House of Eliott Season 2 (1992)

Revisited

Review

The House of Eliott is a British period drama set in the 1920s which focuses on the Elliot sisters, Beatrice and Evangeline, who establish their own haute couture fashion house. The series was created by Jean Marsh and Eileen Atkins, who previously collaborated on the legendary Upstairs, Downstairs, which set the template for most period dramas that came later. House of Eliott debuted on the BBC on 31 August 1991 and had a total of 34 episodes over its three year run. Sadly, the series ended with a number of storylines unresolved as it was cancelled abruptly after some of the period costumes were destroyed in a fire.

The first episode opens in the Spring of 1924 when the sisters are invited to Paris by the famous French designer, Gilles Caragnac, who wants them to work for him. Both Bea and Evie love Paris and are considering their options but Jack surprises Bea with a marriage proposal which prompts her to decline Caragnac’s offer. After Jack and Bea’s wedding, Evie announces she is staying in Paris and things are looking bleak for the future of the House of Eliott as Bea struggles to cope on her own. Jack and Bea’s marriage is soon in trouble when Jack resents the time Bea is devoting to the House of Eliott with Evie absent but the arguments quickly grow repetitive and it’s not like Jack didn’t know what he was getting into when they married.

Happily, Evie soon grows jaded with her life in Paris when her affair with Caragnac fizzles out and she returns to England. This season there is also more focus on the girls in the workshop as the sisters hire their first vendeuse, Alice Burgoyne, and Florence Ranby takes charge as the new manager. Florence has exacting standards but her abrupt manner doesn’t win her many friends and it creates tension in the room. When the sisters consider expanding their premises, there is a shock in store when Sir Desmond dies and their financial affairs are taken over by the shady Ralph Saroyan. One of the overlying themes on the show is the oppression of women and Bea laments how they never seem to be in control of their own money. It turns out that Saroyan is involved in fraudulent dealings that may eventually destroy the House of Elliot and the sisters have to find a way to free themselves.

Meanwhile, the sisters begin preparations for their new collection and decide on an Impressionist theme but once all the material had been bought, the idea is soon abandoned in favour of a nature themed collection inspired by the art of Jack’s mother, Ann Maddox (Ann Morrish). The switch of theme and the cost of buying the new materials puts a strain on their finances to the extent they have to let some of their seamstresses go but they soon have other things to worry about when tragedy strikes the workshop and Evie becomes embroiled in a scandalous love affair with Lord Alexander Montford which is soon making headline news.

Bea and Jack head to the country to celebrate their first wedding anniversary but things take a wrong turn when Jack broaches the subject of children and it leads to a quarrel. Bea is adamant she is not ready to have children yet as she wants to concentrate on the business but Jack makes it clear he is tired of taking second place. Honestly, the constant bickering between Jack and Bea is tedious and it is becoming increasingly hard to believe they are in love at all. As time goes on and they fail to find a resolution, Jack and Bea decide to have a trial separation and Bea moves back in with Evie for a while. Things don’t get any better when Jack is attracted to his new leading lady when he makes a film about the General Strike which proves to be a hit with audiences.

As the season draws to a close, the sisters are invited to America to contribute clothes for the new Sears-Roebuck catalogue as they were impressed with the designs Bea and Evie created for a new theatrical production starring a famous actress. Still at odds with Jack, Bea’s hopes of him coming to America with her are thwarted when he opts to go to Germany to make a film so the sisters set sail without him. We’ve seen a lot of changes this season with marriages, deaths and separations but no matter what disaster befalls them, the sisters retain their strong bond which helps them endure. There is a striking difference in Evie this season as her time in Paris has given her a new air of sophistication but her love life remains disastrous and she makes some bad decisions.

Further Reading

Explore the characters and books that inspired the series

  • Beatrice Eliott (Stella Gonet)
  • Evangeline Eliott (Louise Lombard)
  • Jack Maddox (Aden Gillett)
  • Tilly Watkins (Cathy Murphy)
  • Madge Howell (Judy Flynn)
  • Joseph Wint (Stephen Churchett)
  • Sir Desmond Gillipsie (David de Keyser)
  • Ralph Saroyan (Michael Culver)
  • Florence Ranby (Maggie Ollerenshaw)
  • Alice Burgoyne (Kate Fahy)
  • Lord Alexander Montford (Rupert Frazer)
  • Lady Elizabeth Montford (Elizabeth Garvie)
  • Charles Quance (Bill Thomas)
  • Agnes Clarke (Victoria Alcock)
  • Betty Butcher (Diana Rayworth)
  • BEATRICE ‘BEA’ ELIOTT: Bea is the eldest of the Elliot sisters and is almost twelve years older than her sister, Evie, to whom she became a surrogate mother when their mother died. Bea likes to design more practical clothes but she also has a firm head for business even though she has no more formal education.
  • EVANGELINE ‘EVIE’ ELIOTT: Evie is the youngest of the Eliott sisters and is almost twelve years younger than Bea who took care of her after their mother died giving birth to Evie. Evie is a skilled designer and is more daring than her sister, however her love life is a disaster.
  • JACK MADDOX: Jack is now married to Bea and having grown tired of the photography business, he is pursuing a career in film making. Tired of playing second fiddle to the House of Eliott, Jack wants to start a family but Bea is not ready so they end up separating.
  • RALPH SAROYAN: After the death of Sir Desmond, Ralph takes over the business affairs of the House of Eliott but he is heavily involved in fraudulent activities that nearly destroy the business. When it is revealed he had a hand in Sir Desmond’s death, he flees the country.
  • TILLY WATKINS FOSS: Tilly was an important part of the House of Eliott in the early days but he is happy to take a back seat in the workshop. She meets Norman Foss and they eventually get married.
  • ALICE BURGOYNE: Alice is working for a rival company when she is persuaded to join the House of Eliott who are looking to employ their first vendeuse. A private woman, Alice doesn’t reveal her husband is terminally ill until his death. Good with the clients, Alice becomes a valuable asset.
  • FLORENCE RANBY: Florence becomes the new manager of the workshop after Madge’s departure but her abruptness and exacting standards do not endear her to the seamstresses. Florence also has tailoring skills that the sisters are keen to exploit with their new collection but the tension in the workshop makes Florence quit her job. As Florence leaves the building, she dies when she is hit by car.
  • MADGE HOWELL ALTHORPE: Having left the House of Eliott to start her own dressmaking business, Madge is enticed back by the sisters when Florence dies. Madge is eager to return since her own business has failed due to the constant interference from her disapproving mother-in-law.
  • LORD ALEXANDER MONTFORD: An acquaintance of Jack, Alexander falls in love with Evie and they embark on an affair which turns into a scandal when the press gets hold of the story. Alexander breaks Evie’s heart when he vows never to leave his wife for her and he eventually accepts a new post abroad.
  • LADY ELIZABETH MONTFORD: Elizabeth is Alexander’s wife and b becomes friendly with Bea when she is persuaded to commission a design from the House of Elliot for the royal wedding. When she learns of her husband’s affair with Evie, she vows to never let him go.

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