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Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced, the character claims, as "Bouquet") is the main character in the BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances (1990 to 1995), played by Patricia Routledge. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Image File history File links Routledge. ... Katherine Patricia Routledge CBE (born 17 February 1929) is a Tony Award-winning English actress who is best known to television audiences for her role of Hyacinth Bucket in the television comedy series Keeping Up Appearances. ... Roy Clarke (born January 28, 1930 in Goole, Yorkshire) is a British comedy writer, best known for creating Last of the Summer Wine starring Bill Owen, Peter Sallis, Brian Wilde, Kathy Staff and Dame Thora Hird amongst others (he also wrote the prequel First of the Summer Wine); and Keeping... Katherine Patricia Routledge CBE (born 17 February 1929) is a Tony Award-winning English actress who is best known to television audiences for her role of Hyacinth Bucket in the television comedy series Keeping Up Appearances. ... Richard Bucket, played by Clive Swift. ... Daisy is a comical fictional character in the British comedy television series Keeping Up Appearances portrayed by actress Judy Cornwell. ... Rose is a fictional character in the British comedy television series Keeping Up Appearances. She was portrayed by two actresses, Shirley Stelfox (in the first series) and the late Mary Millar. ... This is a list of characters for the British sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, which was first broadcast from 1990 to 1995. ... Daddy is a fictional character from the British comedy television series Keeping Up Appearances. He is the father of the central character Hyacinth Bucket and is portrayed by actor George Webb. ... The protagonist is the central figure of a story, and is often referred to as a storys main character. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... Keeping Up Appearances is a British sitcom starring Patricia Routledge as social snob Hyacinth Bucket. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... Katherine Patricia Routledge CBE (born 17 February 1929) is a Tony Award-winning English actress who is best known to television audiences for her role of Hyacinth Bucket in the television comedy series Keeping Up Appearances. ...

Hyacinth's main characteristics include outstanding snobbery (particularly towards her neighbours), often-ludicrous attempts to pass herself off as a member (or affiliated friend) of the aristocracy, and a tendency to look down on others. Hyacinth always behaves in the way she imagines aristocrats to behave, usually to a comical effect, especially given her fairly average social standing. Her main criterion is judging people, and she is most impressed by material wealth and a high social status. To a lesser extent, 'celebrity status' also influences her readily. Hyacinth is fiercely patriotic and is obsessed with her own material possessions. Hyacinth also shows herself off as being incomparably better than most people, including most of her own family, of whom she is openly ashamed and extremely disparaging. It is implied that Hyacinth's obsession with appearing socially advantaged and/or enhancing her social status are to compensate for her own insecurities, possibly stemming from her coming from a family she considers common. A snob, guilty of snobbery or snobbism, is a person who imitates the manners, adopts the world-view and apes the lifestyle of a social class of people to which that person does not by right belong. ... Aristocrat redirects here. ... Social status is the honor or prestige attached to ones position in society (ones social position). ... Patriotism is a feeling of love and devotion to ones own homeland (patria, the land of ones fathers). ...

Hyacinth's commitment to her social ascendancy

Hyacinth is pathological, i.e., Narcissistic Personality Disorder, with her dedication to improving her social standing, ingratiating herself (frequently in a completely shameless manner) with those she considers her social equals / betters, such as the local vicar, local notables, and aristocrats. In an early episode, while visiting a stately home, Hyacinth goes to extraordinary lengths in an attempt to convince other visitors that she is a friend of the noble family living there, and throughout the series, Hyacinth is often seen masquerading as a member, or friend of a member, of the aristocracy. This extreme desire to associate herself with the upper classes even prompts Hyacinth to rent a tiny, cramped apartment in a Tudor mansion, allowing her to boast about being "the owner" of a country estate. Hyacinth also, at one point, tricks her husband, Richard, into "requisitioning" an extremely expensive Rolls Royce at a local car showroom, and driving it to an expensive country estate to show off "her" Rolls. Her attempt to impress people with the car fails when she and Richard are apprehended at the hotel by the police for having stolen the vehicle. Her immense pretensions of having aristocratic lineage very occasionally prompt her to publicly lay claim to Huguenot ancestry; her mispronunciation (she says "Huguenicks") of the word reveals her lack of knowledge on the matter. Ironically, the one time Hyacinth is seen mixing with aristocracy, she makes a fool of herself in front of a higher social class; while attending an auction at the country estate of a local noble (during which her husband, Richard, has to restrain Hyacinth from trying to buy all manner of astronomically expensive goods which she only wants because they were owned by aristocrats), Hyacinth purchases several bottles of wine made by the noble family. When she chances upon the aristocrat in question and accepts an invitation to share a bottle of the wine, she becomes hopelessly drunk and makes a fool of herself by acting with extreme pretension while severely intoxicated. Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), a term first used by Heinz Kohut in 1971[1], is a form of pathological narcissism acknowledged in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1980, in the edition known as DSM III-TR. Narcissistic personality disorder is characterized by extreme focus on oneself... A stately home is, strictly speaking, one of about 500 large properties built in England between the mid-16th century and the early part of the 20th century, as well as converted abbeys and other church property (after the Dissolution of the Monasteries). ... Aristocrat redirects here. ... Kings College Chapel outside view The Tudor style in English architecture is the final development of medieval architecture during the Tudor period (1485–1603) and even beyond, for conservative college patrons. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Richard Bucket, played by Clive Swift. ... Rolls-Royce car may refer to vehicles produced by: Rolls-Royce Limited (1906-1973) Rolls-Royce Motors (1973-2003), which was owned by Vickers between 1980 and 1998, and after that by Volkswagen. ... From the 16th to the 18th century the name Huguenot was applied to a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of France, historically known as the French Calvinists. ... Look up Noble in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Noble can refer to: Nobility, a hereditary caste Nobel Prize, awarded to people who have made outstanding contributions to society Noble gas, chemical elements in group 18 (old-style Group 0) of the periodic table Noble metal, metals that are resistant to... For other uses, see Wine (disambiguation). ...

Hyacinth's main device for enhancing her social circle, and by extension her own personal status, is to invite people to extraordinarily complex, pretentious, and lavish "candlelight suppers", the success of which is all-important to Hyacinth. However, unbeknownst to Hyacinth, her suppers are torturous occasions for her guests, who are known to go to surprising lengths to avoid them. The suppers are held in Hyacinth's dining room, decorated in an elaborate and anachronistic Victorian style, which is dominated by a gloomy portrait of Winston Churchill glaring down at the diners. Hyacinth has been seen to spend all afternoon arranging her table for a supper, and often recruits her next-door neighbour, Liz, to inspect it, forcing Liz to feign admiration at the over-decorated and elaborate table. Queen Victoria (shown here on the morning of her ascension to the Throne, 20 June 1837) gave her name to the historic era The Victorian era of the United Kingdom marked the height of the British Industrial Revolution and the apex of the British Empire. ... Churchill redirects here. ... Elizabeth Warden (nee Hawksworth) is a fictional character on the British situation comedy series Keeping Up Appearances. ...

In keeping with her snobbery, Hyacinth has a tendency to look down her nose upon those she considers to be social inferiors, particularly her real, working class family. The joke, however, is all too frequently on her. Her efforts to improve her social status are nearly always scuttled by her immense self-superiority and the increasingly absurd lengths she will go to improve her social standing -- and in any case, she is regarded by both high and low as an extremely irritating presence. One of her most humiliating moments is when she and Richard rent out an old boat for a nautical candlelight supper for Elizabeth and Emmett, but it concludes disastrously with both Richard and Hyacinth falling into the river and ending up drenched. A similar event happened when Hyacinth tried to host a riverside picnic to Elizabeth, Emmett, the Vicar and his wife, and they went on the river in three rowing boats. Unfortunately, Hyacinth, who is rowing, is drenched by water pouring out of a digger. Soaked and disgruntled again, Hyacinth is further saddened when she sees all her family members having a picnic on the bank. The term working class is used to denote a social class. ...

She is unbelievably oblivious to those people who do not want to be around her. If they hang up, she blames the phone disconnect on a faulty line, She never listens to her long-suffering neighbour Elizabeth, but cannot understand why so many people (excepting the Major, who has a huge crush on Hyacinth and often behaves in a manner of borderline sexual harassment whenever they're in each other's presence) fail to covet invitations to her parties. Indeed, Hyacinth seems to have very few friends. "The major", a lecherous upper-class gentleman who claims (somewhat unconvincingly) to have served as a high-ranking combat officer in British Army, lusts for Hyacinth but rarely ever speaks to her in a normal fashion. Mrs Nugent, a snappy, unpleasant, and highly disagreeable woman serving on the local council, repeatedly subjects Hyacinth to lengthy tirades expounding her political views, prompting Hyacinth to shamelessly flatter Mrs Nugent by agreeing with whatever she says. Other people who Hyacinth considers her friends recoil whenever they see her, and usually try to make a speedy and discrete getaway before they are spotted. Hyacinth's only real friend seems to be her next-door neighbour Liz, who is nevertheless terrified of her coffee mornings with Hyacinth, as her nervousness in Hyacinth's house always results in her spilling her coffee over Hyacinth's expensive rugs or smashing one of her prized bone china cups. Hyacinth also considers Liz's divorced brother Emmett to be a friend, whilst in truth Hyacinth drives Emmett to despair. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Bone china is type of porcelain body first developed in the Britain in which calcined ox bone, bone ash, is a major constituent. ...

Hyacinth always tries to outdo her neighbours, especially the Barker-Finches of 23 Blossom Avenue, whom she considers her bitter social rivals. If she hears that a neighbour has recently acquired an item nicer than hers, or has forged a new friendship with someone of high standing, Hyacinth recoils. Conversely, whenever Hyacinth hears gossip about a neighbour, particularly derogatory rumours, she embarks on a vicious campaign to belittle the neighbour in question. Hyacinth cannot talk about her three-piece suite without mentioning that it is "an exact replica of one in Sandringham House". She frequently berates the local postman for delivering letters with second-class stamps on them, even resorting to writing to the Postmaster General, to demand that the local Sorting Office attach first-class stamps to her mail. Sandringham House is a country house on 8000 acres (32 km²) of land near the village of Sandringham, Norfolk, which is privately owned by the British Royal Family. ... A Melbourne Postie riding a walkthrough A postman (sometimes known as a mailman or letter carrier in North America and a postie in Australia) delivers the post (sometimes known as mail in North America. ... In the United Kingdom, the Postmaster General is a now defunct ministerial position. ...

Hyacinth's name

One of the most obvious examples of Hyacinth's snobbery involves her last name. According to her husband Richard, Bucket is pronounced as it is spelled. However, for Hyacinth, it may be spelled "Bucket" but is most properly pronounced "Bouquet," à la française. Despite her insistence on the more elegant French pronunciation, almost everyone calls her "Mrs Bucket" or, more disparagingly "The Bucket Woman," behind her back. The "dishy Vicar's" comedic tag line is, "Oh, damn! The Bucket woman!" Then he usually attempts a speedy getaway. Hyacinth's neighbour Emmet is similarly amused by her pronunciation of "Bucket" as "Bouquet," although his most pressing problem with Hyacinth is that she's desperate to be in his amateur operatic society, and will "sing at him!"

As well as the surname "Bouquet", Hyacinth's three sisters amplify the floral theme: Violet, Daisy, and Rose. Violet, who appears on screen in very few episodes, has made the most "successful" match. Her husband Bruce has provided her with a "large estate with a 'Mercedes, sauna and room for a pony'" He, however, seems to have an unfortunate habit of cross-dressing, randomly appearing on the street in odd costumes and hiding in trees. Hyacinth tries to protect the family name by covering up his odd behaviour. Violet eventually wants to leave Bruce, but Hyacinth refuses to lose the last high sociality of her family and pursues Violet down a street to keep her with Bruce. Daisy, whose singular lack of pretension serves as a foil to Hyacinth's snobbery, communicates genuine compassion. Rose, the fading beauty, craves men's attention but repeatedly fails to recognise when they use her.

Hyacinth on the telephone

Hyacinth's telephone manners vividly exemplify her pretensions. Hyacinth informs anyone within earshot of a ringing telephone that the call is "probably someone important", and when someone calls who has called before, she will refer to them in the exact same way she did last time. Tidying her hair before answering, she shrilly answers the phone, "The Bouquet residence, the lady of the house speaking!"

In another episode, she left Richard to answer the phone (actually making him sit next to it) to a very important person while she got changed, but every time the phone rang, she would appear and answer it before Richard could even stand up.

A constant irk to Hyacinth is that her phone number is constantly being confused with the local Chinese takeaway as it is one digit different. As a consequence, Hyacinth's pompous greeting is often followed by her frustrated refusals to send round chips or "a portion of 32",and she shrilly replies to one of these callers for the Chinese "I may only be one digit removed but believe me it's a whole other world" with an accompanying affirmation that her phone "has no Oriental connections whatsoever". She refuses to change her phone number, instead writing to British Telecom demanding that they change the takeaway's number, and made her husband Richard telephone the Chinese ambassador, but to no avail. Her telephone is only one of many household items to which Hyacinth attaches immense social prowess, and she is rarely capable of describing her possessions without adding often-ludicrous qualifiers. She describes her telephone as a "pearl-white slimline push-button telephone with last number redial" and is constantly mentioning her "very expensive Royal Doulton with the hand-painted periwinkles" and also worries about 'Sheridan's pearl-button collection' falling into the hands of the lower-class type burglar that robbed her neighbors at No. 23 (in the episode "Hyacinth is Alarmed"). A running gag is when the caller is someone she considers important, and she feels the need to walk backwards with the receiver in her hand, stretching out the extra-long wire, and tell Elizabeth or anyone else in the living-room all about it, with the 'phone looking in serious danger of falling off its shelf. Another running gag is when speaking to either Daisy or Rose on the telephone, she asks them to tell Onslow to put a shirt on because it makes her nervous if she is talking when Onslow is not suitably dressed. Another occasion that makes her nervous is if she is talking to Rose who would be wearing a mini-skirt, something Hyacinth finds obscene. Take-out, carry-out ( in American English ) or take-away ( in British English ) is food purchased at a restaurant but eaten elsewhere. ... French fries (North America; sometimes also uncapitalized as french fries[1] or simply fries[2]), or chips (United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, and most Commonwealth nations), are pieces of potato that have been cut into batons and deep-fried. ... BT Group plc (which trades as just BT, and is commonly known by its former name, British Telecom) is the privatised former British state telecommunications operator. ... The Royal Doulton Company is a quintessentially English name in tableware and collectables with a pedigree dating back to 1815. ... Periwinkle is. ...

Richard Bucket

Hyacinth's relationship with her husband Richard can be somewhat strained. Usually, Richard acts as a hen-pecked husband, who has been turned into a subservient partner through his marriage to Hyacinth, and he generally indulges Hyacinth's whims. These include opening and closing the car door for Hyacinth in a chauffeur-esque manner, putting up with Hyacinth's extremely irritating passenger-seat driving, and grudgingly participating in Hyacinth's contrived schemes for enhanced social status. When Richard has the courage to stand up to Hyacinth, his resistance usually takes the form of whining, and he is unable to stand up to Hyacinth most of the time. Richard Bucket, played by Clive Swift. ...

Sheridan

One of the most successful running jokes is Hyacinth's receiving phone calls from her son Sheridan, who is away at "a polytechnic of university standard" with his roommate Tarquin. It is implied by the subject matter of these phone calls that Sheridan is a homosexual, possibly with Tarquin as his lover, but Hyacinth just sees him as "mummy's boy". Although Sheridan is never seen on camera, she dotes on him in the form of compliments, such as "How very thoughtful of you to ring mummy, dear", and believes that she and Sheridan share a psychic bond. Sheridan is almost always phoning to ask for money, as Hyacinth's husband Richard realises — "What does he want?" Richard most likely has an idea that Sheridan is a homosexual (in one episode he asks Hyacinth if she doesn't think it strange that Sheridan is not interested in girls, or that he is making curtains with Tarquin) but doesn't seem to be very able or willing to share this thought with Hyacinth. Like everything else in her life, Hyacinth uses Sheridan as a tool to enhance her social standing, often commenting on her son's university career (which, in fact, is merely a polytechnic, which Hyacinth hurriedly passes off as "university standard"). In addition, Hyacinth is constantly trying to persuade Sheridan to pursue an executive career, and has aspirations of him becoming a quantity surveyor (he would later switch to needlework). She constantly comments on his perceived artistic and intellectual abilities, although in truth, Sheridan seems to have neither. Since its coinage, the word homosexuality has acquired multiple meanings. ... Television shows and stage plays sometimes include continuing characters who are never seen or heard by the audience, but only described by other characters. ... Edgar Cayce (1877 – 1945) was one of the best-known American psychics of the 20th century and made many highly publicized predictions. ... Richard Bucket, played by Clive Swift. ... The term polytechnic, from the Greek πολύ polú meaning many and τεχνικός tekhnikós meaning arts, is commonly used in many countries to describe an institution that delivers vocational or technical education and training, other countries do not use the term and use alternative terminology. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

"Daddy": Hyacinth's father

Hyacinth's senile father (played by George Webb) is never named and referred to only as "Daddy". Hyacinth appears to genuinely love him - although not enough to have him live with her. He lives with Onslow, Daisy and Rose and is rarely seen without his Army uniform due to the fact that he fought in the Second World War (one of the reasons Hyacinth likes him and something she often brings up in conversation) and is convinced that the war is still going on, often resulting in humiliating and outrageous circumstances. This article is about the actor. ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ...