# Mrs. Wilberforce — A Country Gentleman and His Family character guide > Mrs. Wilberforce in A Country Gentleman and His Family by Margaret Oliphant. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Dear Mrs. Wilberforce, The good Wilberforce, Wilberforce **First appearance:** 0000-i ## Snapshot The rector's kind, watchful wife, who tones herself and her family to the Warrenders' mourning yet cannot resist a parasol-fringed peek at the Elms. ## Who they are Mrs. Wilberforce is the neighborhood's conscience and its chief amusement, hosting picnics to Pierrepoint and managing her children's high spirits while keeping one eye on the social weather. She is genuinely thoughtful—she tones herself to the family's subdued condition—but her curiosity about the Elms and its mysteries is barely concealed behind her parasol. Her blend of tact and appetite for drama makes her the lens through which the village's gossip and its uneasy proximity to hidden trouble reach the reader. ## In the story ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/ii) The mother, described as excitable and prone to excessive emotion; she is deeply affected by her husband's death. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/vi) Attempts to persuade Lady Markland to rest and eat, but is gently refused. ### [Chapter VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/vii) Overwhelmed by grief and the memory of Lord Markland's death; declares she must leave the house for fresh air; feels estranged from her children. ### [Chapter VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/viii) Visits Lady Markland reluctantly at Theo's insistence, becomes the comforter despite initial discomfort, and later agrees to stay with Lady Markland. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/ix) Mentioned as someone who occasionally employs Lizzie for sewing work. ### [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/x) The rector's wife, who is deeply concerned about Lizzie Hampson's potential employment at the Elms and expresses conservative views on class and morality. ### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/xi) Disapproves of the timing of Dick's visit due to the Warrenders' mourning; she finds him insincere but is flattered by his agreement with her views. She is particular about decorum and manages the household, including keeping her husband's smoking at bay. ### [Chapter XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/xii) Hosts a tea and croquet gathering; mentioned as displeased by visitors walking out at night. ### [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/xiii) Disapproves of Dick's late walk and comments on the creeping of late hours. ### [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/xiv) Engages in social maneuvering, criticizes the openness of Pierrepoint to the public, and comments on Dick's connections. ### [XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/xvi) Expresses unease about Theo's reliance on Cavendish's advice. ### [XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/xviii) Mrs. Warrender curbs her impatience and remains at the Warren out of sympathy for Theo's fascination. She feels a vicarious thrill watching his passion, a contrast to her own stagnant life. ### [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/xxiii) She questions Theo about his daily visits to Markland and his neglect of magistrate duties, hinting at the impropriety of his involvement with Lady Markland. ### [Chapter XXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/xxiv) Remonstrates with Minnie about wearing mourning as a bride, advocating for a more cheerful appearance. ### [Chapter XXIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/xxix) Mrs. Wilberforce visits before the departure, discussing London society, the dangers of step-parenting, and the fate of the Elms. She is critical and gossipy. ### [Chapter XXX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/xxx) Mentioned as an old friend of Cavendish's, but not present in the chapter. ### [XXXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/xxxi) Mentioned as an old friend who hosted a dinner and informed Mrs. Warrender of their arrival. ### [XXXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/xxxii) Mentioned in passing as part of the Underwood circle; not directly present in the chapter. ### [Afterwards](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/xxxiii) Mrs. Warrender, now a widow, returns home with a sense of new beginning, eager to engage with new neighbours and plans, though she misinterprets Chatty's emotional state. ### [XXXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/xxxiv) Referred to as 'the squire's wife' who feels intimidated by Lady Markland's status; she is the hostess and Theo's mother, anxious about the meeting and later becomes Lady Markland's confidante. ### [XXXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/xxxvi) Mrs. Warrender is the confidante Geoff initially sought out to unburden his heart. ### [XXXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/xxxvii) She gossips to Theo about the Warren's renovations and Geoff's impending school, prompting Theo's jealous outburst. ### [XXXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/xxxviii) Mentioned by Minnie as an example of a person of lower rank who should not precede her. ### [XXXIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/xxxix) Mentioned as part of the little group in Half Moon Street that made the lodging-house feel like home. ### [XL](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/xl) Mentioned as the person Dick pretends to visit at Underwood. ### [XLI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/xli) Not directly present, but referenced as part of the family dynamics; Mrs. Warrender makes a sarcastic remark about her. ### [XLII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/xlii) Mrs. Wilberforce comments on the oddness of the wedding proceedings, which she sees as a sign of the times. ### [XLV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/xlv) Defends Dick and Chatty, decides to take Chatty abroad, and is distressed by the scandal. ### [XLVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/xlviii) Visits the Warren with her husband, eager to learn about Chatty's situation but frustrated by Chatty's constant presence; she argues with the rector about the legal and moral implications of Chatty's marriage. ### [XLIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/xlix) Horrified by Geoff's injury; tends to him after he is thrown down. ### [L](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/l) Anxiously mediates between Theo and Dick, believes Dick's story. ### [LII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/chapters/lii) Anxious and imploring, she tries to persuade Theo to return to Lady Markland but fails. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/characters/mrs_wilberforce - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_country_gentleman_and_his_family_se/characters