Reference 2 of 364 ordered by: Reference number (ascending)
Author:
Thomas Hardy
Biography Title:
The Life and Work of Thomas Hardy
Page No.:
11
Researcher:
Jane Hugen-Tobler
Publisher:
The Macmillan Press Ltd
First Published:
n/a
Person:
Betty (maternal grandmother)
Clothing:
Dress;
Colours:
n/a
Material:
n/a
Quotation:
[I, 1840-48] "The traditions about Betty, Maria's daughter, were that she was tall, handsome, had thirty gowns, was an omnivorous reader, and one who owned a stock of books of exceptional extent for a yeoman's daughter living in a remote place."
Notes:
It is interesting that she read so much and passed on her desire to learn to her daughter Jemima who also educated herself and of course passed this love on to Hardy. The fact that she owned thirty dresses illustrates her wealth; however, Hardy was born into a lower class as a result of her marrying a man her father disapproved of, who also died leaving her extremely poor.