Mrs RM Downer (b. 1884): Purpose and Audience
At first glance, RM Downer’s autobiography seems to have been written out of a sense of nostalgia. The title, ‘A Bygone Age’, …
Mrs RM Downer (b.1884): Biographical Entry
211 DOWNER, Mrs. R., ‘A Bygone Age’, TS, pp.31 (c.lO,OOO words). West Sussex Record Office. Born 1884. Father: ‘connected with horses’, working …
Mrs RM Downer (b.1884): Home and Family
As RM Downer’s memoir begins when she started work at 17, she gives little description of her childhood and upbringing. When her …
Mrs RM Downer (b.1884): Habits, Culture and Belief
RM Downer spent much of her free time with her employers. She was friends with many of her clients and while completing …
Mrs RM Downer (b.1884): Education and Schooling
RM Downer dedicates very little of her memoir to her early memories and school days. As I have explained in other posts, …
Mrs RM Downer (b.1884): Life and Labour (Part 1)
RM Downer’s memoir is heavily focused on her career as a dressmaker. As I have explored in a previous post, her purpose …
Mrs RM Downer (b.1884): Illness, Health and Disability
Illness is not an issue discussed in the earlier pages of RM Downer’s memoir. However, when the topic is introduced in the …
Mrs RM Downer (b.1884): War and Memory
RM Downer lived through two World Wars in her lifetime. The First World War began when she was 30, and Second did …
Mrs RM Downer (b.1884): Transcript
1:211 DOWNER, Mrs. R., ‘A Bygone Age’, TS, pp.31 (c.lO,OOO words). West Sussex Record Office. A Bygone Age Page 1 I started …
Mrs RM Downer (b.1884): Life and Labour (Part 2, Social Mobility)
In my introductory post I spoke briefly about RM Downer’s experiences of high society, and the opportunities she was given through her …