Phoebe Khumalo
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| Portrayed by Ruby Barker | |
| Full Name | Phoebe Mary Khumalo |
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| Associated Noble House(s) | |
| Date of Birth | 5th November 1791 |
| Father | Elijah Khumalo |
| Father's Rank | Mr. Khumalo |
| Mother | Martha Khumalo |
| Mother's Rank | Mrs. Khumalo |
| Town Residence | Whitchurch in Hampshire |
| Year of Debut | 1811 |
| Dowry | £1500 |
Miss Phoebe Khumalo is the boisterous and self-confident daughter of a minor landowner in Hampshire. She has come to London to stay with her sister, Abby Shaw and spend time with her darling niece, Sophia, as well as see all the sights, make new friends, and have lots of fun.
Family
Mr Elijah Khumalo (father) - b.1755
Mrs Martha Khumalo (mother) - b.1764
Mrs Philippa “Abby” Shaw (sister) - b.1785
Mr Robert Shaw (brother-in-law) - b. 1783
Miss Sophia Shaw (niece) - b. 1810
Mr Demane Khumalo (grandfather) - b.1719, d. 1796
Mrs Philippa Khumalo (grandmother) - b.1730, d.1802
Background
Childhood with Abby
Nothing bad has ever happened to Phoebe. She was born to loving parents who were well-established in their quiet Hampshire town of Whitchurch, despite their obviously foreign background. As a younger sister to an outgoing and lively sister several years older than her, she also had little in the way of responsibilities to undertake. She had a good ladies’ education, including French and Italian, history, geography, music and art. While not particularly conscientious or keen to stick to any one thing for very long, Phoebe always had a thirst for all kinds of knowledge - whether officially acquired or not. As to accomplishments, she is a lively dancer and enjoys music very much. She would sing a complex Italian aria with difficulty and would not appreciate having to plough her way through a long sonata on the pianoforte, but when it comes to Scotch or Irish ballads or producing a jig or reel for dancing, she will perform them happily in a charming way that brings real pleasure to most listeners.
The country where she was brought up was always very safe and she was known to her neighbours. Provided she was with her sister, she had a good deal of independence. The Khumalos are friendly and sociable; following her sister’s lead, Phoebe had plenty of friends, where she was often something of a social leader among the younger set, coming up with activities and making decisions on the characters of newcomers. (Not that the opinions of children made much difference to anyone apart from themselves.)
One such was a young curate who within the space of a month, met Abby, fell in love with her, and married her. Phoebe twigged their mutual interest very quickly: they were not subtle and the sisters were close. Approving of Mr. Shaw’s ability to take her clever and forthright sister on, Phoebe could not but support their ridiculous scheme of marriage, even if initially her attempts to encourage them had been more of a joke than anything else. Just how far would they go, after all? Right up to the altar, apparently.
Growing Independence
Abby’s marriage and removal to London changed Phoebe’s life, though not considerably. She was then seventeen years old - just the age to begin to wish to be in the limelight and not constantly in the company of a handsome and unmarried elder sister. Certainly she got more attention as her supremacy in the neighbourhood coincided with her own debut in local society. Phoebe has thoroughly enjoyed her life of dinners, picnics, and country balls with a cluster of good friends about her, most of whom have been willing to go along with whatever she wants, but recently life in a small town has started to feel a little confined. No Mr. Shaw has appeared on her doorstep to whisk her away to an exciting life of passion in the city after all and in two years, no man she would ever deign to marry has made any overtures to her. (A few have made overtures but been put off before they could get close to declaring themselves and making matters awkward.)
Phoebe is therefore very ready indeed to go to London (a fact that has made several of her friends rather green with envy) and stay with her sister and her family, including her little baby niece. She is looking forward to clever conversation and is even prepared and not unexcited at the prospect of swapping being a big fish in a little pond for being a little fish in a big pond.
