Comments on: The Green Baize Door: Dividing Line Between Servant and Master http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/the-green-baize-door-dividing-line-between-servant-and-master/ This Jane Austen blog brings Jane Austen, her novels, and the Regency Period alive through food, dress, social customs, and other 19th C. historical details related to this topic. Sun, 26 May 2013 05:34:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: David Rocko http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/the-green-baize-door-dividing-line-between-servant-and-master/#comment-26769 Mon, 09 Jul 2012 22:19:15 +0000 http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/?p=18806#comment-26769 The 1752 case for the London Communion silver in my church is lined with its original purple baize. Baize came in all colors. Any modern coarse-weave cloth is acceptable.

]]> By: Bev Watson http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/the-green-baize-door-dividing-line-between-servant-and-master/#comment-20504 Fri, 24 Feb 2012 08:37:28 +0000 http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/?p=18806#comment-20504 We visited Jane Austen ‘s museum in Bath, England. Interesting wardrobe….

]]> By: Kevin Graves http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/the-green-baize-door-dividing-line-between-servant-and-master/#comment-19533 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 03:23:14 +0000 http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/?p=18806#comment-19533 Ralph and Ricki Lauren’s bedroom in their Bedford NY home is covered in deep blue baise and is beautiful.

]]> By: unpub http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/the-green-baize-door-dividing-line-between-servant-and-master/#comment-19527 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:42:08 +0000 http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/?p=18806#comment-19527 An old time crooner called Frankie Vaughn had a big hit in the UK (decades ago) with a record called “Green Door”, and his success was repeated years later by a guy called Shakin’ Stevens.

Totally irrelevant, but thought I’d share it.

]]> By: Sven Raphael Schneider http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/the-green-baize-door-dividing-line-between-servant-and-master/#comment-19520 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:32:25 +0000 http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/?p=18806#comment-19520 Fantastic article about Highclere Castle. I definitely have to visit it during my next trip to England!
In case anybody is interested in the clothing men wear at Downton Abbey, you should take a look at Lord Grantham’s clothing as well as the Mess Dress article.

]]> By: Cathy Allen http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/the-green-baize-door-dividing-line-between-servant-and-master/#comment-19488 Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:45:56 +0000 http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/?p=18806#comment-19488 Very interesting and informative, Vic. I’ve wondered about this for for years; thank you for clearing it up!

]]> By: Chris Squire http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/the-green-baize-door-dividing-line-between-servant-and-master/#comment-19482 Sun, 29 Jan 2012 12:37:14 +0000 http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/?p=18806#comment-19482 There was a green baize door in my family home 60 years ago; the door is still there I think but I can’t remember whether or not the baize is still on it. The servants are long gone!

OED has:

‘baize, n. Etym: < French baies < Latin badius chestnut-coloured . .
1. a. A coarse woollen stuff, having a long nap, now used chiefly for linings, coverings, curtains, etc., in warmer countries for articles of clothing . . it was formerly, when made of finer and lighter texture, used as a clothing material in Britain also.
1578 in S. W. Beck Draper's Dict. (1882) 17 Blewe and blacke bayse.
. . 1667 S. Pepys Diary 24 Feb. (1974) VIII. 79 A cloak of Colchester bayze.
. . 1882 S. W. Beck Draper's Dict. 14 Bays, bayze, baize‥was first introduced here in 1561.
b. attrib.
. . 1853 Dickens Bleak House xli. 405 There is an inner baize door too.’

]]> By: Karen http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/the-green-baize-door-dividing-line-between-servant-and-master/#comment-19472 Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:56:27 +0000 http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/?p=18806#comment-19472 This was interesting (as usual); the beginning is contrary to everything I’ve ever read about the dividing purpose of the door. It had been my understanding that the door prevented “upstairs” from hearing/seeing the servants and most significantly masked cooking odors and etc. I had read servants were to be not seen and not heard by their “betters”. Thanks as usual for another intriguing and thought-provoking post.

]]> By: unpub http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/the-green-baize-door-dividing-line-between-servant-and-master/#comment-19463 Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:50:20 +0000 http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/?p=18806#comment-19463 I wonder what colour door seperated the male servants from the maids – and who kept the keys?

Rumour has it that it was not infrequent for the master of the house and older male off-spring to have a copy of all the keys.

]]> By: Gayle Mills http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/the-green-baize-door-dividing-line-between-servant-and-master/#comment-19448 Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:07:25 +0000 http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/?p=18806#comment-19448 Interesting post, as always.

]]> By: Diane Costanza http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/the-green-baize-door-dividing-line-between-servant-and-master/#comment-19447 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:59:58 +0000 http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/?p=18806#comment-19447 Love your blog. You make the mundane of a household so much more interesting!

]]> By: Elizabeth http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/the-green-baize-door-dividing-line-between-servant-and-master/#comment-19441 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:12:19 +0000 http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/?p=18806#comment-19441 I’ve see billiards tables with red baize rather than green.

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