In the series finale, Carson begins to suffer from palsy that ultimately forces him into retirement. Elsie May Carson (née Hughes) (played by Phyllis Logan) is the housekeeper at Downton Abbey. Elsie was born in the year 1862. 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. Elsie worked as a maid at Duneagle Castle for an unknown period of time. She has one sibling, a sister who lives in Lytham St Annes. Before she came to Downton in 1895 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; the lump is eventually diagnosed as benign. She is best friends with Mrs Patmore. Although she is usually supportive of Mr Carson when it comes to matters of discipline, she is seldom afraid of speaking her mind when he makes decisions; Carson in turn dislikes proceeding with any choice without her approval. She also speaks frankly about her employers when she and Mr Carson are alone; she enjoys seeing the Dowager Countess (whom she calls "the old bat") getting her comeuppance with the arrival of Isobel Crawley. Unlike Carson, she privately views Lady Mary as a silly girl whose misfortune comes mostly from her own mistakes; her attitudes have likely softened over the years. She is one of Anna's closest allies, being the first person who helps her in the aftermath of Mr Green's attack. She also refused to hand the police the ticket regarding Mr Bates's trip to London on the day Mr Green died, telling Lady Mary she could never condemn a man for defending his wife's honour against such a crime. At the end of the series five Christmas special Mrs Hughes has accepted Mr Carson's marriage proposal. John Bates (played by Brendan Coyle), who is mainly known as Mr Bates or just Bates, is Lord Grantham's valet.