Marie Fikáčková

Some women take to children easily. They have a knack for knowing how to hold a baby, how to soothe a newborn who is fretting, and generally make the whole process of child rearing look like the most natural thing in the world for a woman to do. Marie Fikáčková was not one of those women. Continue Reading [...]

Leonarda Cianciulli

Leonarda Cianciulli was a resourceful woman. She knew how to make use of any leftovers, knew how to stretch a lira. It was the 30s, and money was tight. In those times, you made do. Continue Reading [...]

Marie Hilley

Marie loved shopping. She had been brought up by parents who both worked long hours and they saw new clothes, toys and other niceties as a suitable replacement for hugs and boundaries. She grew up believing that shopping solved everything. Continue Reading [...]

Caroline Grills

There is nothing more comforting than a hot cup of tea, especially when a family member is feeling unwell. Caroline Grills (also known as Aunt Thally) understood this, and was always on hand to provide endless cups of tea and cakes. She dutifully attended to each sick relative, making their imminent demise much more comfortable than it otherwise may have been. Continue Reading [...]

Vera Renczi

The most important thing in a relationship or marriage is fidelity. Vera Renczi believed this, and throughout her life she came to see this belief as something more precious than life itself. The men who crossed her path also became well aware of how she felt about this. Although by the time it was brought to their attention the first grains of arsenic had already begun to dissolve. Continue Reading [...]