“My dear Jane, make haste and hurry down. He is come – Mr Bingley is come. He is, indeed. Make haste, make haste. Here, Sarah, come to Miss Bennet this moment, and help her on with her gown. Never mind Miss Lizzy’s hair.”
This is the only mention, by name, in Pride and Prejudice of the housemaid who helped make tolerable the life of the Bennets of Longbourn. In taking the name of one of fiction’s most familiar houses and leading the reader downstairs, from drawing room, dining room, dressing room and library to the scullery, the kitchen, the cellar and the stables, Jo Baker has produced a beautifully realised conceit.
Austen scholars (who find no detail too slight to leave unchecked) have estimated that, on £2,000 a year, Mr Bennet could afford as many as eight female and eight male servants (Darcy and Bingley as many as two dozen each).
But when Lydia returns to Longbourn as Mrs George Wickham, we are told “she went after dinner to show her ring and boast of being married, to Mrs Hill and the two housemaids”. And so, in Longbourn, Baker builds her story around these three – Mrs Hill, Sarah, and young Polly, who was christened Mary but had to change her name in deference to the Bennet’s unfortunate middle daughter. Mr Hill is butler/footman, coachman/groom. He has his own secrets, as does his wife; but it is Mrs Hill, not her giddy mistress, who keeps order and control; who makes the house run; who can speak her mind to Mr Bennet and can sooth and sedate Mrs Bennet (with Cordial Balm of Gilead).
The British television series Downton Abbey has reminded us that every upstairs needs a downstairs. Baker’s first experience of grown-up literature was Jane Austen, but as she read and reread the novels, she “began to become aware that if I’d been living at the time, I wouldn’t have got to go to the ball; I would have been stuck at home with the sewing. Just a few generations back, my family [her grandmother and great-aunt] were in service.” Baker was also intrigued to learn from one of Miss Austen’s letters that two sisters who worked for her as seamstresses were called Miss Baker. This affinity, this sympathy for the worker, has inspired her and her steady gaze remains on them. And so the novel opens at Longbourn House at 4.30 on a cold September morning – her chilblained hands cranking the water pump and filling buckets: “There could be no wearing of clothes without their laundering. Washday could not be avoided, but the weekly purification of the household’s linen was nonetheless a dismal prospect for Sarah.” We admire Elizabeth for her willingness to cross a field and muddy her petticoats but it is Sarah who has to scrub them clean. Rescued by Mrs Hill from the poorhouse when she was seven, Sarah is spirited and literate, longing for a life beyond Longbourn. In some ways, Sarah and Lizzy are similar, but the chasm of opportunity between the two classes in Regency England is so great that to see any likeness would signal the wildest imagination.
Just as Jane Austen introduced her readers to the hothouse that was Longbourn, Jo Baker brings it back to life through the eyes of Sarah, days before the arrival of Mr Bingley at Netherfield. What is more significant to Sarah is the arrival at Longbourn, at about the same time, of young James Smith, as footman and groom. His brooding presence is just as momentous here as that of the enigmatic Darcy in the original. And to secure that universal device, the love triangle, Baker has Bingley bring with him to Netherfield his father’s West Indian valet, Ptolemy, good-looking, worldly and tremendously self-assured. They are every bit as absorbing as Lizzy, Wickham and Darcy.
While tracking the people and plot that we know so well, Baker has created an ingenious back story to Pride and Prejudice – so ingenious that the reader is glued to the fate of those downstairs. It is true, we know what happens upstairs – the fortunes of Lydia, Lizzy and Jane are legion and Baker sensibly leaves these undisturbed; but her triumph is that what happens to Sarah, to Mrs Hill and to Polly is so all-consuming. Her reader does not pine for the parlour. Another nice twist is that the women in the scullery do not much care what happens to the sisters in the drawing room. They are pleased at their mistresses’ good fortune – there is no fuming resentment or sense of rebellion; just resigned acceptance. When the imperious Lady Catherine de Bourgh pays her infamous visit to Longbourn (“Mr Collins’s old lady patroness, who peered at your sewing and told you what you were doing wrong.”), Sarah wonders: “Lady Catherine had, for whatever reason, wanted to come here, and so she had just rung a bell, and spoken some words, and everything flowed from this. How many quarters’ pay would Sarah have to save, before she could turn any of her desire into anything at all?”
Baker is not above the odd dig at the gulf between those above and below the salt. Silly, selfish Lydia sits in the kitchen, sipping sugared milk: “You don’t know how lucky you are, Hill. Hidden away all nice and cosy down here.” “If you say so, Miss Lyddie.” “Oh, I do say so! You can do what you like, can’t you, with no one hovering over you and scrutinising you?” This scrutiny is nothing compared to the relentless gaze of the Jane-ite, the adoring hordes of Austen fans, for many of whom any attempt to emulate their goddess is met with displeasure and disdain, especially in this, the bicentenary of Pride and Prejudice. In her tribute, Celebrating Pride and Prejudice (Frances Lincoln, 2013), Susannah Fullerton has listed the mutating sequels, retellings and travesties. There was Dorothea Bonavia-Hunt’s creditable Pemberley Shades in 1949 and Emma Tennant’s Pemberley, in 1993, which begins: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a married man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a son and heir.” In 2008, Colleen McCullough published The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet, set 20 years after Pride and Prejudice, where Jane has had 12 children and Elizabeth four daughters and a disappointing son, while Mary, the middle sister, decides, “I will journey to see England’s ills, write my book, and pay to have it published.”
Some have taken much greater liberties. Apart from Michelle Pillow’s Pride and Prejudice: The Wild and Wanton Edition, there is Eckstut and Ashton’s Pride and Promiscuity, which has Charlotte Lucas dressing in one of Lady Catherine’s gowns to excite Mr Collins. Less obscene but equally audacious is Seth Grahame-Smith’s Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2009), which retains 85 per cent of the original beloved text but, with the remaining 15, makes Lizzy a deadly slayer of the undead who is about to behead Darcy when he distracts her by proposing marriage.
Among this pretentious industry, few, if any, have ventured into the parallel world of the servantry.
In 2011, the grande dame of crime, P D James, produced Death Comes to Pemberley, and while she chose Darcy’s much grander and much-dreamt-of seat, she did rely, from time to time, on the butler, the woodsmen and the housekeeper, Mrs Reynolds, to propel her slightly gothic mystery.
Interestingly, it is Elizabeth’s meeting Mrs Reynolds at Pemberley that inspires one of those Austenian aphorisms, “What praise is more valuable than the praise of an intelligent servant?” Not much praise is heaped on the servants in Longbourn. So often, throughout the novel, that civil but ever-so-chilly dismissal is delivered: “That will be all for now; thank you, Hill”; “You may go now; thank you, Sarah”.
And so the reader readily descends the stairs: with Mrs Hill and her tray laden with empty cups; with Sarah and her brimming chamber pots; with Polly and a heavy bucket of charred wood and ash.
This might have been the grimmest of tales, full of fatigue and toil. There is certainly hardship, but Longbourn is filled with courage and constancy, loyalty and spark.
Because this is not really a retelling, nor is it a sequel to Pride and Prejudice, it does not have to be measured against this legendary masterpiece. It is downstairs’ complement to upstairs, but in its honesty and insight, its poignancy and pace, Longbourn is as accomplished a romance as its lofty, much-loved mistress.
Mark McGinness is a regular contributor to The National.
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Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup – Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
What is a rare disease?
A rare disease is classified as one that affects a small percentage of the population. More than 7,000 diseases are identified as rare and most are genetic in origin. More than 75 per cent of rare genetic diseases affect children.
Collectively rare diseases affect 1 in 17 people, or more than 400 million people worldwide. Very few have any available treatment and most patients struggle with numerous health challenges and life-long ailments that can go undiagnosed for years due to lack of awareness or testing.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Engine: 80 kWh four-wheel-drive
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 760Nm
Price: From Dh280,000
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh960,000
Engine 3.9L twin-turbo V8
Transmission Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Power 661hp @8,000rpm
Torque 760Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.4L / 100k
Andor
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Blah
Started: 2018
Founder: Aliyah Al Abbar and Hend Al Marri
Based: Dubai
Industry: Technology and talent management
Initial investment: Dh20,000
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 40
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
MORE FROM CON COUGHLIN
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
The specs: 2018 Audi RS5
Price, base: Dh359,200
Engine: 2.9L twin-turbo V6
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 450hp at 5,700rpm
Torque: 600Nm at 1,900rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Liverpool 3
Sadio Man 28'
Andrew Robertson 34'
Diogo Jota 88'
Arsenal 1
Lacazette 25'
Man of the match
Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
The biog
Name: Marie Byrne
Nationality: Irish
Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption
Book: Seagull by Jonathan Livingston
Life lesson: A person is not old until regret takes the place of their dreams
Coming soon
Torno Subito by Massimo Bottura
When the W Dubai – The Palm hotel opens at the end of this year, one of the highlights will be Massimo Bottura’s new restaurant, Torno Subito, which promises “to take guests on a journey back to 1960s Italy”. It is the three Michelinstarred chef’s first venture in Dubai and should be every bit as ambitious as you would expect from the man whose restaurant in Italy, Osteria Francescana, was crowned number one in this year’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Akira Back Dubai
Another exciting opening at the W Dubai – The Palm hotel is South Korean chef Akira Back’s new restaurant, which will continue to showcase some of the finest Asian food in the world. Back, whose Seoul restaurant, Dosa, won a Michelin star last year, describes his menu as, “an innovative Japanese cuisine prepared with a Korean accent”.
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
The highly experimental chef, whose dishes are as much about spectacle as taste, opens his first restaurant in Dubai next year. Housed at The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will feature contemporary twists on recipes that date back to the 1300s, including goats’ milk cheesecake. Always remember with a Blumenthal dish: nothing is quite as it seems.
THE SPECS
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 275hp at 6,600rpm
Torque: 353Nm from 1,450-4,700rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Top speed: 250kph
Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: Dh146,999
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