Francoise Nicolle

Born in the parish of St Mary and into a life of farm labour, Francoise is no stranger to the demanding nature of rural life. But with many children to care for, a husband struggling with poor health, and the ongoing pressures of farm life, her resilience is put to the test each day.

Francoise's family, like many tenant farmers of the time, face a constant struggle to balance the demands of the land and family to keep up with the payments to their landlord. In addition to the physical labour of the farm, she must care for her family and oversee the children’s education. When they are not out in the fields helping with the harvest or planting, she does her best to teach them their letters and numbers.

Francoise will share the hardships and rewards of living on a Jersey farm in the Victorian era. Her stories illustrate the resilience, hard work and community that defined life in 19th century rural Jersey.

Meet Francoise Nicolle Tuesdays from 10am to 4pm

If meeting Francoise Nicolle is going to be the highlight of your trip to Hamptonne Country Life Museum, please call +44 (0) 1534 863 955 before you visit to check that performances are confirmed for that date.

Photos thanks to Andrei Alexe Photography