Fanny Kirrin is the aunt of Julian, Dick and Anne Barnard. She is married to the hot tempered Uncle Quentin, a brilliant scientist who generally works from home.
Fanny is invaluable when Quentin loses important papers, and can also calm him down when he gets into a rage. She maintains her home tightly, aided by Jo[anna] the cook, and organisation tends to fall apart when she is not present.
As George's mother, she is sympathetic with George's tomboyism, and quietly hopes that George will grow out of this phase of development.