| Warning! The content in the article will include information from the fifth series of Poldark. You will find spoilers in the article. |
Esther "Tess" Tregidden was a servant at Nampara employed by Demelza Poldark. She was very vocal and bitter towards those she thought were better off than her.
She proved to be trouble for Demelza and Prudie Paynter, and eventually joined Ralph Hanson to ruin Ned Despard and the Poldark family. Her efforts to cause a march to Trenwith and encouraging violence towards George Warleggan led to her being sacked by Demelza.
Biography[]
Employment at Nampara[]
Tess was very vocal about the lack of work for villagers in the mining community due to George Warleggan's low wages and sacking of miners. Demelza Poldark saw what was happening and promised her that she will do her best to find work for them and ask round.[1]
Tess wasn't impressed by Demelza because she was angry at how Demelza elevated in society to the upper class, and thought she couldn't possibly understand now what it's like to be poor. She, her brother and a friend cornered Demelza by a cliff to bully and intimidate her.[1]
Demelza told Tess that she hadn't forgotten what it's like to go hungry, and that she wanted to help her. Later that day, Sam and Drake Carne saw Tess giving a speech to a group about how they should punish the rich for their misfortune and raze their houses. Sam and Drake did their best to calm things down, but Tess was determined.[1]
Sam and Drake told Demelza what happened and hoping to help Tess change her troublesome ways, she went to Tess and offered her the job of farmhand at Nampara. Tess eventually accepted. Around this time, someone had broken into Demelza and Ross's house and another evening, someone set their house on fire. Tess was asked if she was involved, but she denied it.[1]
Tess began working at Nampara just in time to join Prudie Paynter in caring for Nampara while Demelza, Ross and their children were away.[1]