Re: . . about the Beckfoot plumbers


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Posted by Jock on September 29, 2007 at 21:42:38 from 86.153.132.87 user Jock.

In Reply to: Re: . . about the Beckfoot plumbers posted by Ian E-N on September 29, 2007 at 17:07:51:

"Hot Water Fitter"

Ever since someone (Peter H ISM) made the astute point that the GA's behaviour doesn't square with an upper class background I've been pondering what exactly drives her somewhat obsessive behaviour. It seems that Ian may have solved the mystery for me.

Maria Turner's, father having done well in his business dealings in Harrogate buys a couple of farms to give himself some privacy and builds Beckfoot. Her brother inherits the small estate, but before he and his new wife and very young children get a chance to enjoy it they are tragically killed. [Anyone with any idea how?] Maria is seconded by her family to bring up the rebellious Molly and Jim at their parent's house. She sees her prospects of marriage and a normal family life vanishing away to zero. Her family, feeling a bit guilty, decide to ease her life at Beckfoot by investing in new plumbing - a hydraulic ram fed by an intake higher up the Amazon to replace the inconvenient well in the scullery, and the latest hot water system.

Enter handsome Mr Redhead, plumber. Not just any ordinary plumber, but a registered plumber. Mr Redhead has diversified his business: stained glass, electric bells, photography, tobacco, cigars. He makes an impression on young, lonely and increasingly desperate Maria. Redhead sees a chance for more diversification and grabs it with both arms. The affair ends badly and Maria feeling that she has been punished for 'breaking the rules' now devotes her life to maintaining order and her social status. Her immediate victims are servants and tradespeople. Molly and Jim have a hard time of it and adulthood brings little relief from her strictures. In SW and PD even the vicar and Colonel Joly's are her victims.

This hypothesis (the Jock Hypothesis!) also explains the GA's compulsive cleaning of the Houseboat in PM, unusual behaviour indeed.


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