Lives at: Hawthorn House, Upper Milliwick Road.

Age: Early seventies

Appearance: 5’ 6” tall and overweight, a solidly corseted, somewhat imposing woman with dyed dark hair and blue eyes.

Evelyn is a seasoned gossip, often lacking in tact and diplomacy. She does have the ability to be pleasant and agreeable but there is always an edge of condescension in her voice.

Family:  Husband: Ernest

            Son: Anthony

            Daughter: Belinda

     

Background: Born in Woodbury, Evelyn enjoyed the privileges that belonging to a wealthy family brought. Slim and vibrant, she threw herself into the whirl of the social circuit with the intention of finding herself a husband who would keep her in the manner to which she believed she had every right to continue to be accustomed.

Coming across Ernest Knowles after he made a successful bid for a contract with her father to deliver goods for his import and export business, she recognised the additional benefit of not only snaring a husband, who had distinct prospects of becoming wealthy, but as her ‘inferior’, one that could be ‘managed’. The fact that Ernest was considered to be quite a catch by the young ladies of Milliwick gave her more cause to gloat when she achieved her objective. Her family, however, had advised against the relationship and her previously indulgent father, although thinking of Ernest as a ‘decent and honest chap’ barely tolerated him as a son-in-law, underlining his disapproval of the marriage by willing most of his money and property to her brother Lawrence, a fact that came as an unwelcome surprise to Evelyn.

Ernest proved not to be as compliant to her wishes as she had hoped but he did work extremely hard to build his business and more than adequately provided for her expensive tastes and the needs of his family.

Currently: The years of marriage to Ernest have not diminished her superior attitude and although he has in the past provided all that she could wish for in the way of material possessions, she is bitterly aware that he has long since ceased to have any affection for her.

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EVELYN KNOWLES nee Charles

Village busy body and gossip

Married to Ernest