Rose Gooding moved to the Sussex seaside town in 1918. unusual for the time, it was believed she had given birth out of wedlock's, before marrying husband Kieran. rose's sister, Ruth, also lived with Rose and Kieran. Rose wasn't Irish as depicted in the film, but was considered to be of lower class and moral standards to her conservative neighbour, Edith. Edith was a spinster, caring for her parents and two older brothers who all lived in the same house.