|
Q. What
are you wearing on your feet?
Cant see.
Q. On your body?
Don’t know.
Q. What can you see in front of you?
Dark room, think I’ve been shut away.
Q. Are you alone?
Yes.
Q. Name?
Alice. I was a pretty girl had ringlets fine pretty
dress. I’m frightened.
Q. Why are you in that room?
I’m locked away.
Q. Who locked you away?
Not sure think it was my father.
Q. How long have you been locked away?
Don’t know shouldn’t be there.
|
Turtle Dove
Sophie Anderson (1823-1903) |
Q. Age?
7. Room is in a cellar or an attic.
Q. Why are you locked away?
Being a naughty girl I didn’t think I was naughty.
One
day before being locked away.
Upstairs, drawing room playing the piano. I’m a very
pretty girl bit bold playing the piano.
Q. Mums name?
Don’t know but it’s aristocratic.
Q. Name of place?
Got long windows to the ground, high ceilings, some Hall.
Q. Fathers name?
Don’t know. He’s titled.
Q. What is his occupation?
Doesn’t seem to do anything.
Q. Who looks after you?
Nanny, but I think I could look after myself, chip off
the old block.
Q. Who teaches you the piano?
I want to learn it at the moment I don’t have a teacher.
Q. Any brothers or sisters?
I’m only one miss someone to play with.
Won't let me play with anybody. To sheltered, snobs really.
Father kind gentleman but disciplinarian, rules the roost,
rules the household. Mum doesn’t have much influence.
Highly respected, sometimes wonder if Father wanted a
son.
3
years forward.
Same place, things haven’t changed, I’m
frustrated, wont let me out, wont let me mix, not the
done thing, feel sad, want to be adventurous, say can’t
do that.
Q. Year?
Late 1880, late 19th century.
Q. Who’s on the throne?
A man, a naughty man. Likes women, sort of playboy, Jack
the lad.
Q. Nearest town?
Harrogate.
Q. Names of visitors?
Not many come to visit, don’t see many people.
Q. Who visits Father?
Business men, Mothers not very happy.
Q. Why?
She wont always say. Stiff upper lip, not happy with my
Father, selfish.
Q. Grandparents?
Don’t talk about them never see them feel a bit unwanted,
insignificant.
Q. What is a typical day?
Potter around really enjoy painting, I want to play the
piano paint dance sing.
Q. What music do you like to play?
Classical but want something more lively people don’t
smile or laugh its somber, haven’t to speak until
spoken to. I dress up, live in a fantasy world, acting
a little bit, seem to waste a lot of time.
Q. Tutor?
Mary.
Q. Your second name?
Double barreled, Morell? Rhodes?
Q. When you leave the house what town do you
go to?
Go into country.
Q. Where?
Just to have a drive.
Q. What do you travel in?
Carriage, horses.
Q. Do you ride horses?
No but I want to do.
Blue and White
Louise Jopling |
Forward
5 years.
Still
in same place.
Q. Age.
15-16 years. May run away, Mother needs me not
very well.
Q. Go to Church?
Occasionally.
Q. Which Church?
Little Chapel I think Vicar comes up.
Q. Where is the Chapel?
Don’t go far, its on the estate.
Q. Your estate?
Yes.
Q. What does your Father do?
Upstanding man, lawyer? Think that he does some
shady deals which makes Mother worry, not well,
something she is not happy about.
|
Q. Ever go to the shops?
No.
Q. Ever buy anything?
Never see any money.
Forward
5 years.
Still in same place.
Q. Any changes?
Nursing my Mother, Father getting older and grumpier,
drinking a good bit.
Q. Do you ever get out?
Not much really.
Q. When you get out where do you go?
Visit little cottages, I’m a sort of Florence Nightingale,
feel responsible for everything, Mother dying Father gets
from bad to worse, I have to hold everything together,
never been able to do what I want. Boy I fancy, little
romance stable lad rough and ready escapism exciting I
like it I think I’ll be a whore a tart a tart a real
tart. Things can never be the same.
Q. Why wont things be the same?
I’ve tasted excitement, I’ve been naughty and
I liked it.
Q. What have you done that you thought was naughty?
Stripped off had sex in the afternoon ladies are not supposed
to do that sort of thing.
Q. Name of boy?
Could be Jeff.
Q. Do you now get opportunity to go to shops?
No, haven’t as yet but I feel more adventurous, can
handle situation in the house better, he is going to take
me for a drive and to the shops.
Next
significant event.
Doom and gloom.
Fathers always drunk think he used to beat my Mother,
think she’s gone now, everything getting into a dreadful
state, think he’s losing money.
Q. Age?
26. I take charge now, running everything, get out but
can’t break away, go to cottages for comfort. Old
lady was a member of staff, she mothers me, makes me cups
of tea, cookies and things, feel protected and mothered.
Q. What is her name?
Mary.
Q. What do people call you?
Maam or sometimes Mrs.
Q. Do you go to the shops now?
Don’t go into any towns, little village shop.
Q. Name of village?
Scotton?
Q. Who organizes shopping?
Mary.
Q. Have any close friends?
No. Stable lad. Can’t be seen with him as he’s
not my type of person. It’s secret. Mary tells me
I’m worthy of a fine upstanding Gentleman.
Forward
5 years.
Still lonely not in big house any more, a lodge
or cottage much happier now, house had to be sold. Drank
himself to death.
Q. Do you live
alone?
No Mary.
Q. Where do you get money from to live?
Get allowance sent to me by Solicitors.
Q. Name of Solicitor?
Two names,??
Rhodes and the other has an S in it. Rhodes was a family
connection the other begins with an S.
Q. Is there enough money to live on?
Yes, running costs are paid for. Mary does the shopping.
Q. Any other staff?
Stable boy still in a cottage. Row of cottages empty.
Q. Who owns big house?
Very handsome man. Young. London city gentleman. He restored
it. Beautiful Georgian entrance.
Q. Did he put it there?
No, it was there.
Q. His name?
No, could begin with a B very important. Think he’s
about 40-42 wife died, he’s a speculator, very distinguished
looking. Kind face, dark hair beautiful voice. Comes to
see me. First thing I thought about him is a kind face,
soft eyes. In his presence you feel safe protected. Wearing
top hat cane white tie black cloak first time he came
to see me. He wants to marry me, give me everything. Q.
Do you want to marry him?
Like to, very beautiful man, could be a bit humdrum, too
sheltered again too comfortable. Go to some balls and
with him at the big house entertaining. Wonderful couple,
when we are entertaining very happy, belle of the ball,
respected together.
|
Where next?
Edward Frederick Brewtnall 1846-1902
|
Q.
Names of friends?
Know a lot of friends but not close.
Q. Cost of a ball gown?
Lot of money, always have the best.
Q. Who pays for it?
He does.
Q. Where do you have it made?
He has contacts, moved into house with him, very happy.
|
Q. Do you live as man and wife?
Yes gradually. I play the grand piano now.
Q. Name now?
Annabella, I changed.
Q. What second name do you use?
Morell, could be, double barreled.
Forward
5 years.
We are talking
about moving abroad.
Q. Who’s
we?
My man. Not married. Talks about an adventure abroad.
Something to do with a plantation, tea or coffee.
Q. What country?
Could be India or Ceylon or part of Africa. Talks about
tobacco, talks about a lot of things.
Q. Nearest town?
Same house, everything packed in tea chests, it’s
exciting, new life new world, going to be married.
Go forward
to wedding day.
Didn’t get
married. Never happened.
Q. Where is plantation?
Country, sort of move around a bit. Kenya.
Q. What do you grow?
Coffee, think I’ve been to India, can't settle, should
never have left big house, sold it.
WQ. ho to?
Institution, something commercial. Tea plantation in Ceylon
then moved to Kenya.
Q. Nearest town in Kenya?
Mombassa, I don’t like it.
Q. Names of nearby plantation owners?
No. People keep themselves to themselves. Wasn’t
very happy in Kenya. Came back to England on my own.
Q. Why on own?
Things weren’t working out very well for him. Didn’t
see much of him. Didn’t like black Africans, make
me feel nervous. He became distant, problems. Think I
went to England for a break.
Go
to a significant time in England, where are you?
For a while to stay with Mary, she’s nearby, stable
boy still there but a man now, never married, on his own.
Cry a lot, whilst there, feel unhappy, let down sad not
sure where to go.
Q. Where is Mary’s
cottage?
Somewhere on estate near a village, Scotton.
Q. How old are you?
35.
Q. Any children?
No.
Forward
to a significant event.
On a ship. Going out to seek an adventure,
a new life on my own. Going West, New York.
Q. Year?
1911ish wanted to go to South America but changed my mind.
Q. What do you intend to do in New York?
Seek my fortune on the stage, full of confidence, hope,
really excited for the first time in my life.
Q. How do you manage for money?
Allowances, never worked.
Q. Name of ship?
New one very gleaming, beautiful ship, special ship, incredibly
exciting, band playing champagne popping, magnificent.
Just felt I’d left all the past behind me, seeking
the real me, new adventure new country.
Q. What happened when you arrived in New York?
(BLANK)
Significant event on the ship.
Everything is black and scary don’t like it anymore.
Q.
Who can you see around you?
Black everywhere something not nice at all.
Q. Describe what is going on.
Panic screaming.
Q. What are you doing?
Trying to re assure people trying to calm them down.
Q. Where on the ship are you?
Upper deck promenade everything getting out of control
we are going to sink.
Q. Any lifeboats?
Cant get near them.
|
Last
ropes cast off Titanic as
she departs Belfast docks. |
Q. What time of day or night is it?
Night. Dark, something that’s like a whale in
front of us.
Q. What do you think it is?
Its not a Whale, we’ve crashed into it!
Q. What’s happening now?
It's mayhem screaming I’ve tried to keep calm people
are being trampled on, little children, helping people
put life jackets on.
Q. What’s the weather like?
Freezing, we’ve all got coats on. I think I passed
out.
Q. What made you pass out?
Exhaustion and cold.
Forward
2-3 minutes from passing out, where are you?
Think I’m
going to die.
Q. Look back
on your life, did you achieve everything that you wanted
to?
No.
Q. What would you have liked to have achieved?
To be noticed, famous revered singing acting.
Q. What
have you learned?
Q. Anyone
in that life who you recognize in this life?
Possibly, man I went away with.
Q. Name?
Began with a B.
Q. Who is he now?
Andrew. Mary is Margaret.
Forward
through death.
White light, warm peaceful love and tranquillity,
belonging light getting brighter and brighter drawing
me to it feel warm glow all over tremendous peace no pain.
Q. Anyone there?
No just something drawing you comes from love. Hope of
new beginning, new life, happiness new hope challenge
never looking back just going forward into a real truth
honesty no deception just be yourself secure.
END
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