The Lamerton Workhouse Orphanage

by S G Read

  Andrew looked at the money. ‘Can I see the list?’

  Martin took the crumpled list out of his pocket and held it out. Andrew straightened it out and looked at the list of things each with a tick against it in charcoal. There were also some extra things written down although not very neatly. ‘You bought all this for two pounds?’

  ‘Yes Mr McDay, I had a bit of luck and Alfred helped.’

  ‘Well next time I want any shopping, you will be the one doing it.’

  ‘I am sorry if we made you late eating.’

  ‘Well worth waiting for Martin wash up and we will all eat.’

  The next day Martin and Alfred had another job, to make a pen for the new chickens which was not easy with what was lying around. Bill arrived and was drawn into the collection of people who were there offering advice some of which was good and some bad. In the end he left James to help them while he went in to see Andrew to look at what needed doing.

  ‘Can anything be done?’ Andrew asked.

  Bill measured and measured, making notes in a little book he had with him before he gave his answer to Andrew’s question.

  ‘I will make a stairway and put it above these stairs making it easy to get up there. They will have to turn when they are near the top to give enough headroom when you go up but it should work out alright. What is it all for?’

  ‘I have been told by Tavistock they are sending me twenty more children, who they cannot afford to keep any longer.’

  ‘So they will not be the hard working children then?’ Bill replied sagely.

  ‘No they will not, the only good thing is that I have the rest of the hammocks.’

  ‘So when can we expect them?’

  ‘Next week.’

  ‘Next week!’ Bill spluttered. ‘You don’t give a man a lot of time!’

  ‘How is the new assistant?’

  ‘He is a natural carpenter, a keen eye and he has a brain in his head.’ Bill answered aware that Andrew had neatly changed the subject.

  ‘If he lives up to your expectancies I will indenture him to you so that he can have a proper apprenticeship.’

  ‘You can afford to do that can you?’ Bill asked.

  ‘I will afford to do it, one way or the other Mr Hodgson and what he learns will be an asset to us here as he lives here and will pay rent when the time comes.’

  ‘I think he will like that, but there might be a few tears.’

  ‘Tears?’

  ‘Yes, when you make him really happy he tends to cry a little.’ Bill answered. ‘I think it is because all his life up until now no one has ever done anything nice for him.’

  ‘If that is the case all these children should be crying.’ Andrew replied waving a hand to indicate all the children who were working in the washroom.

  ‘Everyone is different Andrew. I will go back and start making the stairs but we will need help loading it and putting it into place.’

  ‘I will make sure there are enough bodies around when you want help Bill.’

  Bill rode away on his cart with James and Andrew watched them drive off before walking round the back of the stables to see how the hen house was coming along. It was not a thing of beauty but made out of pieces of the old wooden tub which had been dismantled and some old tables which were no longer used but it was functional.

  ‘Now we need to make somewhere for them to run in.’ Martin declared.

  ‘Why?’ Alfred asked.

  ‘In case a fox comes along and takes them both.’

  ‘Not in here they won’t.’ He argued.

  ‘No but they need to go out to feed, the food she gave us won’t go far and the ground is full of food for them.’

  ‘There are some old fence posts round the back in the long grass Martin.’ Andrew said quietly from behind them making them both jump.

  ‘What do you think of it Mr M?’ Alfred asked.

  ‘I do not think a fox will get inside but you do need a run, according to Mrs Fearon in case a fox gets them before you shut them up at night.’

  He left them tugging at the buried fence posts and went back inside, there was an outside chance that they would be ready for the new children when they arrived.

  Bill and James started work, Bill had other work but he left it to make the stairs. James was interested in how to make stairs and soaked up the new information like a sponge. Bill drew a plan of what they would look like with the turn four steps down from the top to redirect the person climbing up into the highest point of the roof above. He answered James questions on how they would be fitted and what would support them as he worked and trusted James to cut the wood he needed. They cut the two long sides and Bill showed James how to cut grooves in to take the steps but resisted the temptation to let him cut any, as it was easy to go wrong doing it.

  It was late when Bill decided to stop.

  ‘I can do some more if you like Mr Hodgson.’ James offered.

  ‘As you get tired James you are more likely to make mistakes, so it is better to work until it is time to stop and then stop.’ Bill answered.

  ‘I could sleep in the corner and start early tomorrow.’ James offered as Mary walked in.

  ‘You could but I will take you back to the orphanage until morning and I will collect you at the normal time James.’

  James gave up the argument and Bill drove him back to the orphanage. When Bill returned Mary looked at him, it was her way.

  ‘I spoke with Andrew today Mary, he is going to indenture James to me.’

  Mary put her hand to her mouth.

  ‘He does expect James to live at the orphanage and eventually pay him rent, that way he can get the money back and that is the reason I would not let him stay.’

  ‘I am sorry.’ Mary answered and picked up her knitting.

  ‘You were right to question me about it.’ Bill answered even though she had actually said nothing at all then settled himself in his favourite chair. ‘He’ll make a good carpenter.’

  When James walked in the gate Tom looked out of the stable. ‘Mr McDay wants to see you.’ He called and returned to what he was doing.

  James knocked on the parlour door.

  ‘Come in.’ Andrew called.

  James came in and closed the door. ‘You wanted to see me Mr McDay?’

  ‘Yes James. Mr Hodgson says that you have the makings of a carpenter in you.’

  ‘He said that?’

  ‘He did. Now you may not know the way things are done but it is usual for a father to indenture his son to a tradesman, for a sum of money. When the son has completed his indentures, he is then considered a master of whatever trade it is. I have spoken to Mr Hodgson and agreed to indenture you to him for a sum of money so that in a few years you will be recognised as a carpenter. Without it you will just be an assistant all your life.’

  Tears did flow.

  ‘When you are a master of your trade and Mr Hodgson retires, we will find you somewhere to have a workshop at the orphanage and use your services in exchange for rent. Does that sound acceptable to you?’

  ‘Yes Mr McDay.’

  ‘Good now you can go and eat.’

  ‘Goodnight Mr McDay and thank you.’

  ‘I hope you become as good a carpenter as Mr Hodgson, because when he retires I will still need a carpenter and who knows, one day I might be indenturing another would be carpenter to you.’

  James closed the door and Beth came out of the bedroom.

  ‘Where will we find the money?’ She asked.

  ‘I have no idea Mrs McDay but I will find it somehow but it all seems to happen at once!’

  ‘Well I still have my wages and you were offered them if you needed them, I do not spend a lot of money here. If Bill thinks James has potential then I will pay for his indentures.’

  ‘It will help Mrs McDay and I thank you. Shall we go to bed?’

  ‘That sounds very agreeable.’

  A week later Martin was sent out for food and did as well at buying it at better t
han fair prices by using the name of the orphanage and now they knew him. He stopped to see the sheep farmer, even though he was able to get eggs cheaply from the woman, who he and Alfred caught the rooster for. This time he was invited inside.

  The farmer’s wife gave him cider to drink which he enjoyed and he watched her looking after some eggs by the fire.

  ‘Are they cooking?’ He asked.

  ‘Gracious no Martin, they are there to hatch and be little chickens so that when our chickens get old we can replace them.’ The wife answered.

  ‘So you could have as many chickens as you liked from the eggs they lay.’

  ‘We could but we only need so many eggs and I do not like to throw them away.’ She agreed. ‘Do you use a lot of eggs at the orphanage?’

  ‘I think we could use all I could take back.’ Martin answered. ‘If I bring two eggs next week can you show me how to hatch them?’

  ‘I will show you how to do it but it won’t be done in a day.’

  ‘How long does it take then?’

  ‘Three weeks and they have to be turned that is why I put an X on them to let me know which way up they are.’

  ‘Three weeks!’

  ‘Yes but if you bring two eggs I will hatch them for you and show you how to do it at the same time, while you are here.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  While he was there he saw her turn the eggs and ate a slice of pie before he took his purchases back. He had not done quite as well as the week before but he still did well enough for Andrew to be pleased.

  The following week he was up before daylight and left soon after with two eggs wrapped up in a cloth. Soon after taht Ruth went out to collect the eggs and found none.

  ‘Mr McDay I went out for your morning eggs and there are none.’ She complained when she brought Andrew his breakfast.

  ‘Maybe they did not lay any?’

  ‘Since they have been here they have laid eggs like clockwork and not missed, I think someone has taken them!’

  ‘Who?’

  ‘Young Martin was up and out early and Tom heard him round the back.’

  ‘We’ll hang him when he gets back then.’

  ‘You may joke but in some places, they might be hanged.’

  ‘I agree Mrs Fearon but if Martin has taken the eggs then he has something planned and so far I have been more than pleased with his purchases, have you not been?’

  ‘I have but if he had told me, I would have told you there weren’t any eggs!’

  ‘I will talk to him when he returns Mrs Fearon.’

  He settled down to eat his toast, not what he expected to eat but he was sure Martin had his reasons.

  Martin did his usual shopping trip fighting tooth and nail to get the prices down and now the sellers expected it. When he reached the Goodenough farm he was earlier than usual and helped Mr Goodenough muck out the stable while Mrs Goodenough was setting the eggs he brought, to hatch. He washed by the pump the same as Mr Goodenough and then walked into the farmhouse.

  ‘Sit yourself down, you have helped us and you will be fed!’ Mrs Goodenough ordered.

  Martin did not argue, he thought that if he was fed and therefore not hungry when he returned, then the food would be there for someone else.

  When he finally rose from the table he could hardly move and knew now, why Mr Goodenough was so fat. Mrs Goodenough showed him the eggs set for hatching with a mark on one side to let her know which side was up. So that she knew when she turned them if they slipped. He listened to her so that he would know when he did it back at the orphanage. He planned to build up his number of chickens and have plenty of eggs. He listened to what she said about roosters, their work and to make sure all young roosters went into the pot unless the old one was getting past it.

  It was late when he left the farm and they gave him a few bits for the orphanage to put in his cart. He drove back and Tom opened the gate to let him inside. Tom did not say anything about the missing eggs as he had been warned by Ruth not to but like Ruth, he wanted to know what the eggs were for.

  Ruth was pleased with what he brought back and Andrew was pleased with the change he gave him and also said nothing about his missing breakfast.

  James rode up to the orphanage late in the day to enlist some help loading the stairs onto the cart and several boys jumped in with him, to help. Tom followed in their cart to bring them back as there would be no room in the other cart when the stairs were in there.

  Andrew rode with the cart on Hopscotch to give him a run out and together they loaded the stairs onto Bill’s cart ready to be taken to the orphanage in the morning. Bill lashed it into place and James went back with Tom and the other boys to the orphanage.

  Bill had given James instructions as to what he wanted done and in the morning he started before Bill arrived with the cart. It was necessary to support the joists to be cut before they were cut in case the ceiling fell down. James followed Bill’s instructions and supported them so that they would be ready for cutting soon after Bill arrived.

  Andrew watched James work and was surprised at how professional he seemed to be after such a short time with Bill. The work was nearly complete by the time they had to stop and unload the stairs from Bill’s cart. The longest section was carried into the washroom and laid on the floor. The two other sections were smaller and they were carried straight upstairs.

  Bill inspected the work James had done and made comments about it as he did so; mainly so that James did whatever Bill was commenting about, another way in the future. He added wood to the ceiling mainly two long thick beams to make sure it did not come crashing down. When he was satisfied and had also explained all he had done to James, he cut through the joists where the stairs were going to come through. It seemed odd to Andrew when Bill elected to install the top steps first and the bottom flight second before fitting the longest flight between them but by midday they were in place and useable. Bill spent another hour making additions and then went home, leaving James to finish them off. That evening Andrew was able to walk up the stairs and into the loft; now with a bit of work and a lot of cleaning he would have somewhere for the new children when they arrived.

  Bill arrived early the next morning with more wood to put a floor in the newly opened up rooms.

  ‘A lot of wood there Bill.’ Andrew said when he drove up.

  ‘Yes, some for the floor and some to try to cut down the drafts up there. I spoke to Peter Doble and he will be up to sort out the tiles where they are broken.’

  ‘Will the ceiling support the extra wood?’

  ‘Oh yes. They are oak and very thick; there will be no trouble with the weight and as long as one of us does not put a foot through the ceiling you should not now we have been up there.’

  Andrew left them to it as Bill knew what he was doing. Whenever he came out of the parlour, he looked for a hole in the ceiling, possibly with a foot sticking through but he never saw anything. Although he could hear them up there working.

  Later in the day he walked up the new stairs and inspected the new floor which was already down and nailed. They were now nailing wood across the rafters to keep the cold weather out and stop the drafts.

  ‘Just the man.’ Bill declared and stopped working. ‘If we put a wall in between the stairs and this room it will be even warmer in winter. Too hot in summer maybe but by then you might be able to have a window put in up here.’

  ‘What about all the other space up here?’

  ‘The floor will be done by James when he has the wood and after he has worked all day for me; just to stop anyone putting a foot through the ceiling we will put boards up to discourage them from straying in the mean time.’

  ‘And the roof as well?’ Andrew asked.

  ‘As long as you can afford the wood I will deliver it.’ Bill answered. ‘Sorry that came out wrong. I will deliver the wood as we need it and you can pay me when you can afford it.’

  ‘I had no problem with the first statement.’ Andrew replied.
/>
  ‘I did.’ Bill declared. ‘I think I must be getting old.’

  ‘It is not a crime to get old Bill.’ Andrew replied.

  ‘It feels like it is.’ Bill exclaimed. ‘Still at least I have young James to do what I can no longer do.’

  ‘He has come on well.’ Andrew admitted.

  ‘He is very good. What is a crime, is to have such a good worker washing clothes and to whip him if he is too slow or because the whip does not like him!’

  ‘I agree. We are thinking or sending Sarah Jenkins to a top school, as she is very bright.’

  ‘You are a glutton for punishment Andrew but I have to agree she is a bright girl. She was up here earlier and soon worked out what we were doing. She came back with stress figures for the work I had done written on her board and agreed that I had made it very safe.’

  Andrew laughed. ‘It sounds like Beth was instrumental in that, as she was asking how safe it was.’ Andrew replied.

  ‘At least I passed the test.’ Bill answered with a chuckle and moved back to where he was working. ‘Do we put up the wall with a door in it?’

  ‘You do.’ Andrew answered and left Bill working.

  He went out into the garden to see how things were going. On his last trip Martin had managed to get two bags of what he called seed potatoes for planting and the ground was being prepared for them. They would need more but they were a good start.

  Chapter 13

  The weather changed over the next three weeks and Martin managed to get more and more things to plant in the garden, including three fruit trees. He was unsure what they were but he knew they were some sort of fruit tree. Andrew discussed where to plant them with Bill and Peter Doble who was there to do the roof. There was still no sign of the new children from Tavistock but now they were ready for them when they came. As soon as the attic room was ready with the chimney running up it to give it heat a delegation of children arrived at the parlour door. These were the older boys and included James, Zeke and William.

  Andrew let them in and looked at his pocket watch. ‘You took longer than I thought you would.’ He declared. ‘Let me guess, you think you should have first refusal at sleeping up in the attic room.’