Before Downton Abbey captured the hearts of many, the BBC and ITV produced some compelling period dramas in the 1970s. The BBC tv series The Duchess of Duke Street was captained by the incomparable Gemma Jones who embodied the lead character Louisa Trotter (nee Leyton). Some of you may know her as Pam Jones, Bridget’s mother in Bridget Jones’s Diary, I almost didn’t recognise her because of her posh accent. As the Duchess of Duke Street, she has a rather strong East End accent. You may also know her as Madam Pomfrey in the Harry Potter films. But for me, she will always be Louisa Potter, the Duchess of Duke Street.
The series starts in Mayfair, London 1900, with Louisa obtaining her first job as Assistant Cook to the Chef du cuisine, in the London residence of Lord Haslemere. We follow her life till the series final set in 1925.
I love this show for many reasons – Gemma’s performance, the rags to riches storyline and the charming supporting characters. Louisa has a strong will, and works hard to fulfil her dream of becoming the best cook in England. She fulfils that dream but life takes a dramatic turn when she catches the eye of Prince Edward. The ongoing romance between her and Lord Haslemere played by Christopher Cazenove keeps you watching each episode. Louisa is formidable but she also loves with ferocity her adopted family consisting mostly of employees of the Bentinck Hotel: her ever faithful Welsh maid Mary (Victoria Plucknett), her right-hand man and later husband “The Major” Major Smith-Barton, ageing butler Merriman (John Welsh) and loyal footman Starr (John Cater) and his Jack Russell terrier ‘Fred’. Fans of early Eastenders will recognise well-known character Dot, played by June Brown as Louisa’s opinionated mother Mrs Leyton. And fans of the fourth Doctor Who will recognise Lalla Ward (Romana) as her daughter Lottie.
The series was created by John Hawkesworth, who also created Upstairs, Downstairs. I was never a fan. The Duchess of Duke Street ran for two years, 31 episodes (1 hour each) in total. The story is supposed to be loosely based on the real-life of Rosa Lewis (née Ovenden) (1867 – 1952) known as the “Duchess of Jermyn Street”. She was a well-known chef “Queen of Cooks” and owner of the Cavendish Hotel (now The Cavendish). Rosa was born in Leyton, Essex, to a watchmaker. In the series, Louisa’s family name is Leyton, and her father is a clock-maker.
You can find this series on DVD. I have personally watched the whole series on YouTube.
See also an interesting perspective from British actress Tara Fitzgerald, “My TV hero: Tara Fitzgerald on Louisa Trotter“.
Eye For The Screen 
Louisa doesn’t marry Major Smith-Barton, she marries Lord Hazelmere.
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Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for your comment. If you recall she first married August Trotter, her then employer’s valet. This was under coercion as Prince wanted her as a mistress. Louisa had an affair with Lord Hazelmere which resulted in a pregnancy. Louisa has a daughter Lottie and leaves her to be raised by some of Lord Hazelmere’s servants. She was a widow at the time of the affair. Back then it was accepted.
I am sure there is an episode where the Major asks Louisa to marry him but I may have that wrong. I will keep researching. She couldn’t have married Lord Hazelmere as she was considered ‘spoiled goods’. You are correct in heart only Lord Hazelmere and Louisa were married. Lord Hazelmere would be considered as the ‘love of her life’ although she was also fond of the Prince.
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