The Married Widows – the wives ‘left behind’, a talk by Dr Lesley Trotter

One of the untold stories of 19th century emigration from Cornwall is that of the thousands of wives ‘left behind’ by men leaving to work overseas. Historian and author, Dr Lesley Trotter, explores the lives of these unsung heroines of many a Cornish family, describing the resources they drew upon in the absence of their husbands, and the challenges they presented to the authorities, illustrated with poignant individual stories that highlight the risks of being a ‘married widow’