Lives in Service: Tom Rishworth - Head Groom | #wentworthwoodhouse |

Step behind the grand façade of Wentworth Woodhouse and into the real-life world of service in the early 1900s. In this evocative episode of Lives in Service, we meet Tom Rishworth - ex-Battery Sergeant and the Earl’s trusted Stud and Hunt Groom—on the day his fifth child, Margaretta, is born. From the Edwardian Age glory days when the bustle of 10 live-in staff and 80 horses filled the stables to the quiet decay of the Ostler’s House where his family once lived, Tom’s story reveals the highs and lows of life in service at one of England’s most magnificent estates. He trained men and horses for the Royal Horse Artillery in the lead-up to World War One, only to return afterwards to a world utterly changed. If you’ve ever wondered what life was really like for the servants behind the scenes of dramas like Downton Abbey, this episode offers a poignant glimpse into the personal histories that shaped Wentworth’s story. Don’t miss earlier episodes in the series: Episode 1: Edgar Volan: Groom of Chambers (Butler); Episode 2: Kate White: Head Housemaid; Episode 3: Oscar Snelling: Second Footman; Episode 4: Bonnie William Willson: Steward’s Room Boy; and Episode 5: Ernest Whitworth: Groom. 🔔 Subscribe for more untold stories from the 1900s, and don’t forget to like and share to support heritage storytelling. If you have a family member who worked at Wentworth Woodhouse, and have stories or pictures to share, we'd love to hear from you! Contact [email protected] #WentworthWoodhouse #LivesInService #DowntonAbbeyRealStories #HistoricalDocumentary #WW1History #YorkshireHeritage #ServantStories #HeadGroom #EstateLife #BritishHistory