Rose - by Rosina Harrison (Paperback)

About the Book

In 1928, Harrison arrived at the illustrious household of the Astor family to take up her new position as personal maid to the infamously unconventional Lady Astor, who sat in Parliament, entertained royalty, and traveled the world.

Book Synopsis

The story of an unlikely decades-long friendship between Lady Nancy Astor and her spirited Yorkshire maid

In 1928, Rosina Harrison arrived at the illustrious household of the Astor family to take up her new position as personal maid to the infamously temperamental Lady Nancy Astor, who sat in Parliament, entertained royalty, and traveled the world. "She's not a lady as you would understand a lady" was the butler's ominous warning. But what no one expected was that the iron-willed Lady Astor was about to meet her match in the no-nonsense, whip-smart girl from the country.

For 35 years, from the parties thrown for royalty and trips across the globe, to the air raids during WWII, Rose was by Lady Astor's side and behind the scenes, keeping everything running smoothly. In charge of everything from the clothes and furs to the baggage to the priceless diamond "sparklers," Rose was closer to Lady Astor than anyone else. In her decades of service she received one £5 raise, but she traveled the world in style and retired with a lifetime's worth of stories.

Like Gosford Park and Downton Abbey, Rose is a captivating insight into the great wealth "upstairs" and the endless work "downstairs".

Review Quotes

"An extraordinary document, realistic, candid, and a rare look from the vantage point below stairs at a nostalgically romanticized world." -- Los Angeles Times

"A delectable assortment of tales and details about the habits of overprivileged Britishers and the people who served them.... Rosina is a feisty, keen-eyed, no-nonsense observer of caste, class, and character. And when she matches wills and wits with Lady Astor--a Virginia Belle by birth, a Member of Parliament, and mistress of a dazzling fortune, and of Cliveden, one of England's most stately homes--the result is not only a crackling comedy of manners, but a sense of the way it was, firsthand." -- Newsweek

"Lady Astor's personal maid reveals her 'upstairs, downstairs' relationships with England's grandest family...Fascinating and deliciously readable!"

-- The New York Times Book Review

About the Author

Rosina Harrison (1899-1989) served as Lady Nancy Astor's personal maid for over thirty-five years and was the author of two books.