#like girl... what could you have possibly written that is so scandalous you'd risk prematurely starting wwi

[edwardian-girl-next-door]

Just a random thought on "The Second Stain", at least as presented by Granada Holmes.

For a WIP I've been looking into the (cursory) workings of 19th-century British politics and also how it operated in the realm of society. It seems interesting to me that 1) Lady Hilda seemingly knows nothing about politics, and 2) that her husband desires to keep her so far out of its affairs. Female relatives, especially wives, of upper-class politicians were often indispensable to them through their social functions. They could bring influential people together by being seen at key social events, involving themselves with philanthropic and charitable activities, hosting dinners and dances, and taking part in activism (such as the Primrose League), among other things. Many times their web of friends, relatives, and even lovers could bring valuable 'ins' for them and their husbands. Also, even if they were not expressly educated on the subject at home of boarding or finishing school, many came from families with some involvement in politics (as the heads of the aristocracy held seats in the House of Lords, for example) and grew up with it in their natural environment. Some of the most influential hostesses of that era that come to mind are Lady Jennie Churchill, mother of Winston Churchill and wife to Lord Randolph Churchill; Hannah de Rothschild, later Countess of Rosebery and wife to former Prime Minister Archibald Primrose; and Margot Asquith, second wife to former Prime Minister H. H. Asquith.

Obviously, there are exceptions to this fact -- men could make it to the top without wives to help them along. Gladstone, four times the Prime Minister between 1868 and 1894 had a wife that was rather shy; and Arthur Balfour had no wife at all. Although they were anomalies, it could be that Trelawney Hope is among them, and takes rather a more... traditional? line of thought when it comes to women's roles.

(Also, fun fact: in the episode, but not in the canon, Holmes mentions that she is the daughter of the Duke of Belminster. Therefore she is addressed as 'Lady Hilda Trelawney Hope'. Her husband, on the other hand, is just addressed as plain old 'Mr.' This is because daughters of earls could keep their titles if they married down, even to a commoner)

Source: edwardian promenade (my beloved)