Today, I'm chatting with Nancy Jardine about her historical novel Novice Threads, the opening book in a series following the life of Margaret Law. Set in 1840s Scotland, the novel explores friendship, family, education, and the challenges faced by young working-class women determined to find their own way in the world. Join us as Nancy discusses the family history that inspired Margaret's story, her research into Victorian Scotland, and the enduring friendship at the heart of the novel.
Buy first, let's check out Novice Threads
Publication Date: 15th May 2024
Publisher: Nancy Jardine with Ocelot Press
Page Length: 388 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Nancy Jardine with Ocelot Press
Page Length: 388 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
A thirst for education. Shattered dreams. Fragile relations.
1840s Scotland
Being sent to school is the most exhilarating thing that’s ever happened to young Margaret Law. She sharpens her newly-acquired education on her best friend, Jessie Morison, till Jessie is spirited away to become a scullery maid. But how can Margaret fulfil her visions of becoming a schoolteacher when her parents’ tailoring and drapery business suddenly collapses and she must find a job?
Salvation from domestic drudgery – or never-ending seamstress work – comes via Jessie whose employer seeks a tutor for his daughter. Free time exploring Edinburgh with Jessie is great fun, but increasing tension in the household claws at Margaret’s nerves.
Margaret also worries about her parents' estrangement, and the mystery of Jessie's unknown father.
When tragedy befalls the household in Edinburgh, Margaret must forge a new pathway for the future – though where will that be?
Novice Threads follows Margaret Law as she navigates the challenges of growing up in 1840s Scotland. What first inspired Margaret's story, and what drew you to this particular period?
Ancestry is a hobby of mine and I’ve been researching my great grandmother for years now. Though I know very little of her actual life during the 1840s, some snippets passed down through family lore have inspired me to invent a character, Margaret Law, whose life time spans the same decades as my great grandmother. Some of the happenings that affect my character’s life are quite dramatic, but they weren’t so unusual during the Victorian era and happened to quite a lot of women.
Education plays a central role in Margaret's ambitions. How important was it to explore the opportunities—and limitations—faced by young women seeking an education during this era?
It was highly necessary to research, since assumptions can be seriously misleading! A proper education for a female in a family of limited means wasn’t usual. Schools were available in most Scottish parishes during the 1840s, but the parents still had to pay a small quarter-yearly fee, to fund the dominie’s wages. (teacher) This meant that it was often only the males in a family who went to the parish school, though girls could be enrolled. The females more commonly went to a cheaper ‘dame’ school where they learned to be a good housewife, mother, and wife, but the level of competence in reading and writing on leaving a dame school was minimal, and was nothing like the expectations when leaving a parish school after some six or seven years of education.
Margaret and Jessie share a close friendship despite the very different paths their lives take. What interested you most about exploring the bond between these two young women?
Initially, I only thought of writing about Margaret’s life but then the muse entered the room and Jessie infiltrated. When thinking of the contrasts I could portray across the series, I decided that as well as introducing some mean characters, I could have Jessie along for the duration to provide a different mature lifestyle, where class differences don’t intrude and wreck their sisterly bond.
The collapse of Margaret's family business dramatically alters the course of her future. How important is the theme of resilience in the novel?
Resilience is crucial the whole way through what will now be a four-book series. Margaret’s life has high spots and lows, but only a resilient character would make it through the bumpy ride she takes through the decades.
Much of the story centres on the hopes, disappointments, and responsibilities that accompany the transition from childhood to adulthood. What aspects of Margaret's coming-of-age journey did you most enjoy writing?
I think putting myself into a Victorian teenager’s head was the most enjoyable and rewarding thing. Moral expectations were so different for a young working-class woman. They were sometimes pushed into what I’d call a semi-maturity, many were forced to endure distressing working conditions, yet they were often responsible for their livelihood. Forming Margaret’s character has been quite salutary.
Edinburgh provides a fascinating backdrop to the story. What drew you to setting part of the novel in the city, and what aspects of nineteenth-century Edinburgh did you most want to bring to life?
Edinburgh was the nearest large city to the small town of Milnathort where Margaret was brought up, so the capital city seemed a realistic destination to send the girls to. Edinburgh also holds an endless fascination since it’s always had a vibrant and thrilling aspect to it. Much of what people think of as the iconic city centre of Edinburgh was still being built during the middle decades of the 1800s. Some of the buildings of the Georgian Newtown, including parts of Princes Street, was still under construction. Research informed me that the Walter Scott Monument was relatively newly built, but Waverley Railway Station was under development for decades. Many other iconic museums, hotels and large buildings we see today weren’t yet constructed in the 1840s.
Family relationships are often complicated in Novice Threads, from Margaret's concerns about her parents to the mystery surrounding Jessie's father. Why do you think family secrets and tensions make such compelling storytelling?
I’m convinced that every family has secrets if you look deeply enough back through the generations. Sometimes the findings make sensational reading, though others create huge empathy because circumstances often dictated whether an outcome was reasonable, or disastrous. Things often happened to people that were out of their control but, in contrast, some nasty characters also created huge distress. All of these situations can produce gripping reading.
Readers have praised the novel for its emotional depth and strong historical setting. How do you balance historical authenticity with the emotional journeys of your characters?
I’m compelled to put my characters in as believable a world as possible, and for me that takes a lot of research to create that environment for them. I personally hate reading anything which includes huge anachronisms and I strive to avoid them, where possible. If the character is in a credible setting then I think the emotional depth can be developed hand in hand.
As the opening novel in a series that follows Margaret's life, what qualities did you want her to possess that would sustain readers' interest across multiple books?
Resilience, as in a previous question, is critical. I see Margaret as being flexible, and able to make decisions for herself, though conscious of the needs of those in her care. She has vulnerabilities, yet portrays herself as self-reliant which many Victorian women were not. The whole Victorian system was still difficult for an independent woman but when life throws Margaret lemons, she finds ways to cope. I believe education plays a part in Margaret’s ability to make the best of situations, but the solutions she makes as a growing girl are highly character-forming.
For readers meeting Margaret and Jessie for the first time, what do you hope they take away from this story of friendship, determination, and finding a path forward when life doesn't go according to plan?
I’m humbled that many of the reviews say that readers are very drawn to the sisterly bond between the girls. Across the four books, that bond is sometimes rocky but it survives, and matures. I want my readers to appreciate that Victorian and Edwardian life for many working class women was very different from today. Jessie is one of the lucky ones. She’s a from rags to riches character but thoroughly deserves it. Margaret’s future is a much more rocky one. Acquiring an education, and super-skills training in sewing techniques, doesn’t necessarily mean a transition from working class life to a lower middle. However, becoming an ultimately fulfilled, and generally contented person, is a worthwhile eventual outcome.
A huge thank you to Nancy Jardine for taking the time to chat with me today and for giving us such a fascinating insight into Novice Threads. It's been wonderful learning more about Margaret and Jessie, the historical research behind their world, and the realities faced by women growing up in Victorian Scotland. I hope you've enjoyed the interview as much as I have, and I look forward to following Margaret's journey as her story continues.
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Nancy Jardine
Her novels have achieved Finalist status in UK book competitions (People's Book Prize; Scottish Association of Writers) and have received prestigious Online Book Awards.
Published with Ocelot Press, writing memberships include – Historical Novel Society; Romantic Novelists Association; Scottish Association of Writers; Federation of Writers Scotland; Alliance of Independent Authors.
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