A Day in the Past The Dumping Ground

Right, you lot, out you get!

Come on!

You said we were going somewhere great!

"Great" means a theme park with a log flume.

No, it means going fishing.

Well, there you are. It doesn't matter where I choose, does it?

I'm never going to make you all happy.

So this time, you decided to disappoint us all

with a boring old tour of a boring old house.

Can't believe Faith got out of this.

She'd entered that athletics competition

ages before we booked this.

I like it. I want a house like this one day.

Yeah, like that will ever happen!

-I wonder who actually lives here?

-Maybe a pop star lives here!

He doesn't look like a pop star.

Welcome to Hiddon Hall!

54 rooms, 600 acres,

and at least four ghosts...

Don't worry, they're all friendly.

Come on! We've got a lot to do.

THEY MURMUR

This room, all the rooms,

are virtually how they would have looked in the Edwardian times,

around 1901 to 1914,

the hall's heyday.

Everything you see is genuine

and some of the items are worth thousands.

There's nothing in there.

So if you break that, you'll be paying for it for a very long time!

Um... Is this river near here?

Runs through the grounds.

But you'll be too busy to go fishing.

Doing what?

Follow me and find out.

Come along!

All these photos are of people who lived here,

aristocrats and servants, during Edwardian times.

Didn't smile much, did they?

So who owned the place?

The Earl of Hiddon.

There have been many down the years,

but, during the early 1900s, it was that chap up there.

The sixth Earl.

We're particularly proud of that portrait after having it restored.

Cost thousands.

What? I hate these places

full of boring antiques that everybody make a fuss about.

You're jealous cos you'll never have a house like this.

What? And you will? Dream on!

Be quiet and pay attention!

..or even the odd royal needing a bed for the night.

And all of them served by these people in the photographs.

The Earl's army of footmen, maids and cooks.

Like him.

In this hat are the names of the people in those photos.

Even the Earl himself.

Everyone takes a name, at random,

and that's who'll they'll be for the rest of the day.

That's cool.

-Why?

-So you can understand history better,

see what life would have been like if you were born 100 years ago.

We'll just ask Gina, she'll tell us.

THEY LAUGH

Mm...

You lot running this place...

You know what, looking at you now, I'm not so sure.

We're just as good as anyone else!

Oh! You could go a day without your precious phones,

internet, fast food?

Your rights and free time?

Yes, definitely. Us lot can handle better than anybody else.

Then, you'd better pick some names.

OK, me first! I might be an Edwardian lady!

This is the worst day of my life.

Ha! You look fantastic!

-Ready for the day ahead?

-No.

Listen, George, this isn't me, see?

I should be upstairs, you know, wearing all the glamorous clothes.

But you're a scullery maid.

Accidentally! Look, can't I just switch? Be with my friends?

But they're not your friends. Don't you see?

To talk to servants about anything other than house matters

would have been embarrassing.

Here are your duties for the morning.

"Set the table for dinner."

"Pick herbs for the kitchen."

"Clean out the fireplace." Do we actually have to do this?

Of course you do. They're your jobs.

Now, where's...Elektra?

Why, Miss Kettle, I do believe you look quite exquisite.

As do you, Miss Taylor. As do you.

Ladies, your challenges for the day.

This is Rachel, she is an expert in Edwardian etiquette.

She'll tell you what to do.

"Learn how to be polite Edwardian ladies,

"in the hope of marrying the Earl's son, the heir to Hiddon Hall."

I am not getting married.

-Good for you.

-You must.

It was vital to an Edwardian lady.

To preserve your status, you had to marry an aristocrat,

preferably one with a fancy title and a big stately home.

If you remained single, everyone thought you were odd.

The men, that is.

Who cares what they think? We're rich, ain't we?

Only through your family's wealth. Ladies didn't work...

-Ha!

-In the way that we think of work.

They couldn't even vote.

-Well, that's not fair!

-Exactly.

But it soon changed afterwards.

Haven't you read about the women who fought for the vote? Suffragettes?

-Rachel.

-Yeah.

That's what we should do. Fight for women's rights.

Instead of marrying someone just so we can keep wearing fancy clothes.

But wouldn't change be easier

if you were married to a politician or a man of power?

So you could whisper a few good ideas in their ears?

("Votes for women.")

-OK. We need to get married.

-Yeah, definitely.

Home-made soup, roast dinner, apple pie.

We've got to make all this?!

Of course. You're the head cook and Rick is the kitchen hand.

Oh, great.

But there's just one tiny problem - we can't cook!

We're never going to make all this.

You won't if you stand around moaning! Now, come on!

Hold on... Where is the microwave?!

I could get used to this, Harry.

Look like a gentleman, feel like a gentleman.

Don't pull at this!

-You need to look smart, yeah!

-Why?

Because I'm the Earl and you're my son!

What is an Earl?

Um...someone who's in charge. And who's really important.

So you're like Mike?

More important than Mike.

The Earl is owner of the hall.

In charge of all affairs, all his servants,

and he has to make sure

that his family conduct themselves properly.

-See?

-Most important of all,

the Earl must ensure the future of the estate.

Think you can manage that?

Uh...

Great houses need two things to survive.

Lots of money, and heirs.

In order to get both,

you have to make sure your son, Harry here, marries a rich lady.

You mean persuade one of the girls to marry Harry?

I don't think I can.

I mean, people don't always listen to me.

Then, today you must make them.

Show everyone that you're in charge.

They have to respect you, look up to you.

Are you up to that challenge?

I think so.

No "think" about it.

You have to be sure.

Feel as grand and magnificent as you look.

Now, take a deep breath and say, "I am the Earl."

I am the Earl.

Again, but like you mean it.

I am the Earl.

Better! Again!

I am the Earl!

That's the spirit, I think you're ready to meet your first servant.

Milligan!

Your tasks for the day, my lord.

You're my butler? Wicked!

HE CLEARS HIS THROAT

Uh, I mean...very good, Milligan.

Very good.

Off!

Off, off!

Prince Albert slept in that bed!

It's priceless.

Oh, no! There's a wrinkle in the sheets. It's ruined!

This room is clearly marked out-of-bounds.

It says so on the door.

Aren't I supposed to be an Edwardian servant?

Who's to say I can read? Not my fault.

I'll handle this.

I'm very proud of this house.

SHE CHUCKLES

What a loser.

Why aren't you in costume?

Why aren't I playing Edwardian dress-up? Gee, that's a tough one.

What's the point of all this?

Some of the others are really getting into it.

If you showed an interest, the rest might follow.

Flattery. Nice try, but I'm still not dressing up.

If I let you into a little secret about today,

and you solemnly promise not to tell the others, will you join in then?

Depends on what the secret is.

"You must be the perfect hosts and entertain your guests at a dance

"that will take place, followed by a celebratory luncheon at 2pm,

"where, hopefully, the Earl will announce the engagement."

You got that?

Two o'clock? But I'm hungry now.

Tough.

We need to start practising this, so that you can bag a wife.

OK, so erm...

Let's pretend that I'm a lady and you're trying to impress me

with your "sparkling and witty conversation."

OK, are you ready?

HE CLEARS HIS THROAT

Go on!

I'm Harry.

Oh, come on, it has to be more interesting than that.

I want a sandwich.

Well, you can't have one yet!

Why not? You're the Earl!

You can get us anything we want.

BELL TINKLES

You must learn the secret language of hand fans

and grapple with the Grizzly Bear.

It's the name of a dance.

So we're dancing and having fun,

while poor Carmen's downstairs dusting and cleaning out fireplaces.

Yeah, but we're doing this for her, aren't we?

For women's rights?

Yeah. But that doesn't help her today, does it?

Unless...

She joins in.

A bell for each room of the house.

When one sounds, you have to drop what you're doing

and rush to see what your betters want.

Or we could just ignore them.

Yeah, what's the worst that could happen?

You'd be dismissed.

So you'd be homeless, penniless,

and without anyone else in the world.

I'm going to go and see what they want.

Frank, why are you not out collecting herbs?

Don't have any gardening tools.

Then go and find some!

Jody, go and set the table!

I'm not doing it!

I'm the boss. I decide!

Stop! Now, start on those chickens!

They will not bite you!

I shouldn't be doing the yucky jobs, I'm head cook.

Then you should lead by example!

Like the celebrity chefs do on TV.

How do you think they got all those restaurants and money, huh?

Celebrity chefs? Look, you can't even peel potatoes properly.

Like Gina said, I've got to start somewhere.

Right?

Go and fetch us some peanut butter and chocolate sandwiches.

Did they even have peanut butter in Edwardian times?

Not sure... So go and find out!

Then, come back and tell us.

You want to be nicer to me, Johnny.

Come on, Lily, you didn't turn!

I thought Carmen was a servant.

She is.

Stay there. Continue learning your manners.

And again...

No, seriously! And...

Put your hand up... And turn!

-Again! Look!

-And turn!

-Put your hand up!

-OK.

-Turn!

THEY CHUCKLE

What's going on?!

It's called the Grizzly Bear. Rachel's teaching us it for later.

She's a servant. She can't join in.

It's not up to you.

Er, yes, it is!

I'm the Earl, I'm in charge and what I say goes!

Strictly speaking, he's right.

I hate being Edwardian!

Carmen, hey, what's the matter?

Johnny! Bossing people around!

George, George! Can I have a word?

Butlers never run.

Well, quite...

But there's no kids around to see me.

I was talking to Carmen, one of the servant girls,

and apparently Johnny stopped her from dancing with the others.

That's his job, his role.

I'm just a bit worried

that the downstairs kids are finding it too unfair,

-upsetting even.

-Good.

The best way for children to learn about the class system

is for them to experience the injustice of it.

Immersion.

But if we told them they were switching after lunch,

it'd stop the friction.

The whole day would be ruined.

Not necessarily. I've told Elektra...

You told one of them?!

As a result, she's even more involved.

Yes, because now she's doing the tasks for her own ends.

She isn't joining in the spirit of the day, she isn't learning,

experiencing.

I just don't like seeing my lot upset.

They're not the same as the school groups that you normally get here.

They all live together.

If there's even a whiff of unfairness, of favouritism...

Everything is fine. I know what I'm doing.

Finished!

Have you finished setting the table already? Why, Jody, that's...

That's not quite the way it's done.

The Edwardians were a little more particular.

Here.

See?

Every knife, every fork, every glass

has an exact place it must go.

You even have to measure

the distance between the cutlery and the plates.

That's dumb. Why bother?

A correctly set table was expected and admired.

It needed great skill and determination,

not to mention creativity.

See, how they even had to fan the napkins.

But perhaps we should give the task to an older member of staff.

I'm old enough!

Good day, welcome to my house.

No...

Good day, welcome to Hiddon Hall.

I am the Earl, and this is my son, Harry.

Oh, Harry! Look at the state of you!

You can't meet ladies looking like that!

You're supposed to be my son!

Move out of my way!

You're wasting your time. You'll never get this all done.

I did it! I actually made pastry!

See what you can do when you put your mind to it?

Wait! That's wrong.

It says we have to cover it in thyme and parsley.

Frank's not got the herbs. There's no time for thyme.

I want to do this properly!

So you want me to go downstairs to get a dustpan and brush

and then come back upstairs, just so I can pick up a few crumbs?

Isn't that what I just said?

Forget it! Do it yourself!

Such tasks are beneath me.

They're more for people of your class and intelligence.

Problem, my lord?

Just one of the maids forgetting her manners.

Nothing I can't handle.

Correct?

Of course, my lord. Leave it with me.

Oh, and before you go...

Yes, my lord?

Clean that butter from Harry's shoe.

And now, do mine.

Anything else, my lord?

You are dead when we swap.

Ladies used hand fans to communicate,

sort of like a hidden code.

Holding the fan in your right hand meant, "Follow me."

Drawing the fan through your hand meant, "Ooh, I hate you."

Brushing the fan across the eyes, "I'm sorry."

And fanning quickly,

"I love you!"

Oh, Miss Taylor, I never knew you cared!

THEY LAUGH

Oh! I get what this is!

It's like text messaging!

Edwardian style.

Oh, my phone! I said I'd text my dad, see how he's getting on

with Poppy and Rosie at the park today.

But George's confiscated our phones, he says they're "not of this era."

Well, he'd let me have it for a couple of minutes,

if I say it's important.

He'd love that.

It'd prove you can't survive without technology.

Look, the sooner we get married,

the sooner we can get out of the past

and then you can get your phone back.

How's the table setting going, Jody...?

Wow!

One, two, three, one, two, three!

Right! One, two, three...

THEY LAUGH

ALL: Look! I'm a bear!

THEY LAUGH

And again...

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight...

Now, forwards and backwards...

One, two, three...

You need to put your hands up like a bear.

Right, side to side. One, two, three...

Aahh!

Argg!

Right! Start again!

You need to get it right! Otherwise, you won't get married

and I'll lose the hall! Is that what you want?

What's the matter?

I'm not having fun now.

Oh, no, not again.

My feet are killing me.

No! Do not look at me.

If Johnny bosses me about one more time,

I'm going to punch him, Earl or not.

Keep stirring that soup.

"Please" would be nice.

What would you sooner have? A please or a pie that isn't burnt?

A nice pie, I guess.

Well, then.

Smells great, guys!

And it'll taste even better.

Wow!

THEY LAUGH

Why do I have to do this?

To make my son happy.

Now, erm...

Tap your head and rub your belly.

HE LAUGHS

You don't have to do this, Carmen.

Yes, she does! Be quiet!

And why have you stopped laughing?

Maybe because he doesn't find bullying funny.

Do you think you're going to impress people by acting like this?

Make yourself popular?

I am popular!

I've got loads of guests, entertain royalty.

I'm talking about you, Johnny.

I'm sorry, but you're not cool enough to act like this.

-Just do what I say!

-No! This isn't even one of my tasks.

It is, if I say so. Do it.

No.

Then you're fired.

So? This isn't real anyway.

Yeah, but it's the best job you're ever going to get.

I've seen your school grades.

You'll be lucky to be a cleaner when you're older.

It's time, my lords.

Ladies, may I present Lord Taylor, Earl of Hiddon Hall.

And his son and heir, the Right Honourable Harry.

Thank you for accepting our invitation to Hiddon Hall.

Oh, is it too hot for you in here?

No, we're texting you.

I must say, you have a beautiful house, my lord.

We do our best.

And your son Harry looks very...handsome.

We always like to look immaculate.

When's me dinner? I'm starvin'!

Quick, quick, quick...

THEY SHOUT

Hurry up!

SHE SIGHS

Move, move!

Right, I'm trying to do it!

Go, go, go!

MUSIC PLAYS

So, Harry, it must be wonderful to live in such a magnificent hall?

It's too big.

No, it isn't. Say something else.

What like?

Something interesting, like I taught you.

Johnny upset Carmen.

Why? What happened?

Who cares? She's just a maid.

No, she's not, she's a person. And she should have rights.

And she's still our friend.

Not today! You don't care about her today.

I don't want to dance with you any more.

You have to!

Erm... I don't HAVE to do anything.

-And I'm not marrying Harry either.

-Why not?

Because I wouldn't want to marry someone with such a rubbish dad.

Doubt anyone will ever want to marry YOU, then.

Wait! What?

Are you talking about my real life? My real dad?

-Take it back!

-Don't tell me what to do!

-I said take it back!

-Make me.

No! No! Stop, stop!

Stop it!

This is not Edwardian!

-Don't you ever say anything about my family again!

-Get out!

Tee or Floss can marry Harry instead.

That means I hate you.

Someone's got to marry him! I order it.

Your can't force them, Johnny.

I'm afraid you've failed.

Lunch is served!

But it wasn't my fault.

Let's discuss it after lunch, shall we?

Look at the magnificent table that Jody has set for you, my lord!

Ladies and gentlemen! Grub's up!

HE CLEARS HIS THROAT

Uh, I mean, lunch is served, my lords.

Take it away, no-one's having any.

Did you not hear what I just said?

You're not being serious? This took us hours!

Everyone has to try it, to see if I'm a good cook.

Tough.

Now, Johnny, hold on, you have to let everyone have some lunch.

You said to show who's in charge, didn't you?

Who's boss? That's all I'm doing!

Yes, but when I...

I am the Earl!

What are you doing?

Get up! You're not allowed to sit there!

Get up! Milligan, tell him!

-Let go!

-No!

-Johnny!

-I said let...go!

Johnny, no!

Get out.

THEY CHUCKLE

Get out!

Get out!

Well done for ruining our day, Johnny.

Hello, Dad. Yeah, it's me.

Well, we was having a good time until...

All that work. For nothing.

I'm glad it's over. I was sick of being a maid.

Carmen, you're such an idiot.

We were supposed to swap this afternoon.

-Gina, please tell me she's joking.

-I'm afraid not.

Well done, Johnny. You've ruined it for all of us!

Today could have been brilliant!

Where've you been, Frank?

Johnny had you running round after him as well?

Just a minute.

I did try to warn you.

It wasn't my fault!

I was sticking to the rules, playing my part!

By making comments about Lily and her dad? Carmen's schoolwork?

Humiliating Elektra?

That was my role!

It's your fault, you should never have made us do the stupid day.

One of the great things about history is that it helps us

with the choices that we make in our own lives.

Those Earls and rich types who didn't treat their staff properly,

they all came a cropper in the end.

Including our party-throwing sixth Earl himself.

I just liked being in charge for once. Being important.

HE CHUCKLES

You are important.

No, I'm not. I'm a care kid.

I'll never be respected.

Or rich or have a nice house.

You don't know that.

If you work hard, try hard,

then you can be anything that you want to be.

But I'll tell you something, Johnny,

if you talk to people, treat people the way that you did today...

..then, you'll never get anywhere in life.

Right?

BELL TINKLES

Breakfast is served!

What is he doing?

I got carried away yesterday.

Money, a big house, power,

none of that is as good as having friends.

So I've made you all breakfast.

With my expert help!

And mine.

Ooh... He's saying he's sorry.

Yeah, we forgive you.

Yeah, we do.

-Come on, let's eat.

-What's going on?

Johnny's sorry about yesterday.

Why, what did he do?

Um... Exactly where were you yesterday, Frank?

In the garden. Picking herbs.

No, you weren't. I did that!

Frank?

Frank! Oi! Frank!

HE LAUGHS

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd