Episode no. Season 3
Episode 1 Written by Alfred Shaughnessy | Directed by Raymond Menmuir Original air date 1973 | |
"A House Divided" was the first episode of the third series of the British television series, Upstairs, Downstairs. The episode is set in 1913.
Contents
Cast
Plot
Lady Marjorie Bellamy, her brother Hugo Talbot-Carey (the Earl of Southwold), and his new wife (widow Marion Worsley) die in the sinking of the RMS Titanic. Her lady's maid, Miss Roberts survives the sinking of the Titanic while travelling to America with Lady Marjorie, who perishes. Her last known words being uttered to her maid—"Keep this for me, Roberts"—as she hands over her jewellery box.
After a week being listed as missing Miss Roberts shows up at 165, to the astonishment of the household, having not been registered on the Carpathia's manifest of survivors. Miss Roberts refuses to let anyone touch the jewellery box, believing she is keeping it for Lady Marjorie. She is however emotionally disturbed by the sinking and loss of Lady Marjorie, taking the blame personally. Richard's new secretary, Hazel Forrest, wins the hearts of all when she very gently persuades Miss Roberts to open the box. That means accepting Lady Marjorie is gone and she breaks down into sobs, as she cries, "I tried to save her! I tried to make them [the life boat] go back! I tried to save my Lady."