From Cottage to Palace

by Margaret Bramford, Richard Lyntton (publisher)

Escape to the past with this cheeky and endearing Royal Memoir. Florence Bramford was a Ladies' Maid to the Ladies in Waiting of two Queen Elizabeths, from 1939 to 1974. Think real-life The Queen (Netflix), Downton Abbey, or Upstairs Downstairs ... inside the British Royal Family from the servant's perspective half a century ago including photographs from around the world.
Margaret Bramford presents the life of her aunt, told in her own words. Florence had a Victorian childhood and Edwardian adolescence. She was privileged to reside in many royal residences with her Ladies in Waiting and joined many Royal Tours around the world. God bless Florence!
This book is published on Kindle Vella.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

120 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2022

Reviews

[Eden · Rating 4 out of 5]

2022 bk 296. A charming re-telling of the life of a young girl through her 94th year. Florence Bramford was a member of the working/servant class. Her mother had been a dresser, her father a carriage driver/chauffeur and she followed her parents into service. Trained to a strict standard, she exemplified a person who took great pride in her own work and skills. For many years she worked in one household and her employer praised her to many people - after that individual passed away she moved from household to household among the class of women who became ladies in waiting to the Queen Mother (when she was queen) and eventually Queen Elizabeth. As her ladies in waiting traveled with the Queen, so to did Florence Bramford. Other dressers came to her to learn ironing skills and cleaning techniques. She was awarded the Royal Victorian Medal (Silver) by Queen Elizabeth II aboard the Brittanica on one of its voyages - the first time that medal had been awarded aboard ship. An interesting life with amusing anecdotes.

[Nancy Loe]

Deadly dull in the most gentle way. A family member goes into domestic service and ends up working for the royal family. Small anecdotes are related about missing buttons, last-minute pressings, packing and tissue paper.

I have no doubt the work was unrelenting and demanding for little pay. But any interesting insight is sadly lacking.

[Susan Molloy · Rating 5 out of 5]

🖊 My review: The author begins: “Against a backdrop of British history, this book presents the life of Florence Bramford, who became a Ladies’ Maid to the Ladies in Waiting of two Queen Elizabeths, from 1939 to 1974. This is the life of my great aunt Flo, as related mainly by herself through my aunt, Margaret Bramford.”

Florence Bramford “had a Victorian childhood and an Edwardian adolescence.” Throughout this book, we see a beautiful life with fun, hard work, the good, the bad, and the historical.

I enjoyed this book and the black and white photographs.

🔥 Dénouement: Respectful and optimistic.

🔲 Excerpts :

🔸 Florence never saw Queen Victoria, but she did see the procession of the newly crowned King George V and Queen Mary on the day after their Coronation in June 1911. Everyone remembered that year for its long hot summer when reservoirs shrank to become mere trickles of water.

🔸 Victorian songs taught to Florence and her class were “Merry Little Maids and Merry Little Boys”, “The Seasons”, and “The Swing”. For a recitation, they learned “The Fly’s Bath”. The little boys did Drawing while the little girls did Hemming.

🔸 It was noon on a Saturday in May 1898. Florence was running down the straight path of the long Worcestershire garden and banging together a saucepan and its lid. This was called “tanging” the bees.

🔻 Genre: History and memoire.
👁 Point of view: Third person.
🖋 The writing style: Intelligent and organized.
🗝 What I learned: So much information here, and I like it!
💫 What I like best: The entire story.
📌 Would I read this again? Yes.
🤔 My rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
◼️ Fun fact: These types of topics are among my favorite.
🏮Media form: Kindle Unlimited version.

[Susann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vignettes of a Lady's Maid

Bramford started out in a simple in-service family in Malvern, but as luck would have it (and hard, very satisfactory) work she became a trusted aide to many titled and aristocratic women, culminating in short term positions for Princess Margaret, the Queen Mother and the present queen. Now I know what a lady's maid does...taking care of the clothing and jewels as well as acting as dresser at times. She traveled worldwide, often on the Brittania, and was well known and appreciated by all who knew her. A wonderful slice of former times in England. Could use a bit more sharp editing. Somewhat rose coloured.

[Mark Hargreaves · Rating 5 out of 5]

So interesting.

Learning how people from different time and different ways of living is fascinating. It is so interesting to see how various levels of people live and are treated. There was not much about how the maids, etc are treated, but having read those in the past, there is a huge difference. It was interesting to read the opinion of traveling over the world during a world war and their thinking if it being no big deal.

[Derek Beaugarde · Rating 3 out of 5]

This little book was quite entertaining, telling the biography of Florence Bramford, who became a Lady's Maid to a Lady in Waiting to the Royal Household. Florence was born in the Victorian era in Upton on Severn and ended up travelling all around the world in the entourages of King George VI and the Queen Elizabeth II. The book could have done with a bit of tighter editing.

[sally crowell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful History of a Dresser to the Queen

Long history of servitude to the Royals Florence was apprenticed when she was 14 to a dressmaker. She grew into a Lady’s made for Queen Elizabeth II.
She traveled around the world with the Royals Given different awards for her service, she was humbled. Died at 94

[Beverly Plant · Rating 3 out of 5]

From Cottage to Palace

This book was a bit boring. I had a hard time following who was who, who has related to who, and all the movement of the characters travels. A map would have been most helpful.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

interesting Anecdotes

The book, a compendium of short anecdotes and memories, mildly interesting and occasionally amusing. However, the writing is choppy and poorly edited which makes for a less than enjoyable read.

[jmilesc · Rating 3 out of 5]

Memoirs (more like scattered memories) of Florence Bramford, a Ladies Maid to Ladies in Waiting- Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth- lots of Royal Tours. Not much substance, forgettable- yet sweet, pleasant.

[Catherine Cummins · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHAT A LIFE!

Margaret Bramford chronicles the life's work on Florence Bramford as dresser for Queen Elizabeth and her ladies in waiting. A tale that begins humbly, but progresses quickly to being one of the Queen's entourage all round the world.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review .
Wonderful historical story, captivating. I definitely recommend reading.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

#72 of 120 books pledged to read during 2022

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book started slow, and I almost stopped reading it. I’m glad I continued, though, because it was full of interesting tidbits about the royals. I enjoyed it.

[Donna j tresino · Rating 5 out of 5]

A service with royals

Quite a story! The history it covers, amazing life and a good one too.how blessed was she, and all who knew her.

[Dee Ohliger · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read though nothing spectacular.