Speaker – Valerie Brenton

Valerie Brenton has a keen interest in unearthing snippets to bring to life the invisible woman of the past. She will present the life of an Edwardian nanny through a unique collection of letters written by Maude Dudley, who worked for the Williams family of Long Bredy in West Dorset at the beginning of the twentieth century. Extracts from the letters will tell of the daily activities undertaken by a nanny, the responsibilities entrusted to her, the amount of travelling and the need for flexibility as family plans change. Valerie will explain where records for live-in servants and their employers might be found.

About the speaker: Valerie Brenton is a genealogist and volunteers at the Dorset History Centre.