South Hampton is home. This location is incredibly important to this novel because it represents their old life. The life of peace, serenity and nature, as well as the morals that Margaret’s family have come to adopt. Margaret tries not to act sad for leaving this place but is clear sad at leaving her home. Catching the last glimpse of the South Hampton Church steeple “She leant back and shut her eyes, and the tears welled forth, and hung glittering for an instant on the shadowing eyelashes before rolling slowly down her cheeks, and dropping, unheeded, on her dress." South Hampton is safe and South Hampton is home.
South Hampton is a small trades town, with a considerably higher earning wage than the North. South Hampton is home to the "'Gormons,' said Margaret, "Are those the Gormons who made their fortunes in trade at Southampton?" Shortly after the timeline in this novel South Hampton exploded in growth and eventually became a major port town. The South during this time was almost a different world in comparison to major cities that were at the forefront of labor and industry.
The Northerners tend to view people from South Hampton as country folk, and the Southern tend to view those from the North as stingy and uptight.
Attached below is a link to the St Michael's church that Margaret references in the novel:http://sotonopedia.wikidot.com/page-browse:st-michaels-church-and-parish