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Elsie Hughes

Elsie Hughes (played by Phyllis Logan) is the housekeeper at Downton Abbey. Though unmarried, she is referred to as Mrs Hughes according to traditional titles for servants during the time period. She is originally from Argyll, Scotland, where her father was a farmer. She has one sibling, a sister who lives in Lytham St Annes. Before she came to Downton as head housemaid, she was courted by a farmer, Joe Burns. But she refused him and he married a woman named Ivy and had a son, Peter. In 1913, three years after Ivy dies and his son joins the army, Joe comes to Downton and asks Elsie to marry him, but once again she refuses him, even though she has previously expressed doubts about choosing a life of service over having a husband and family. Outwardly prim and somewhat strict in her manner as housekeeper, Mrs Hughes is essentially kindly and generous, as shown when she assists Ethel after she leaves her position and has a baby out of wedlock. In series 3, she has a breast cancer scare. Luckily for her, the lump was benign. She is best friends with Mrs Patmore.

Phyllis Logan

Logan was educated at Johnstone High School in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, Scotland. After school, she graduated from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama with the James Bridie Gold Medal in 1977.

After graduation, she joined the Dundee Repertory Theatre. She left in 1979 to work on stage in Edinburgh. She also worked regularly on Scottish television. On the BBC Scotland production, The White Bird Passes, she first met writer-director Michael Radford. In his first feature film, Another Time, Another Place in 1982, he cast her in the leading role of Janie, for which she won a Gold Award for Best Actress at the Taormina Film Festival and the Evening Standard Award for Best Actress in 1983 and the BAFTA Award for the Most Outstanding Newcomer to Film in 1984.

She has also had parts in the 1996 Mike Leigh film Secrets & Lies and a regular role as Lady Jane Felsham in the television series Lovejoy. Logan provided the broadcast voice of Ingsoc in the film version of Nineteen Eighty-Four and the Loch Ness Monster in the cartoon Freddie as F.R.O.7. She was in the radio series Coming Alive and Baggage. She played Inspector Frost's love interest in If Dogs Run Free, the last story in the A Touch of Frost series, and marries him. She has played Mrs Hughes, the housekeeper, in all three seasons to date of the period drama Downton Abbey (2010-).

kindness is free

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Love the title that whole episode was great it focused on Mrs Hughes and we got to find out more about her past

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That fair was indeed a good ep for Mrs. Hughes as we see her go on a date with an old flame. They seem to still have feelings for each other but the circumstances aren't meant to be.

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I didn't even know her first name was Elsie. Or if it's mentioned in the show then I just don't remember it.

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I just found these:

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sofiab

Phyllis Logan and Jessica Brown-Findlay Photos - Zimbio

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It was mentioned in 1x04 - during the town fair when she saw an old flame.

OMG that gif of Phyllis. Do you know where that came from?

Thanks for posting that picture of the cast, sofiab.

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^Yeah, I noticed the mention of her name now. I just rewatched that ep.

According to the tumblr tags it seems to be from a series called Lovejoy. I actually vaguely remember that show.

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Beautiful gifs

Thanks for the cast picture

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Was this circa 80's? I would love to go and see it.

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Yes, apparently 86-94.

kindness is free

I haven't heard of the show but it would be nice to see Phyllis in something else

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I really haven't seen in her in anything else before D.A. or I might have but I probably can't remember now.

I love all the trouble she went through bringing food and visiting Ethel.

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She is a wonderful an caring person taking care of Ethel like she did

kindness is free

Love this little interview with Phyllis and Brendan

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Phyllis looks so different here, far from her character on the show.