"Noblesse Oblige" is the fourteenth episode of the fifth and final series of the period drama Upstairs, Downstairs. It first aired on 7 December 1975 on ITV.

Background

Noblesse Oblige was recorded in the studio on 24 and 25 July 1975.^[1]

Cast

• Angela Baddeley - Mrs Bridges
• Lesley-Anne Down - Georgina Worsley
• David Langton - Richard Bellamy
• Ursula Howells - Duchess of Buckminster
• Christopher Beeny - Edward
• Jacqueline Tong - Daisy
• Jenny Tomasin - Ruby
• Anthony Andrews - Robert, Marquess of Stockbridge
• Elaine Donnelly - Mabel
• Joan Sanderson - Mrs Waddilove
• Deddie Davies - Mrs Tibbitt
• Frank Duncan - Wireless Announcer^[2]

Plot

It is June 1929. Georgina and Lord Stockbridge are seeing a lot of each other; Robert tells Georgina that he is in love with her, and she admits that she feels the same. When Stockbridge proposes, Georgina accepts. Richard is delighted for them. However, Robert's mother, the Duchess of Buckminster, tells him that she and the Duke disapprove. This is mainly because of the inquest Georgina was involved in (dealt with in the previous episode "Joke Over"), and the press coverage Georgina has received over the years as one of the London bright young things. However, a few days later Georgina is invited to tea with the Duchess, who tells Georgina that she and the Duke are sending Robert around the world for some months. They feel that their son is not yet ready to marry or to run their large estates. Georgina and Robert agree to marry in exactly one year's time, 12 June 1930.

Meanwhile, after getting fed up with Mrs Bridges' constant hectoring, Ruby leaves Eaton Place during the night. She writes to Richard Bellamy to ask for a reference, and gets a job with a married couple in the London suburb of Ruislip as a cook-general on £46 a year. In Lady Bellamy's absence, Georgina interviews Mabel Wilks as a replacement for Ruby, and she is employed despite asking for higher wages. However, Mabel is insubordinate to Mrs Bridges, does not do her work properly and is rude to everyone. Mrs Bridges is unable to cope with the situation.

Ruby's new mistress, Mrs Gladys Waddilove, is a bully who treats her very badly. Mrs Bridges reads a letter from Ruby to Daisy, and sensing she is unhappy, visits Ruby. After hearing how exhausted Ruby is from the amount of work she must do, and witnessing Mrs Waddilove's abusive treatment of Ruby, Mrs Bridges brings Ruby back to Eaton Place. Mabel leaves.

As a result of the 1929 general election, Richard loses his government post.

Footnotes

References

• Richard Marson, "Inside UpDown - The Story of Upstairs, Downstairs", Kaleidoscope Publishing, 2005
• Updown.org.uk - Upstairs, Downstairs Fansite