The Friends of the Case Memorial Library will feature a program for the consummate anglophile on Monday, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Claire Evans will present “From Uptown Girls to Downton Abbey: How American Gilded Age Heiresses Saved the British Aristocracy.”
The end of the 19th century saw many British aristocratic families struggling to maintain their lifestyle. They never considered getting a job, so they looked for another solution. That’s when American heiresses crossed the pond.
Evans will recount the tales of some of the famously loaded young Americans who infused bank accounts of many stately homes, including close relatives of Winston Churchill and Princess Diana.
Evans became interested in all things British when she and her mother watched British shows on PBS. She studied in London, met her future Brit husband in Peoria, Illinois, worked for a large cultural training company as a cultural and relocation consultant for people moving between the US and the UK, primarily, and continues to educate Americans about UK history and culture with her talks.
Reservations are required and may be made online at casememoriallibrary.org or by phone at 203-891-2170. The Zoom link will be sent via email the afternoon of the program.