homosexuality), and she had an affair with his publisher at the behest of her husband. As a result, Elizabeth became pregnant and delivered a daughter, Lucy Elizabeth, her marriage was ended, and her husband dispatched to the continent "with a modest pension" from the Bellamys "to keep him happy" (and quiet) about the sordid affair.
In 1908, James, who was always her favourite, had an affair with the housemaid Sarah
and she ended up expecting. James was sent to India. Sarah was shipped off to Southwold, but returned to Eaton Place in May 1909 on her own and unhappy, saying "No one said anything to me one day to the next!" Sarah was in labour while the King
was dining upstairs, and the baby boy was still-born.
, Miss Roberts, along with Lady Majorie's brother the new Lord Southwold and his new wife a widow Marion Worsely were passengers on the ill-fated maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic. They were both presumed dead, but Roberts survived and later informed the family that Lady Marjorie had at first refused to go out on deck as it was too cold. When ordered to by the ships crew they found on deck a little girl crying she had lost her mother, at this point Lady Majorie pressed her jewel case into Roberts hands telling her to keep it safe for her as she took the little girl's hand saying she would help her find her mother. This was the last time Roberts saw her ladyship. Roberts was forcibly placed into a lifeboat before Lady Majorie returned, and even though there was hardly anyone aboard the lifeboat the crew refused to return to the ship for fear of being sucked down as the Titanic sank. The next day Roberts was rescued along with the other survivors, but was in a state of shock so no one knew her identity, with the result that both were listed as dead. Later when she came to in a New York
hospital she realised who she was and subsequently made her way back to London
.
died, 6 May. In the episode "Desirous of Change", her birthday is, however, said to be 12 July. However the July 12 date is from a book and most likely a typical error common in most books about families. Since the Bellamys celebrate the May 6 onscreen it is more likely to be her birthday.
James in novelisations is said to be 23 in 1904 at his entrance in "Board Wages". In 1912 when he first met Hazel, Lady Prudence remarks to Richard that James is 30 now and that his other friends are married. Actually in 1912 James would have been 31 but he may have not had a birthday yet or Lady Prudence felt herself accurate enough to round off his age to 30. However as a lifelong friend of Lady Marjorie she should have known James' exact age.
Elizabeth's birth of 1887 is more consistent in the series. She comes back from schooling in Germany as a 17 year old in 1905 (she possibly has a late year birthday). Later when Elizabeth becomes involved with Julius Karekin, Richard is heard to say that "...Elizabeth is 23 now!" which would have been late 1909 or early 1910. Once again Richard should have known the exact age of his own daughter.
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
Upstairs, Downstairs
Upstairs, Downstairs
Upstairs, Downstairs is a British drama television series originally produced by London Weekend Television and revived by the BBC. It ran on ITV in 68 episodes divided into five series from 1971 to 1975, and a sixth series shown on the BBC on three consecutive nights, 26–28 December 2010.Set in a...
. She was portrayed by Rachel Gurney
Rachel Gurney
Rachel Gurney was an English actress. She began her career in the theatre towards the end of World War II and then expanded into television and film in the 1950s. She remained active mostly in television and theatre work through the early 1990s...
.
Early life
Lady Marjorie was born on 6 May 1860, or according to another episode 12 July 1864, at SouthwoldSouthwold
Southwold is a town on the North Sea coast, in the Waveney district of the English county of Suffolk. It is located on the North Sea coast at the mouth of the River Blyth within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The town is around south of Lowestoft and north-east...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
in the home of her wealthy parents, Walter Talbot-Carey, 12th Earl of Southwold and Mabel, the Countess of Southwold. The Earl was a major influence in the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
. She had one brother, Hugo, Viscount Ashby, who later became 13th Earl of Southwold.
Despite parental objections, she ended up marrying the younger son of a country parson
Parson
In the pre-Reformation church, a parson was the priest of an independent parish church, that is, a parish church not under the control of a larger ecclesiastical or monastic organization...
, Richard Bellamy in 1880 and they lived rent free in a grand
Great house
A great house is a large and stately residence; the term encompasses different styles of dwelling in different countries. The name refers to the makeup of the household rather than to any particular architectural style...
Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
townhouse
Townhouse
A townhouse is the term historically used in the United Kingdom, Ireland and in many other countries to describe a residence of a peer or member of the aristocracy in the capital or major city. Most such figures owned one or more country houses in which they lived for much of the year...
which Lady Marjorie's father the Earl of Southwold owned the lease, 165, Eaton Place in London's fashionable Belgravia
Belgravia
Belgravia is a district of central London in the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Noted for its immensely expensive residential properties, it is one of the wealthiest districts in the world...
. They had two children, James
James Bellamy
Major The Honourable James Rupert Bellamy MC is a fictional character in the ITV period drama Upstairs, Downstairs, that was originally broadcast for five series from 1971 to 1975...
(born 1881) and Elizabeth
Elizabeth Bellamy
Elizabeth Kirbridge is a fictional character in the ITV period drama Upstairs, Downstairs, that was originally broadcast for five series from 1971 to 1975. She was portrayed by Nicola Pagett....
(born 1887). Shortly before their marriage, Richard had become a Conservative MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
with the help of her father.
Marriage and children
Lady Marjorie was portrayed as elegant and having something of the hauteur of women of her age and classSocial class
Social classes are economic or cultural arrangements of groups in society. Class is an essential object of analysis for sociologists, political scientists, economists, anthropologists and social historians. In the social sciences, social class is often discussed in terms of 'social stratification'...
but also as basically kind. She maintained social and class distinctions at all times and, unlike her upright husband, is less concerned about absolute moral values than appearances.
In the summer of 1906, she had an affair with a much younger man, Charles Victor Hammond, a Captain in the Khyber Rifles
Khyber Rifles
The Khyber Rifles is a para-military force forming part of the modern Pakistan Army's Frontier Corps. Dating from the late nineteenth century the regiment provided the title and setting for a widely read novel, King of the Khyber Rifles....
and a friend of her son. After the affair had been going on for some time (presumed secret but never was), he asked her to run off with him but she refused as she realised her duty to her family. Her lover was later, by then a Major, killed during a battle in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1909. He was awarded the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
. In a later episode, a man (Mr.Dooley) who had been Hammond's military batman (personal attendant) showed up with a packet of love letters she had written to him. Rebuffed at the front door of 165 Eaton Place by Mr. Hudson (the butler) as an "unwashed Irish vagrant", he went around to the mews to make himself agreeable to Thomas the chauffeur. In a sting attempt by the chauffeur, who was given the letters for the purpose of negotiating with Lady Marjorie, monies were extorted from both Bellamys, each unknown to the other, with the convoluted result that ended with Mr. Dooley in jail (on an unrelated charge) and all monies restored to the individuals—with Thomas receiving a gratuity from each of the Bellamys.
She was always having trouble with her two children. Elizabeth was a wild child and flirted with socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
, and she married in 1908 a man who failed to consummate their marriage (the story line all but confirms his homosexuality), and she had an affair with his publisher at the behest of her husband. As a result, Elizabeth became pregnant and delivered a daughter, Lucy Elizabeth, her marriage was ended, and her husband dispatched to the continent "with a modest pension" from the Bellamys "to keep him happy" (and quiet) about the sordid affair.
In 1908, James, who was always her favourite, had an affair with the housemaid Sarah
Sarah Moffat
Sarah Moffat , also known as Sarah Delice and Clémence Dumas, is a fictional character in the ITV drama Upstairs, Downstairs and its spin-off Thomas & Sarah...
and she ended up expecting. James was sent to India. Sarah was shipped off to Southwold, but returned to Eaton Place in May 1909 on her own and unhappy, saying "No one said anything to me one day to the next!" Sarah was in labour while the King
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
was dining upstairs, and the baby boy was still-born.
Death
On 15 April 1912 Lady Marjorie and her lady's maidLady's maid
A lady's maid is a female personal attendant who waits on the lady of the house. The position is very similar to a gentleman's valet. Traditionally, in eras past, 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...
, Miss Roberts, along with Lady Majorie's brother the new Lord Southwold and his new wife a widow Marion Worsely were passengers on the ill-fated maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic. They were both presumed dead, but Roberts survived and later informed the family that Lady Marjorie had at first refused to go out on deck as it was too cold. When ordered to by the ships crew they found on deck a little girl crying she had lost her mother, at this point Lady Majorie pressed her jewel case into Roberts hands telling her to keep it safe for her as she took the little girl's hand saying she would help her find her mother. This was the last time Roberts saw her ladyship. Roberts was forcibly placed into a lifeboat before Lady Majorie returned, and even though there was hardly anyone aboard the lifeboat the crew refused to return to the ship for fear of being sucked down as the Titanic sank. The next day Roberts was rescued along with the other survivors, but was in a state of shock so no one knew her identity, with the result that both were listed as dead. Later when she came to in a New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
hospital she realised who she was and subsequently made her way back to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Accuracy of dates
The episode "A Family Gathering" has the Bellamys celebrating Lady Marjorie's birthday on the same day as The KingEdward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
died, 6 May. In the episode "Desirous of Change", her birthday is, however, said to be 12 July. However the July 12 date is from a book and most likely a typical error common in most books about families. Since the Bellamys celebrate the May 6 onscreen it is more likely to be her birthday.
James in novelisations is said to be 23 in 1904 at his entrance in "Board Wages". In 1912 when he first met Hazel, Lady Prudence remarks to Richard that James is 30 now and that his other friends are married. Actually in 1912 James would have been 31 but he may have not had a birthday yet or Lady Prudence felt herself accurate enough to round off his age to 30. However as a lifelong friend of Lady Marjorie she should have known James' exact age.
Elizabeth's birth of 1887 is more consistent in the series. She comes back from schooling in Germany as a 17 year old in 1905 (she possibly has a late year birthday). Later when Elizabeth becomes involved with Julius Karekin, Richard is heard to say that "...Elizabeth is 23 now!" which would have been late 1909 or early 1910. Once again Richard should have known the exact age of his own daughter.