I Dies from Love
| "I Dies from Love" | |
|---|---|
| 'Upstairs, Downstairs' episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 8 |
| Directed by | Raymond Menmuir |
| Written by | Terence Brady Charlotte Bingham |
| Original air date | 30 January 1972 |
"I Dies from Love" was the eighth episode of the first series of the British television series, Upstairs, Downstairs. The episode is set in the summer of 1907.
Emily, the Irish scullery maid at 165 Eaton Place, has fallen deeply and hopelessly in love with William, a young footman who comes to tea in the servants' hall while his mistress, Mrs. Van Groeben, an obnoxious, conceited, nouveau riche woman who is new to London from Cape Town, South Africa, is calling on Lady Marjorie in connection with a Charity Committee that she is involved with.
Also involved with the committee is Marjorie's best friend, Lady Prudence Fairfax, (who becomes annoyed with the newcomer when she brags about her daughter Wilhelmina becoming great friends with Lady Prudence's daughter, Agatha, whom she had only met the night before) and Lady Templeton, an elderly, acerbic and slightly eccentric lady who can't stand being cooped up with a herd of women as she complains to an amused Hudson. Marjorie however sees her as a good person, and mentions that Richard says she is the sanest person he knows.
Emily's kitchen work is suffering as a result of her ardor for William, (in this episode she is also pulling double duty as under-house parlourmaid, which allows her to work with Rose) and she is receiving a great deal more verbal lashings from Mrs. Bridges. An example is when Emily mistakenly put salt into the sugar jar, which ruins one of Mrs. Bridges' puddings.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Van Groeben pulls Lady Marjorie aside and tells her that she thinks that their charity should only be given to a few privileged servants, which annoys Lady Marjorie. Lady Marjorie sharply tells her guest that the committee's efforts are to help everyone in domestic service, and not just a certain few. The uncaring Mrs. Van Groeben then changes the subject, attempting to impress Lady Marjorie with news of a house party held by Lord Nicholson, only to be stunned when Marjorie fondly refers to him as "Toby Nicholson", revealing that she is a close friend of his.
Emily and William spend their days off together often, and Emily falls deeply in love with William and wants nothing more than to marry him. But Mrs Van Groeben, who is somewhat unsympathetic and more than a bit snobbish (her tendency to be condescending to everyone makes her immediately disliked by Lady Marjorie and Lady Prudence, and absolutely loathed by Lady Templeton), forbids the relationship out of envy and firmly orders William to stop seeing her, bribing him with promises of a new uniform and an increased status in her household. The cowardly William obeys, not wanting to jeopardize his promotions, claiming he never saw Emily as anything more than "a bit of fun."
Meanwhile, back at 165 Eaton Place, Lady Marjorie, in a much more kindly manner than Mrs. Van Groeben, tells Emily that William cannot see her anymore, and Emily's heart breaks. Lady Marjorie is more sympathetic towards Emily's situation because she had been through the same thing with her son, James's friend, Charles Hammond.
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