Posted by Adam Quinan on April 16, 2007 at 17:56:09 from 74.103.34.126 user Adam.
In Reply to: Re: Charcoal burners' wives? posted by Rob Marshall on April 16, 2007 at 17:16:49:
Rob: So as it was the custom in those days to take care of elderly relatives it could well be that the wives if still alive would be living with one of the children. as in the Swainsons.
Or Peter Duck who moved from daughter to daughter as the wind and mood took him. I am sure that charcoal burning was not a year round job and the Old Billies may have kept it up because they enjoyed the outdoor life and activity. Their wives would have had a less romantic outlook on sleeping in the cold at their ages I suspect.