??? house bar end winchester

[rachelralph]

i have a lady working as a servant to an elderly lady living at 20 bar end rd winchester in 1911, she gives her address as pasfield/mansfield/basfield house. i know winchester pretty well but i havent heard of this house. i wondered if anyone knows of it?

the ladys who is head of the house is called elizabeth fear. she has no occupation, there are a number of servants and a companion licing there too. i think the number of rooms given is 11! so it must have been a pretty big house.

also what was a companion in those days?

[pete1789]

According to Warrens directory of Winchester, 1913, there is a E J E Fear, Mrs Fear and Miss Godwin living at Barfield House, 20 Hillside Terrace, Bar End Road. Mr Fear crops up a number of times in the directory, obviously a very civic minded person.
Information found on Historical Directories website.

Hope this helps

Pete

[rachelralph]

thats exaxtely what i was looking for thank you very much xx

[pete1789]

You're welcome.
In answer to your question about a companion, also known as lady's companions, it would be a woman, usually of genteel birth without any other means of support, who would provide company and conversation to a wealthy woman who was at home a lot, either widowed or because her husband was out at work. A companion was not a servant, so would not carry out domestic duties apart from pouring the tea etc, but was not quite a friend either, as they were paid to be there.
I had an old aunt who I used to visit as a child, she had a companion, and I really couldn't work out what she was there for, not family, not friend, not servant!

Pete