Behind the Hedgerow 

there's nothing quite as soothing as a good trans-atlantic accent.

I worked as a nurse for this woman in her final days, after her stroke. Family was everything to her and most important always. We had interesting conversations as she was unable to speak, but taught herself how to write with her left hand in order to communicate with us. Her home was filled with family pictures and personal items, and despite its size, was quite warm and comforting. She was a joy to work for. I will never forget what little time I had to get to know her.

Eileen passed up marrying an Astor due to his immaturity...amazing woman! Enjoyed the documentary.

I stumbled over this on you tube and have no idea what made me watch, but thoroughly enjoyed this glimpse of a wonderful woman's life. Just a different age and grace.

What integrity to say NO to Jack Astor! What a principled woman. Oh if there had only been more like her!!!!

Oh my heart breaks for the poor mum. 4 out of 5 pregnancies ending in miscarriage or stillborn, and then to loose another "baby" at 6 years of age. Horrible. Thank goodness things have improved in the last 100 years.

No amount of wealth immunizes one from such great losses as the loss of a child. Very sad story indeed! No wonder she treasured family so. She knew the loss of a sister, and her mother's pain.

I wish they could do a documentary about the craftsman that built these beautiful mansions.

What lovely biography. A sheer pleasure to listen to a truly elegant women. Pity we have so few individuals like this today. These are the people who made America great and look what it has become, such a shame.

History and tradition and not to mention a sense of family and home is what I take from this program. More importantly the importance of photography as documentation, importance, and love. The rest of you stop hating because you are not of this tradition.

I loved every minute of this history. Maybe it's because the current world seems so uncivilized. And nothing of this decline became a part of Eileen's world. She lived fully, felt deeply, and chose to see, and remember the importance of her own family history and its place in the world. Well done indeed David Bettencourt.

What a lovely woman. The way she speaks is something I've noticed in a lot of older people. It's much more slow and there aren't many contractions. It's beautifully filmed

It's amazing, how much her granddaughters looked like her. Great genes.

You know, for all the people who are outraged or don't understand this video of the "upper class," really, why did you watch it? Was it just to vicariously bitch at people in the upper class? I love to learn and see how they live. I think it's a wonderful documentary. I think it's lovely

that lady from Philly w the five husbands cracks me up. i could listen to her stories all day…

I lived in Newport for several years, my son was born there, guess he's a native, lol, so I've toured the Breakers a few times, and if you ever get the chance, it's worth it. 40,000 sq. ft., and that was their summer cottage. Their real house took up an entire city block in downtown MANHATTAN!! It's amazing, alabaster marble pillars, gold gilding, everywhere, the bath tubs had hot and cold running fresh AND sea water, which was supposed to be healthy. The patio is covered by the 2nd story deck, and the underside is a huge Italian mosaic, that apparently took a bunch of Italian artists 6 months, laying on their backs on scaffolding to finish. And you don't even see it if you don't look up, lol! It looks like something from an old movie, and it's called the Breakers because it's built on a huge cliff overlooking the ocean, so the waves come in and crash against the cliff, sending up a beautiful white spray. It's truly breathtaking. Fyi, Cornelius was the grandfather of Gloria Vanderbilt, and great grandfather of Anderson Cooper. The Vanderbilts are also related to the Spencer family in England, Princess Diana's family, making them distant cousins of Prince William and Prince Harry.

This has been a very fascinating documentary to watch. Eileen Slocum certainly led a long and interesting life. She brings to mind that rarefied society of Newport and New York (where the Astors and Rockefellers occupied a high niche) from the mid 19th century to the 1960s. I used to listen to Gore Vidal speak expansively in TV interviews of this strata of society, for though he grew up in and around Washington DC during the 1930s and early 1940s (prior to joining the U.S. Army in 1943), he knew a lot of the Newport set.

Hats off to how she handled her precious daughter and son in law’s engagement and marriage! I love that about both families!

I love to listen to old people to hear their stories. I lost my favorite Aunt Gloria my dad's sister 4 years ago. She told me so many stories about the days gone by and about her life. I loved it. I miss her so much.

My grandfather was head of room service at the Waldorf-Astoria at the time of the Martini tossing. I'll bet he was livid! Such an elegant and disciplined man, who expected the same from others.

Perhaps Mrs. Slocum and her daughter's marriage were the inspiration for the movie " Guess Who's Coming for Dinner ?

"Ladies and gentlemen do not go to the store, they go to the attic." Thanking you Mr. Bettencourt for this lovely film about a lovely lady, Martha Wade

I am descended on my mother's side from for Mayflower families, related to eight US presidents and three first ladies, and I work at Walmart. Clearly someone in my family tree should have taken a left turn at Albuquerque...lol!

It's Edith Wharton's novel 'Age of Innocence', but in real life :) What an amazing time, if you were wealthy. I knew a lovely lady who, when she was a young woman, travelled between houses in London and Spain, moved in circles with European royalty and so on. The stories she told were just lovely, and often quite daring, but age comes to us all.

I love talking with grandparents, They all have the beautiful stories to share, ;)

All the granddaughters look so like her❤️

I would love to have met this Woman, what a Treasure.

History. Regardless of rich or poor it is still a very interesting history of people who lived in an entirely different world & circumstances.I thought it was lovely.

So lovely that she had a wonderful relationship with her family 💖

What a beautiful story, and beautifully told. She sounds like she was a wonderful person, so loved by her family. That says so much, doesn't it.

Nice piece. I came to know Mrs. Slocum through mutual friends in the mid 1980's. We didn't meet often but, her memory was ready for a good humored political joust whenever she saw me coming. True, she was a product of & maintained a lifestyle that many are uneasy with and her political views incompatible w/ some of ours but, she was a kind & empathetic woman.

What impressed me most was the fact that a young woman had such values and resolve as to break off her upcoming marriage ( already close at hand ) after she saw her fiancé and his male relatives, and other idle rich male friends, throwing martinis at the wall as a party game. They were oblivious to the waste and intentional destruction of property so soon after the the majority of Americans had suffered through the Great Depression. Bravo ! She wasn't mesmerized by the wealthy, handsome groom to be who had no personal character or values! What is so distasteful and appalling to me is the constant reference to a woman getting married " late in life " and "well beyond her years " at the age of 25 or 30 years of age but these terms are never used in reference to men. Maybe I'm more of a feminist than I think, but what a double standard !

Fantastic work. We need more Eileen's in this day and age.

Quality and money are different. You can be a quality human being and have no money; and you can have all the money in the world and still be trash.

Well thanks RU-vid for the suggestion. Here Jan 2023. I have never heard of Eileen Slocum and curiosity took over, saw the whole video and it was lovely. By-gone era beautiful people of privilege, so much elegance and excellent manners. Eileen was a shinning star. Loved how well vintage photos are preserved. Sorry her mother lost so many babies. Hugh Auchincloss III 41:20 made me smile; "Eileen I am afraid my friend John has left us"...Eileen "No he is right there"... Hugh "Yes his body is there yes but his soul has left us gone to Heaven"...Eileen "well isn't that nice that is the way it should be". And so most are gone to Heaven now; but the videos and photos and stories remain as a testament of interesting times in history. The Gilded Age. RIP Eileen an extra ordinary woman. RIP Hugh Auchincloss III, passed away Jun 2015 sweet man. ✝

What a beautiful, dignified family.

I can't believe I've never seen this. This is such a beautiful documentary of a very small, but very American,, group of people. My dear father would have loved this as he loved many things dearly Americana. God bless Eileen and all her family, society, ancestors. Thank you, Eileen for sharing such an intimate portrait of your life.

I actually loved watching this. And even watched it again. As her grand daughter said, "my grandmother grew up in a very rarefied environment" . Well put and exactly to the point. Yes, a life of privilege. But what an interesting life and this film is a time capsule of what was, lest we forget. So much happened in her life, I could have listened to her much longer just talking of that house in New York! Thanks David for making this. Peace.

Very interesting. Eileen Slocum seemed like a lovely lady, loved her family, put up lots of pictures, and saved correspondence that was special to her. For all she had she seemed down to earth, and she saw the worth of protecting the unborn. High marks!

Thank God for the writers & filmmakers who recorded & preserved the lives of amazing women -- Eileen Slocum, Ethel Kennedy, Dolley Madison -- history would be woefully incomplete without their stories.

I HAVE NOTICED WEALTHLY AND OLDER ROYALS HAIR PLAIN NO MAKEUP BUT YOUR COULD TELL THE CLASS OF LIFE THEY LIVED THEY CARRY THEMSELVES VERY WELL.

Fantastic history. I felt I was standing there watching her life. 😊 thank you.

Wonderful that there is now a record of people and stories that we can actually hear and see as never before.

I hope I look as good as Mrs. Brooke-Blake (20:14) when I'm 93 (should I be fortunate enough to get to that age!). Whatever she's doing, it's working: she looks gorgeous!

So interesting, really enjoyed it and wished I could have run in those circles during that time, even for 1 week 🤗

What an extraordinarily beautiful film. And a story lovingly told. I am deeply impressed.

What a special lady. I enjoyed hearing about her greatness.

From Sydney Australia. Thank you , very enjoyable. Money cannot buy Grace or Manners . This Lady , has Grace. . Appreciation . Very Nice.

What a wonderful story of class and elegance. Beautifully written.

what a lovely family and a legacy that a lot won't be able to claim iam glad she wanted to record it xx

Total intrigue. An excellent presentation. A lot of pomp and pageantry, great expectations in an era where so much was expected of one, such as Grande Dame Eileen Slocum. I would love to have had the honor of meeting her. What a dynamic woman-A Pace-setter, and yet remained a warm and wonderful Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother. Thank you for this great presentation.

She raised a lovely family with good friends, judging by the contributors in this documentary. A live well lived. Thanks for sharing.

What a lovely life and a lovely story! I was able to visit Newport one time only and can't imagine a more beautiful place to live. Somehow Newport seems just right for her. Thank you for sharing this!

I truly love this lady's voice and accent.....I would have enjoyed meeting her myself to hear her tell her life's beautiful story...being from the south myself I would hope she could understand my southern drawl

what a GREAT VIDEO!!! I'd never heard of this woman til I viewed this, and I was absolutely enthralled watching every minute of it !

Thoroughly enjoyed this! What brave courage Eileen had to cancel her wedding to John Astor for tossing his martinis around the room w/ his friends (good way to diminish yourself in anyone's eyes). Thank you for uploading this program.

Fascinating insight into the upper class elite that is now long gone. from an eye witness. Thanks!

The greatest memories of my life are filled with wonderful stories of my life in Newport, Rhode Island. I worked for the Cornelius Vanderbilt Estate and the John Jacob Astor Estate and had the privilege of attending a few select society events on the Avenue. I had seen Eileen Slocum several times along with a few others in this lovely documentary. I admired her poise and graciousness and the kindness in her face. Mrs. Slocum illuminated like a candle. This is a beautiful documentary and very well done. Thank you for the memories.

*David B* I happened by this doc by accidentally touching the screen when looking for something else.. wow, what a well told and interesting story on a topic that I never knew I would enjoy so much! Thank you for the upload!

What a truly interesting life lived! A Grande Dame indeed! Thankyou for this! Her family must be so proud of her!

Delightful people! Many thanks for sharing! Brings back memories of my Mother and Grandmother.........we have lost so much with their passing. Thanks again for keeping their world alive!

No assumptions here. You get the raw facts-and then some. I find it very intriguing to hear, first-hand, the history of this family and their involvement in the workaday world. There appears to have been some rather strict 'rules' within this family. Fascinating.

One of my favorite documentaries :)

I enjoyed this portrait of a lady and type of a lady that doesn't exist anymore. Inherited wealth is unique. With that comes status and responsibility which she clearly demonstrated. She came from a different era. Its difficult for anyone from todays world to relate to or even understand. The gilded age is long gone and as one of the commentators said, few can afford to maintain houses of that size and others are not interested. The wealth is inevitably watered down.

Reminds me why history was always one of my favorite classes.

What a wonderful portrait of true grace. If only more people would take pride and care with their family legacies, I believe the world would be a better place. Well done and thank you for this glimpse into a world that is gone.

Very good presentation documenting the American North Eastern establishment and a bygone era. When it comes to American social history is easy to remember the three Gs (Georgetown, Greenwich and Grosse Pointe) and sometimes forget Newport, a grand dame in the American social roster and its iconoclastic characters as Mrs. Eileen Slocum and her family.

Good thing there's someone in families who like to take photos

What a genuine pleasure to know about such an exceptional woman's life!! Thank you to all of those responsible for making it possible and posting this.

Just happened upon this. Relaxing. Decided to see what it was about. So happy I did. Wished I could have been born in that family. Love the way their lives were lived. Thanks for sharing.

They say that genius is the ability to see and create what people like me cannot. I suggest this woman was one such person.❤

Her voice has the same tone to it as mother and daughter Edie in "grey gardens"

Why am I now longing for Big and Little Edie? ;)

Excellent documentary. Thank you. I enjoyed a little history visit of Rhode Island and its residents. The music was also very beautiful. Thank you once again.

I love her Trans Atlantic accent. You never hear that accent anymore!

I spent four interesting years in Newport, 1966 -1970. My husband was in the Navy, and we lived in an apartment on Howe Avenue, a short little street off Bellevue Avenue. It was in a large home that had been turned into apartments, and was called The Hedges. I was a nurse and I worked in Newport Hospital. The colonial style homes with the pineapple mark of hospitality were a lesson in New England history. Then there were the Portuguese names and the delicious clam chowder and learning how to eat lobster. It was so good! This program was enlightening and I thank you for it. It has brought back many happy memories of places I saw, new experiences, and friends whose company helped me through the lonely times my husband was out at sea in the destroyer U.S.S. Moale. Best wishes to you all.

I really loved this documentary. An amazing women.

Well done. Having a family home is such a treasure, for anyone, whatever is beautiful and functional for you. Family is like a garden, requiring care, time, and nurturing. Cell phones have changed communication.

What an interesting interview.....lovely!

The beauty Mrs.Slocum passed to her granddaughters is amazing.

I loved watching this film fascinating how they lived in their youth Wednesday 26th October 2016 hopefully you make more documentaries about this era absolutely fascinating God Bless

I love this lady's face- untouched by plastic surgery ( although she certainly had the money to do this if she pleased). I like the fact that she could enjoy the short lifespan of a wood fire. I like that she wore gloves that reached above her elbow and that her children thought well of her. I like the fact that she tried to do good in the world as it was revealed to her. Money does not equate to happiness- witness the recent deaths of Kate Spate and Bourdain- I think it is unwise to judge anyone's life on their wealth or lack thereof. Unfortunately, the lessons that we could learn from women like this go disregarded because of reverse snobbery when we shall all probably enter an age soon where finding meaning in life in an increasingly automated society is a skill set which cannot be learned from the internet.

What a lovely intelligent lady. Eileen Slocum was unique living her life as she defined it with elegance and a profound sense of family. Thank you for this video. Eileens daughters and granddaughters seem to be much like their mother and grandmother so the tradition endures.

What a beautiful film! Thank you for sharing your family history with us! Love is the most important aspect of a family.

Wow, the granddaughter Sophie has such a striking resemblance to Eileen!!

What a gem of a video. Thank you.

Thank you. I so much enjoyed this program and the history it portrayed as it was and as it evolved. No doubt there will be critics certain this was a frivolous woman who contributed nothing etc. Her impact on the world was as immeasurable as is the obvious paucity of historical knowledge of a century that commenced without electricity, without voting rights for women or minorities, without vehicles etc. and within strictly proscribed roles-for everyone. Her ability to distinguish herself through acquired as well as native intelligence, making available her home as an informal embassy, her formidable skills as a hostess, a confidant of so many, her judicious discretion (replaced by the advent of crude self-promotion) and her keen grasp of the intricacies of power as it worked behind the scenes rivaled that of any distinguished diplomat or experienced power broker. None of us are responsible for the circumstances of our birth: We are responsible for using those circumstances wisely. She certainly did.

Reminds me of grey gardens

this was a lovely video about a lovely woman from a now bygone era. thank you.

I really enjoyed this documentary. I especially enjoyed getting and inside look into part of the life of a certainly much cherished lady.

This is like an upper class episode of Hoarders.

Fascinating story Thank you I think what people miss is that these people worked hard to get where their at and prioritized a good education

This is lovely ! And as an aside , for all the fans of Downton Abbey, this Newport Society gives insight into the general background of the character on D’ton played by Shirley MacClaine, does it not? (and thus the American roots of the 3 daughters on the series, & of course, the mother).

She has an accent which is half British and half American - just lovely. (To my ear anyway, and I'm an NZer).

This is a wonderful piece of art about old ladies, and mansions. Beautiful.

Beautiful life for the children. Love the fireplace!😍

It’s all so interesting and even beautiful! Thank you!

Thank you for a wonderful story. What a beautiful woman inside and out. I love the era it is so fascinating. I find some people's negative comments unnecessary they must be so bitter. Thanks for posting an interesting life. Rip beautiful lady.

A fascinating look at a time long gone.

I love the history with the titanic too, I wish there was more shared about the family members that were there. Great story!!