I think she was thoroughly spoilt by her family. She was completely the mistress of the establishment and family life centred round her.

The daughter certainly had character and a will of her own, but this only seemed to show when in sympathy or agreement with the mother. Hers was a hard, intolerant face and the eyes were not quite trustworthy – I never heard of anyone who loved her, but I know of one or two cases where she inspired an almost diabolical hatred! Capable and I think ambitious, she was practically unknown till her opportunity came with her election as President of the W.!. From that day she became a unit in the social life of the Parish. Her family were her devoted slaves and I remember one occasion when I asked her to propose a vote of thanks to a speaker at one of our W.!. meetings in the days when I was its President. She had brought her daughter of about 27 with her and during quite a long speech the daughter pressed close to her and their hands were tightly clasped in sympathy. Suspicious, she would nevertheless, not come out in the open. Giving members of her Committee work to do, she would go and see for herself if the visits had been paid. A builder working at her house tells the following story:

Mrs B. (to her husband) John, did you post the letters I gave you this morning?
Mr B. Oh no I quite forgot.
Mrs B. Then you can’t go out this evening.

She was I think, high principled and religious and her life as a schoolmistress made her deeply interested in children. She had wished to inaugurate a Children’s Corner in the Church, but her ideas being rather in the nature of blue ceilings and stars, there was no support. Her somewhat unattractive personality brought her no following in the village.