Author Frances Mary Peard's joy at moving to Torquay and joining local literati

A new series shining the spotlight on significant people who lived in 20th century Torbay - not always famous - by Ian Handford, president of Torbay Civic Society. Number 3 - Frances Mary Peard

Avid writer Frances Mary Peard was born at Exminster in May 1835 but lived long into the 20th century.

In 1864, the family moved from East Devon to Torquay, where Frances continued to care for her mother, also Frances, until she died - and then she toured the world for 16 years. She finally returned to Torquay and stayed here for nine more years.

Frances was one of five children, two had died in infancy, being taught by her older sister Charlotte, 12 years her senior, when even as a child, she developed her voracious appetite for reading.

After reading Don Quixote, it was very clear this child's interest must be encouraged and the whole family encouraged the Frances' passion to read, which was unusual in that era.

Her father, a ship's captain, was described as 'a very good and fine man and extremely handsome' but on returning from an Arctic sailing - an expedition searching for Sir John Franklin - had then died young, at age 40.

Meanwhile, young Frances was reading only good writers, having recognised her mother's 'wisdom and decision logic' and then familiarising herself with mostly adult literature, usually forbidden to young girls.

On moving to Torbay in 1864, the family lived at 'Sparnon' in Croft Road, Torquay, which was a joy to Frances after the restrictions of life in Starcross village, near Exeter.

Torbay was later to be known as 'Queen of the Watering Places' but for now the population was 16,000 and growing rapidly. Eventually, Elizabeth Browning, Agatha Christie, Miss Anna Drury, Disraeli, the Misses Findlater, Philip Gosse, Charles Kingsley, Lord Lytton, Eden Phillpotts and even Flora Thompson, all famous writers, lived in Torbay.

Frances would soon join the local literati and met Margaret Roberts, a brilliant writer of historical novels who moved to Torquay at around the same time as the Peards, residing at a 'charming villa overlooking Torbay - reminding me of my home in Rome'.

She had been fortunate in Rome, as she was given access to the Vatican library and these still-single ladies would have much to share creating a real friendship which lasted until Margaret's death in 1919.

But it was after her mother's death that Frances decided to travel the world and remained away for 16 years. She would write, sketch and undertake water colour paintings in order to recapture her travels. She became a fair linguist and could read her testament in Greek.

In ill health, she came back to her home in Torquay and remained with us for another decade.

Although befriending resident writers, she never lost her enthusiasm in supporting others less fortunate than herself.

During the First World War she befriended many men fighting at the front, confirming: "I have four (special but unnamed) Tommies at the front to whom I write and send things to weekly and they write constantly."

Her support ensured the men would visit when on leave which then allowed her to bring out the beloved postcards she would retain for posterity. One letter written in 1919 encompassed a poem worthy of partial repeat, being an example of her gift for words.

'Old Age' verse one reads:

The workman called to his listening Lord,

Lord I can do no more,

My breathe is spent, my back is bent,

My long day's toil is o'er.

Written at age 84 when in poor health due to a wrong diagnosis years before, writing put her at risk and, in October 1915, she had been forced to employ a 'reader who comes for an hour twice a week'.

Eventually, she left Torbay in 1920 to live at St James in London. In October 1923, she died to be returned to her beloved West Country and today rests still in Exminster churchyard.

The copy of an article on Frances Peard may be obtained by sending two second class stamps and a small stamped addressed envelope to Torbay Civic Society at Suite 1, Business Centre, 4 Palace Avenue, Paignton TQ3 3HA.

Ian's comment: Today rarely recalled, this lady was an amazing 'significant of that era'. Next week: Arthur Charles Ellis