Rachael in service

Very few women of Rachael's age would be expected to go on to higher education.    Young girls whose families could afford it would stay at home until they were married when they would move to a home with their husband and raise a family.  Girls from the working class would frequently "go into service" working in the homes of those who could afford paid help.

Wealthy families visiting Highland Estates for the shooting season would seek suitable young girls to join them in their London Residences.  Arrangements were made for Rachael to leave her family and her way of life  to travel to London and join the staff in a house in Lennox Gardens, Kensington.

She was just 17.  Was she given a choice?  I very much doubt it, Might her parents have received payment for her?  Possibly.  But her parents had other children to clothe and feed and times were hard. 

Rachael did not see her move to London as the start of a great adventure but as a very sad parting with a life that although financially poor had been rich in love and location.  This role was decided for her because her parents could not afford to keep her at home.  

But Rachael was lucky.  The family who took her into their employment were kind and took their responsibilities to a young, innocent girl seriously.  Not all girls were as lucky.  Rachael made good friends with other staff in the house in particular Dolly.  But she missed her family and the freedom of the Highlands.  She was like a caged bird.

Rachael's best friend at the time was Dolly and it was she who would introduce the shy Highland lass to the equally shy lad from Cumberland.  They would make up a foursome with Dolly's boyfriend.  Rachael always spoke of Dolly as a lively, good-hearted girl 

On one occasion when the foursome was walking across Horseguards Parade, Dolly's elastic went and her knickers fell to the ground.i

Unlike the stretchy, elasticated knickers worn today, bloomers were baggy and reliant on a piece of elastic threaded through a waist band to keep them up.  Failure of the elastic meant that the knickers fell down to the floor.

Rachael meets up with John's brother

At the fountains in Trafalgar Square

It remains highly desirable in an expensive area of London.  Many of the large houses on the  Square are split into flats.  A one bedroom flat can sell for more than £2 million and a 5 bedroom flat over 3 floors for more than £20 million.

Outside Lennox Gardens