Francoise Nicolle

It's 1865 and Francoise Nicolle, her husband, mother and children live at Hamptonne Farm as tenant farmers. It's a hard life ensuring that they can make payments to the landlord and have enough to live on, especially as Mr Nicolle is not in the best of health with his nerves.

The children have to help on the farm and Francoise tries her best to school them and teach them their letters and numbers when they are not busy with harvest or planting. But there is always the animals to take care of.

Francoise says "I'm a country girl, having been born in the parish of St Mary, so I'm used to hard work. But with so many children to care for as well, the cooking and cleaning chores are relentless."

Meet Francoise Nicolle every Monday 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