Mrs. Campbell (née Pringle) was the great-grandmother of Elizabeth Grayson, grandmother of Mrs. Grayson and owner of the Evergreens.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Miss Pringle was born in 1807 in Summerside to Mr. and Mrs. Pringle. She was raised along with other children of the large Pringle family.
Marriage with Mr. Campbell[]
Miss Pringle married Mr. Campbell probably in the late 1820s or early 1830s. They had probably only one child who was one of the parents of Mrs. Grayson.
A few years later, Mr. Campbell died and she became a widow.
Later life[]
Mrs. Campbell's child and their spouse died and left their daughter to Mrs. Campbell.
- "She was a granddaughter of Mrs. Campbell, who brought her up also... Her parents being dead."
- —Anne Shirley about Elizabeth Grayson's mother.
Mrs. Campbell brought her granddaughter up. She married Pierce Grayson, a Yankee, and died after she gave birth to her daughter, Elizabeth. Pierce left Canada at once to take charge of a branch of his firm's business in Paris and sent the baby to old Mrs. Campbell.
Mrs. Campbell looked after her great-granddaughter with the help of Martha Monkman, a maid as ancient and grim as herself. Little Elizabeth knew perfectly well that Grandmother and "the Woman" hated her. If she made even a speck of noise, they would nearly pass out. Mrs. Campbell never allowed her to go for walks, claiming she might be kidnapped by gypsies, or sing in public because it might make her bold and forward. The two horrid old women made her go to bed in the dark, although she was afraid. They always referred to her as simply "the child", just as one might speak of "the dog" or "the cat".
At one point, Mrs. Campbell had a a dog who brought Dusty Miller to Windy Poplars, apparently believing the cat would have no use at the Evergreens.
Mrs. Campbell was a crotchety old lady, not pleasant nor pleasing. All things changed when Anne Shirley moved at Windy Poplars and became principal at Summerside High School. Mrs. Campbell allowed Elizabeth to go for walks with Anne, sing at a concert/program, and visit Green Gables and Flying Cloud. Mrs. Campbell expressed little sorrow when Elizabeth departed with her father, Pierce.
Personality[]
Physical appearance[]
- "She has a fine, sculptured old face that might have been a man's, with black eyes and black bushy brows under frosty hair. She has not quite eschewed all vain adornment of the body, for she wore large black onyx earrings that reached to her shoulders. "
- —Anne of Windy Poplars, Chapter 7, Second Year
Behind the scenes[]
Trivia
- Margaret Harris from the film Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987) is based on Mrs. Campbell.
Appearances[]
Book appearances