Lady Celina

Shade of the Black

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday 16^th October 1859.

 

Excerpts from the journal of

Lady Celina Carvel.

 

At last, my father has given permission for my project, though I think my having the backing of the high Abbot helped. After the Abbot explained to father about the artisans living on the Abbey lands who were unable to find a market for their wares, and after he had explained the drain this imposed on the Abbey’s finances, my father had little choice but to assist me. Now I am to move into part of my father’s apartments in London. Some of the household servants are to travel down on Wednesday next by the railway to open the rooms and ready them. My mother and my father, along with his man Mr Ross, who is to fly with Father, are to travel down on the following Friday. I am to fly with them, and this is going to be the longest flight I have ever made.

~~~

Lord Carvel’s unexpected order, that items to go to London were to be collected and transported to the railway that night was greeted with disbelief and panic by the servants.

Lady Celina Carvel, on hearing the news from Jane immediately started to pack. Or at least Jane her maid and childhood companion did. Privately, Jane regarded Celina’s assistance as more of a hindrance than a help. With Celina selecting dresses and other clothing that Jane felt were mostly unsuitable, requiring her to constantly unpack and repack portions of the luggage.

It was as Celina decided on her fourth change that Jane stormed off to enlist the help of Lady Mary, to persuade Celina which dresses the busy streets and shops of London were best suited to.

With the packing all ready for the railway Jane began to fret. She had been told she was to follow the following day with the servants. Jane had only heard of the railway, and now the thought of travelling at forty miles an hour, well, it terrified her.

Yes the idea of travelling this way was bad, but to her the alternative of not going by the railway was far worse. The railway only frightened her, while flying with Celina; she knew to be totally impossible.

As the time for departure approached, Jane found that her tattered nerves had reduced her normally brave and sensible nature, to one of almost panic.

Celina, though her father was a major shareholder of the railway, and chaired the railway board knew very little about the railways. Still she did her best to set Jane’s mind at ease, as she explained about Mr Anderson’s wonderful railway.

The dreaded hour finally arrived, and it was time to set off with coaches for the servants, and a wagon to transport their personal luggage.

Arriving at the railway station, Celina was surprised to discover just how intimidating the railway engines were. While to Jane, the engine drawing a line of assorted coaches into the railway station was a massive clanking black monster, belching smoke and steam.

Looking along the line of coaches, Jane could see a few had glass in the windows, while most did not. Celina, seeing that this was causing some concern amongst the servants, took Jane’s hand reassuringly, as she told her.

“Don’t worry Jane; father says he has had one of the Director’s coaches put on for all of you to ride in.”

Jane gave Celina a weak smile, as Samuel the Butler who had been loading the luggage turned, and with much shouting and waving of hands started to organise the boarding of the servants.

After a tearful farewell, there was a shriek from the engines whistle, followed by a jerk and a bang from the train of coaches as the journey to York began. 

Jane found after travelling a few miles, and with nothing disastrous having occurred, that she could start to relax and take note of the countryside they were passing through.

Cook proved to be a great help, keeping them all entertained with stories of earlier days on the railway. Telling them tales about the days when her father had worked the ‘tokens’ on the pit line, and how as a little girl she had taken his meals to the small wooden shelter he used. Then being allowed to sit with him to watch the old-fashioned engines pulling wagons laden with coal go by as he ate.

The York railway station was a revelation for most of them, as it was enormous. Samuel had visited York many times with Lord Carvel, and was a well known patron of ‘The Railway Hotel,’ just across the road from the station. Jane found the refreshment area there run by a rather fat jovial man, a pleasant way to pass the hour waiting for the London express to arrive.

If Jane had thought the elderly engine on the Ripon branch line was large, the one pulling the London Express soon changed her mind. As it thundered into the station, the noise heat and steam that immediately surrounded them drove everyone as far away from the platform’s edge as they could get.

The iron monstrosity was enormous. Over three times the size and four times as fast as the Ripon branch line engine, and capable of taking them to London in just three and a quarter hours, stopping only the once.

London was large and noisy. While Jane and the rest of the servants now considered their selves to be seasoned railway travellers. They still found the sprawling streets of London provided yet another travel experience, making their way to Lord Carvel’s apartment in a perpetual state of wonder.

Cobbled streets ten and even more yards across with raised paved walkways at the sides. Open spaces with parks full of trees all evoking admiration and surprise.

Jane watched as steam carriages and wagons trundled almost silently along, belching the odd burst of steam as they went.

Everywhere she looked there were people whom she assumed to be ladies and gentlemen in marvellous clothes.

The London apartments, ‘Belgrave House’ as kept by Lord Carvel, Jane found to be a four-storey town house taking up the East side of Belgrave Square.

Ten years previously when the house was being built, the facilities it boasted had been the most modern and luxurious in London.

A coal-fired boiler in the cellar not only provided heat for the building in winter, but also produced ample hot water at the taps. This allowed the family and their guests to have their own bathroom and water closet. There was even the luxury of a bathroom and water closets for the servants in their quarters.

Samuel made sure that the entire load of luggage had been delivered and checked, before setting Cook and her helper to work in the small servant’s kitchen that was to be used for their stay.

Jane who was in charge of unpacking her mistress’s things and preparing her rooms for her arrival, found the Rooms for Celina like those of her parents to be situated on the first floor.

Celina’s rooms were comprised of a sitting room with two large windows that overlooked Belgrave Square, giving a view of the park and a small lake through the trees. Her bedroom had attached a small dressing room, and by a short corridor, a bathroom.

Jane had a suite of adjoining rooms, and by the same short corridor, the bathroom she would share with Celina.

Opening the few rooms that were to be for Celina’s use, the servants found that in spite of the dust covers, there was still a large amount of cleaning to do. Prompting Kate the young scullery maid to complain about how dirty the house had become in the six months since her last visit.

Jane was already hard at work black-leading the fireplace, when Kate struggling to move Lady Mary’s heavy desk asked for her assistance.

As Jane turned to help Kate, the brush she was using caught the fire irons, knocking them over and the open tin of black-lead into the pan of ashes.

 Picking up the poker Jane turned to Kate and jokingly said.

“I think it’s about time this dirty house learned how to keep itself clean don’t you?”

Then imitating Celina, she waved the poker as though it was a wand and said. “House after today…. be clean. Oh my God!” Jane exclaimed dropping the poker with a shudder.

“Are you all right?” Kate asked.

“Yes, it’s just, well I think someone walked over my grave, that’s all.” Then with a laugh Jane picked up the fire irons, before wiping her hands she went to help Kate with the desk.

By Friday lunch, all arrangements for the arrival of the family were complete, and as a reward for their hard work Samuel had arranged for the steam carriage to be readied in the afternoon for a tour of London.  Samuel saying it would be a treat for those on their first visit to the city. Jane, Cook, Kate and Thomas the young footman, were four of those included.

On their return, it was a final rush and by late evening all was ready. Jane could hardly wait; she had missed Celina as she always did when they were apart, just as she knew Celina would have missed her.

It was shortly after two in the morning when the sound of voices in the stable yard alerted the house servants to the arrival of Lord Carvel and party.

Jane was on tenterhooks as she found herself feeling Celina’s excitement even before she reached the door. As the riders dismounted, Thomas taking the brooms put them in the stables, while Cook bustled about with the hot drinks and savoury pies she had made for their arrival.

 

 

Saturday 29^th October 1859.

 

We arrived just after two of the clock in the morning. I must admit I was very relieved to arrive as I found it quite tiring flying that distance. The night was very cold and the servants had waited up with hot refreshments. I found this very touching.

This is my first visit to London, and I find my rooms are most pleasant. Jane has worked her magic as usual, and I am most thankful.

 

Lord James having risen early returned to find Lady Mary’s maid collecting her mistress’s night attire, seeing the maid he waited for her to leave before telling his wife.

“Last night as you were inspecting the house, I had a word with Celina. I told her that I thought three servants would be sufficient.” Lady Mary, who had just taken a seat in the window, looked up startled.

 “Only three James, do you think that’s wise?” Lord James joined his wife as he said.

“Yes Mary, you know I was forced against my better judgment into agreeing with this idea of Celina’s, and like I do, I know you have reservations.”

“Yes James, but why just the three?”

“Mary, if I left a full staff of servants this escapade of Celina’s could last for months. Look at it this way, with just three inexperienced servants it will be a struggle, so that is why I have decided on Mrs Williams, Thomas and that young scullery maid.”

“Do you think that’s wise James, after all none of them are?”

“Exactly Mary, Mrs Williams is only an under cook with no experience of running a kitchen on her own, and then Thomas. At the best he is a very junior footman, and as for a housekeeper, Kate that young scullery maid. With those three I will give her until Christmas at the latest before she wants to return home.”

“But what about that money the Abbey has entrusted her with?”

“I have arranged with my London solicitor to have control over it. Mr Jones is quite reliable, and I have instructed him to handle all her affairs.” Lady Mary sat thinking this over before saying.

“I’m still not sure James; Celina has a wilful streak in her. If she suspects your intentions are for her to fail and give up this wild venture. Or feels we are against her she may just turn stubborn.”

“Mary, as far as Celina will know I shall be doing my best to assist her. She will have Mr Jones to advise her and handle all her finances, but I have instructed him only to make funds available if he considers them appropriate. He has the full authority to withhold funds at his discretion. Mark my words Mary; Celina will be home for Christmas. Now are you ready for breakfast?”

 If you want to read more the full story Lady Celina Knight of the Church is available on Amazon