Synopsis

One of the most important revolutions of the 20th century has taken place not on the battlefield but in the home. In 1900, one in three working women in Britain was a domestic servant. Fifty years later, that entire way of life had disappeared, with wide-ranging implications for all women. With the help of archive film of domestic life through the century, and interviews with former domestic servants, employers, and experts, Timewatch looks at how the way we live, the design of our houses, and the role of women have all been caught up in this quiet revolution. It also asks whether the need for domestic help is now back on the agenda.