Posted by Peter Hyland on April 16, 2007 at 09:30:33 from 86.130.130.32 user Peter_H.
In Reply to: Re: Charcoal burners' wives? posted by Peter Roche on April 16, 2007 at 07:29:03:
Must have been very difficult to trace anybody in the pre computer age.
Not in the Lake District! Everyone knew everyone (they still do). And charcoal burning was hardly a surreptitious occupation. Also, don't forget this was the 1930s - there was a stigma attached to children born out of wedlock. No, the charcoal burners would have had wives. I am forced to conclude that both Billes' wives had died. It seems obvious from the description of the camps that wives are not there. If a wife had been resident, she would almost certainly have looked after Roger when he was carried in.
I take Rob's point that some characters might not be mentioned because they are not part of the story, but AR was fastidious in detail and a great deal can be deduced from what he gives us, and what he doesn't. I am particularly interested in the 'missing'? family members throughout the 12 books.