A month after the marriage Joanna's mother died, and the couple were obliged to turn their attention to very practical matters.

Now that she was left without a parent, Joanna could not bear the notion of her husband going to sea again, but the question was, What could he do at home?
They finally decided to take on a grocer's shop in High Street, the goodwill and stock of which were waiting to be disposed of at that time.

Shadrach knew nothing of shopkeeping, and Joanna very little, but they hoped to learn.
To the management of this grocery business they now devoted all their energies, and continued to conduct it for many succeeding years, without great success.

Two sons were born to them, whom their mother loved to idolatry, although she had never passionately loved her husband; and she lavished upon them all her forethought and care.

But the shop did not thrive, and the large dreams she had entertained of her sons' education and career became attenuated in the face of realities.