According to Wikipedia: “Alexander arrived London in June 1904, and quickly acquired a fine wardrobe, a manservant, and a smart address at the Army & Navy Mansions in Victoria Street. As he later said “In those days, you just couldn’t get on here [London] unless you appeared to be the right sort.””
Even though he was from Australia, F.M. Alexander spoke with an upper-class British accent. He apparently developed this long before ever setting foot in England.
Dr. Jereon Staring writes: “He was to enter the second stage in a life of not belonging. He joined an amateur dramatic club, preparing himself for the career that gave him what he really wanted: he decided to become a reciter. He took part in amateur performances in so-called drawing room entertainments. In 1892, he won the preliminary contest of the dialogue division of the Victorian Amateur Competitions Association competition. The prize suggests he had successfully masked all traces of an Australian accent and now spoke with the accent of the upper class English.”
Robert Rickover tweets: “Alexander Technique Abbey Heads! Which character in Downton Abbey has the best use? Which the worst?”
