Question 1:
I wonder whether any of your readers knows the source of the name FARNFIELD which Hardy used for the Sussex estate in "The Hand Of Ethelberta"?' Could it have been because he knew my great-grandmother, Frances Shore Pope?. She married, as her second husband, Dr Walter Edmund FARNFIELD, a Londoner, on 6 August 1872. I believe this was around the time Hardy was beginning to collect material for 'The Hand of Ethelberta'. Her brother Edmund and Dr Farnfield had been fellow medical students. Frances Shore Pope was baptised in Stinsford, 19 September 1833. The 1841 census shows her living with her family at 'Old Kingston Mansion House' in Kingston Maurward, aged 8. If anyone can give me any information, however slight, I shall be most interested. For my part, I have extensive records of the Pope and Farnfield families. From Miriam Scott
Question 2:
I need an appropriate quotation of about 2/3 lines from a poem or novel where a candle (or candles) is mentioned. So far, I have not been very successful from my own research, so am now appealing to the experts. Do let me know if you can come up with something. From Heather Shean
Answer to Question 2:
From 'The Three Strangers':
"The room was lighted by half-a-dozen candles......two of them standing on the chimney-piece. This position of candles was in itself significant. Candles on the chimney-piece always meant a party."
From 'Under The Greenwood Tree' - Autumn 11 Honey-taking and Afterwards
'All right, friend; I'll hold the candle whilst you are gone,' said Mr Shiner, leisurely taking the light and allowing Geoffrey to depart, which he did with his usual long paces.
He could hardly have gone round to the housedoor when other footsteps were heard approaching the outbuilding: the tip of a finger appeared in the hole through which the wood latch was lifted, and Dick Dewy came in, having been all this time walking up and down the wood vainly waiting for Shiner's departure.
Fancy looked up and welcomed him rather confusedly. Shiner grasped the candlestick more firmly...
Hello
Question 3:
Did Thomas Hardy have a middle name?
Question 4:
Sue from Dorchester asks: When was Hardy born?
Answer to Question 4:
He was born in 1840.
Hello
Question 5:
My niece remembers a "story" going around the family that her great grandfather was related to Thomas Hardy. We realise that not all Hardys are related. However after many years of doing Family History I have found occasions when the most unlikely of "stories" has been true. So here goes is this person related to Thomas Hardy? - George Hawley Ernest Watkins Hardy born 4th September 1870, died 14th July 1950 Married Mary Anne Ashford date unknown. The family did reside in Dorset and it is believed that two Aunts lived in " Quiet splendour" in Swanage and that one relative was a County Constable in Surrey. I would love to provide my sister who is over 80 with the connection if it is true. Can anyone help?
thank you
Anne Pearlman