The Herald coverage in today’s edition of last night’s Lizzie lecture at BCC revealed a particularly interesting tidbit- Lizzie had a lady companion named Trudy. http://www.heraldnews.com/town_info/history/x1789521502/New-Lizzie-Borden-book-teased-at-lecture
It was a common custom of the time for wealthy ladies to have a younger companion to accompany them on trips out of town, shopping excursions and the like. Miss Trudy apparently lived at Maplecroft and enjoyed the elegant library and hearthside of Miss Borden before going off to give matrimony a whirl. How nice to know Lizzie did not lead quite such a reclusive and lonely life as many have thought.
Other snippets read at the lecture included diary entries by a schoolchum named “Lulie” which added a bit more color as to the many moods of Lizzie as a school girl.
The popular lecture series continues through November and is stirring up great interest in the launch of the historical society publication Parallel Lives which will go on sale before Christmas and is probably on every Lizziephile’s Wishlist.
- Sept 28, Annette Holba, Ph.D., author, “Lizzie Borden as Conscious Pariah: A Discussion About Private Life.”
- Oct. 5, Cara Robertson, legal scholar, “What the Jury Heard: Evidence in the Trial of Lizzie Borden.”
- Oct. 19, Kim Dennis, psychic medium, “Lizzie Borden: Her Side of the Story.”
- Oct. 26, Jill Dalton, award-winning actress, “Lizzie Borden Live: From Page to Stage.”
- Nov. 2, Ricardo Rebelo, filmmaker, “The Myth and Media of Lizzie Borden.”
- For information about the lectures or “Parallel Lives,” or to reserve a copy of the book, call 508-679-1071 or visit www.lizzieborden.org.