Week of February 22
Monday, February 22
11:00am Secrets of the Manor House
About 100 years ago, the world of the British Manor House was at its height. It was a world of luxury that that has provided a majestic backdrop to a range of movies and popular costume dramas to this day. But what was really going on behind these stately walls and under the servants' stairs? "Secrets of the Manor House," looks beyond the fiction to the truth of how life was in these ancient British houses, and how mounting financial, political and social pressures were about to bring momentous changes to both the wealthy and their servants. The program covers the background of the British titled class in Edwardian times, the realities for servants working in their estates, the concept of the entail that passed estates to the next generation, the growing influence of American wealth in British aristocracy at the beginning of the 20th Century, and the impact of the first world war on the social class system evident at a British country house.
Watch the show here: https://www.pbs.org/video/secrets-manor-house-secrets-manor-house/ (Passport Required)
Tuesday, February 23
11:00am Secrets of the Selfridges
Two words are synonymous with Selfridges: luxury and London. However, Selfridges was the brainchild of an American, Harry Gordon Selfridge, whose life was depicted in the MASTERPIECE series "Mr. Selfridge." The real, flamboyant Mr. Selfridge brought about a complete revolution in the way Londoners shopped, introducing a new American retail model that made shopping less a practical pursuit and more a luxurious adventure. Keen to put the shopper's experience above anything else, Selfridge coined the expression "The customer is always right," which has become the mantra of shops all over the world. The program reveals the grandiose store's hidden stories and delves deep into the mind of its ambitious creator.
Watch the show here: https://www.pbs.org/show/secrets-selfridges/ (Passport Required)
Wednesday, February 24
11:00am Victoria and Albert: The Wedding Part 1
Enjoy a recreation of the wedding that changed British matrimonial ceremonies forever. This series, hosted by Lucy Worsley, celebrates an enduring love that was to melt the nation's heart and set the standard for generations of brides to come. Join the experts preparing to reconstruct the wedding that changed history. As they get ready for the ceremony and investigate the stories behind the dress, food and music, they uncover astonishing details, and their challenge comes into focus.
Watch the show here: https://www.pbs.org/video/episode-1-tlmmhh/ (Passport Required)
Thursday, February 25
11:00am Victoria and Albert: The Wedding Part 2
Witness the most accurate reconstruction of Victoria and Albert's wedding ever staged, followed by a sumptuous wedding breakfast, a prelude to the first night that began a marriage so iconic, it heralded constitutional monarchy as we know it today.
Watch the show here: https://www.pbs.org/video/episode-2-box6aq/ (Passport Required)
Friday, February 26
11:00am Prince Albert: A Victorian Hero Revealed
Discover the little-known yet profound role Prince Albert played in shaping Victorian Britain. Professor Saul David examines Albert's influence and innovative ideas, which transformed the nation's fortunes and created a legacy that lives on today.
Program is not available online, but you can watch a preview of the program here: https://www.pbs.org/video/preview-pia5co/
