Memories: Minnie Frisby

urn:iso:std:iso:639:ed-3:eng

I:17-18

text excerpt

[Minnie Frisby worked in domestic service at the Tapp family farm when she was thirteen years old]

]T]here came some new people at Fockbury Farm, it was a newly married couple from Devonshire named Mr and Mrs Tapp […] Mr Tapp was supposed to be very wealthy and what was called—a gentleman farmer […] I was only there about 7 months but I must say I learnt more in that time than I might have learnt in years at some places. 

Mrs Tapp was a real lady and said she would train me to be housemaid and she did […] She used to give a lot of parties; tennis parties and late dinners; some of the best people of Bromsgrove would come […]  

[T]here would be music and singing in the drawing room, as Mr and Mrs Tapp were very good singers, and Mrs Tapp often sang at high class concerts; Mr Tapp had a baritone voice, and I always remember songs he sang , as it was the first time I had ever heard them; one was “Widdicombe Fair” [sic] then one that commenced with “Darkies like to sing this song down de ole plantation”, and also one “ The place where the old horse died”, which I only remember hearing sung once since. Then Mrs Tapp would sing “Loves Old Sweet Sing”  [sic], yes, I used to love to listen, as I always did like singing. 

[…]

[T]he reason I left was my sister’s husband died and she was left with a business and baby one month old and I was taken away to go and live with her. 

excerpt from 'Memories: Minnie Frisby' pp. I:17-18 (283 words)

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1532104533432