The Lamerton Workhouse Orphanage

by S G Read

  Martin jumped out of the cart and landed close to Andrew. Theodore was standing close behind him.

  ‘Can I tell him to go Mr McDay? Please!’ He begged.

  Andrew looked closely at Martin. ‘I can see you want to do this rather badly so go ahead but take Henry and George with you.’

  ‘Yes Mr McDay.’

  The two other boys jumped out of the cart and followed Martin to the door of the orphanage where they paused to build up courage. Theodore followed them thinking he might just come in useful if Jacob Sly was obstinate.

  Inside Jacob Sly was whipping a boy who had spilt water on the way to fill up a tub. In doing so all the water was spilt so the boy would have to do it again after being whipped. He would also have to do it without spilling it or he would receive another whipping. He stopped in mid stroke when the three boys walked inside and strode up to him meaningfully.

  ‘So what have you come back for? Some more whip?’ Jacob asked forgetting about the boy he had been ill treating.

  ‘You touch me with that whip and I will whip you personally.’ Martin replied still walking toward him.

  Jacob was taken aback but persevered with his threatening behaviour. ‘We will see boy, we will see.’ He coiled the whip ready to strike then waited for Martin to come into range.

  Martin stopped just short of being in range. ‘I have some news for you Sly! The new beadle is Mr Andrew McDay from Lamerton and a fine man. He has charged me with the task of firing you and making sure you leave the premises today. He has given me leave to do it in any way I want to, so I will let you choose. You can be dragged out and thrown into the gutter for everyone to see or you can drop the whip and walk out like a man.’ Martin explained and walked into range. Jacob lashed out with the whip cutting Martin’s face but Martin did not stop he continued toward him as though nothing had happened. Jacob struck him again but when he tried the third time the whip did not move. He turned with a snarl to see the boy who he had just whipped laying on the whip to stop it from moving. He heaved on it only to have another boy jump on it as well, then a girl did the same. By now Martin was close enough and Jacob dropped the whip.

  ‘I don’t need a whip for little children.’ He sneered seeing now that there were three well fed and angry boys approaching. The fight started and it was a fight to remember. Despite being punched and kicked the boys returned for more every time but they were losing. Suddenly the boy who had lain on the whip was holding one of Jacobs’s legs, the girl grabbed the other and the three injured boys attacked with renewed energy. Jacob fell to the ground and now the children who had been washing saw their chance for revenge and attacked; there were a lot of them, far too many for Jacob to defeat. Martin and the two others could only stand and watch as he was dragged out into the street through the front door which Theodore obligingly held open for them. Once they were all back inside he locked it again, not to keep them in but to keep Jacob Sly out. They cheered loudly as they dumped Jacob in the gutter then hurried back inside for safety, something they would not have done yesterday. They crowded round Martin and his friends, cheering. Martin shouted for quiet until he got it.

  Chapter 15

  ‘That is the last you will see of Jacob Sly, from now on you will work because you want to please your new beadle and he is Andrew McDay from Lamerton. You all know me and I would not say he was a good man if I did not believe it and he is a good man! Finish the washing you have started and then stop washing. The rest of the dirty washing is to go into the cart and taken to Lamerton for washing, so you will do no more work after you have washed what is already wet. Henry and Gordon will look after you while you work while I show Mr McDay round the orphanage so he knows just what he has let himself in for.’

  Martin waited but no one moved.

  ‘Well get on with it, the sooner it is washed the sooner you can stop!’

  Reluctantly they returned to their posts and continued with the washing. Henry turned to the boy who had been whipped.

  ‘Can you work on for a little while?’ He asked.

  ‘I can now.’ The boy answered and picked up his bucket.

  Martin walked outside to where Andrew waited.

  ‘All ready for you Mr McDay.’

  ‘Thank you Martin, I take it Jacob Sly has been sent on his way?’ Andrew answered lifting up Martin’s face with two fingers to inspect the cut on his cheek.

  ‘It is nothing Mr McDay and yes the children dragged Jacob Sly out of the washroom and into the street.’

  ‘Make sure Mrs Fearon looks at that when you get back.’

  ‘But….’ Martin saw the steely glint in Andrew’s eyes and knew he would not take no for an answer. ‘Yes sir.’

  ‘Good, let us go and see what we have by the tail!’

  ‘Follow me Mr McDay, I know my way around here.’

  Andrew spent some time going through the books and what was left in the larder while the clothes which still needed washing was taken back to Lamerton for washing and Theodore proved he was no slouch in the kitchen as he made a meal for the children. It was only gruel as rich food too soon might do more harm than good but he cooked a lot of it and added a few extra ingredients to make it more palatable.

  The children lined up and took their food but Henry had to tell them to eat it before it was cold as they were used to waiting to be allowed to eat. The left over food was dished out to the youngest but Henry made sure the boy who had been whipped and the girl who had also helped in the dismissal of Jacob Sly received extra food then they were told to sit in readiness to meet Andrew. They sat while Henry and Gordon prepared the long tub for bathing. When Andrew came out of Netherton’s office, the children all fell silent.

  ‘Good morning children.’ Andrew started. ‘I am the new beadle and my name is Mr McDay. I have no idea what I am going to do with you at the moment, with the exception that you will be fed good meals and you will all have a bath.’

  A skinny little arm rose in the air.

  ‘Yes young man what is your question?’ Andrew asked.

  ‘What is a bath?’ The boy asked.

  Andrew smiled. ‘Henry show the young man what a bath is please.’

  ‘Yes Mr McDay.’

  The boy was led to the tub and lifted into the tub of warm water causing him to squeal. When he was in the bath his clothes were removed and he was washed. His clothes were put into the other tub for washing. When he was clean he was taken to where a blazing fire was roaring in Netherton’s parlour for all to see. He sat in front of it and soaked up the heat.

  ‘That is a bath and you will all be bathed, either willingly or with help. So who is next?’

  Andrew was surprised at the number of children who willingly walked to the tub for a bath just for the chance to go into the parlour and sit in front of the blazing fire. The rest were left for now as the parlour would take only so many children. They washed the clothes which had been taken off the other children and the clothes were taken into the drying room to dry. When there was room for them in the parlour the others would be persuaded to get into the bath. Andrew let Martin count up how many children there actually were in the orphanage and he delivered his answer as four hundred and twelve to Andrew as he sat in Netherton’s bedroom.

  ‘Four hundred and twelve, what am I supposed to do with that many children?’ Andrew cried.

  ‘We can’t sleep them all back at Lamerton Mr McDay, can we.’ Martin answered.

  ‘No we cannot, well not at the moment we cannot. That means some will have to stay here which means I will stay here tonight and make sure all runs smoothly.’

  ‘We could do it alright Mr McDay.’ Martin offered.

  ‘I know you could but at the moment it is my task. You are well come to stay as well but as you pointed out earlier the beds need burning!’

  ‘We will be alright Mr McDay we thought about it before we came and brought some hammocks with us.’

  Andrew caught the glimmer of a smile on Martin’s face.

  �
�You should smile more often Martin, it will do you no harm; not anymore. Let the poorly and younger children who aren’t taken to Lamerton sleep in the parlour but we should put the guard on the fire and make sure they know to keep away from it. The rest can sleep where they want to.’

  ‘But not in here I am thinking.’

  ‘No I will have to keep that to myself, to keep an air of importance although there will be room for a few in there when I am not here.’

  ‘I’ll get right on it Mr McDay.’

  ‘Send in Theodore please Martin.’

  ‘Yes Mr McDay.’ Martin left Andrew sitting in the bedroom and went out to the gate to find Theodore. ‘Mr McDay would like to see you Mr Norrie.’

  ‘After you stood up to Jacob Sly and his whip I think you can call me Theodore, Martin.’ Theodore replied earnestly.

  ‘Thank you Theodore but I was frightened.’

  ‘So would I have been Martin so would I.’ Theodore answered and walked inside to see what Andrew wanted.

  Martin straightened his shoulders and went about his work feeling elated.

  ‘You wanted to see me Mr McDay?’ Theodore asked when he was in the palatial bedroom.

  ‘Yes Theodore, where do you sleep?’

  ‘In my shack, the little perishers tried to escape quite regularly and it was my job to stop them.’ Theodore answered. ‘I know there wasn’t much here for them but I thought it was better than walking to London and dying on the way in the cold.’

  ‘What about in the summer?’

  ‘A few managed to slip past me then, when they had a chance to get to London.’ Theodore admitted.

  ‘Did any make it?’

  ‘I have no idea but no one has never come back to show us how well they were doing, so I assumed not. In the end I made sure none escaped but on the other hand, I did not let on when they did try to escape, to save them from the whip.’

  ‘Well your job as gate keeper will cease soon when the boys are well fed and being taught to read and write but you will not be out of work. Do you think you could cook for this many children?’

  ‘With the ingredients and a big enough kitchen, have you seen the one they have here for all these children?’

  ‘I have, but some children will go up to Lamerton to stay there but at the moment we do not have room for all of them.’

  ‘I will feed those who are here as best I can Mr McDay.’

  ‘Thank you Theodore.’

  ‘Mr McDay may I be forward with you sir?’

  Andrew looked up. ‘You may Theodore.’

  ‘The children look up to Martin, to them he has left and made good his life, if you were looking for someone to run this place you could not find better in him.’

  ‘And would you work for someone as young as Martin?’

  ‘I would Mr McDay I was impressed by the way he stood up to Jacob Sly, whip and all!’

  ‘I did have thoughts in that direction but I was hesitant, as I thought others might not want to take orders from him.’

  ‘Meaning me sir. The children can twist me round their little fingers if they are given the chance, so I don’t think I would make a good leader sir and I am sure Mrs Malonck would take to him especially if it was him giving her old job back to her.’

  Andrew smiled. ‘So you think he should ask her back?’

  ‘I do, as I understand it she will have to go into the workhouse soon and that will kill her.’

  ‘But will the children want her back?’

  ‘Oh yes, they will sir.’

  ‘You can mention her plight to Martin, if you have a desire, I am sure he will come to me about the matter.’

  ‘Yes Mr McDay and thank you.’

  Theodore walked out and closed the door. The parlour was still full of children warming themselves by the fire but this was a different lot as the children before were now dressed and working, trying to clean up the orphanage. Some were taken by cart to Lamerton ready to have clothes made for them; these were the younger children who were not going to be made to work in Tavistock any more. The older boys remained and it was them who were cleaning up and burning beds which would no longer be used. They made up other beds to be able to get rid of more infested bedding.

  When Martin did not come to see him Andrew went out to find him. He found him by the fire that was used to heat the water, burning yet more bedding.

  ‘Martin we need food can you take the cart and see what you can buy to keep us going until I can decide what to do here?’

  ‘Yes Mr McDay.’

  Andrew took out his purse and gave it to Martin. ‘Take it all I have no idea how much you will have to spend but I know you will bargain well.’

  ‘Yes Mr McDay.’ He put his jacket on and slipped the purse into his pocket. ‘There is a lot of money there Mr McDay.’

  ‘I know Martin; we need a lot of food.’

  ‘I think it is better to buy fresh food more regularly or we will end up with rotting food to eat.’ Martin replied.

  ‘I will leave that up to you, until we have sorted this place out you can look after the money so that you can buy anything which is going at a low price.’

  ‘I will go now Mr McDay.’

  Andrew returned to the parlour, which was starting to empty as they were given back their dry clean clothes.

  ‘Sir?’ One boy asked hesitantly.

  ‘Yes… I suppose you answer to boy.’ Andrew answered.

  ‘Yes sir. What is going to happen to us?’

  Andrew looked round at the older boys who were there. ‘From now on you will be fed twice a day with better food and you will also learn to read, write and count. You will have to work as well but I hope to bring this place into the nineteenth century but at the moment, I have no idea how.’

  ‘Me read sir?’

  ‘Yes all of you will learn to read, in fact the better learners will teach the others or the younger children as there is so many of you.’

  The boy smiled and finished dressing.

  ‘Now go out and help Henry and Gordon, Martin has gone out to buy food.’

  Andrew opened the large desk after the boy had gone and looked at the mass of paperwork all tied up with string or variously coloured wool. They were all for the children but he still had to find out who was who. Some knew their name so they would be easy to sort out but Netherton had to have some sort of system or how would he know when they were old enough to be let go into the world. He studied each batch; the coloured wool was obviously of some sort of significance but what. If he had tied up the paperwork of each years newcomers in the order they had arrived, or their age on arrival it might make some sense. Maybe Beth could make more sense out of it. He closed the desk top and walked out to see what was going on.

  Ruth walked into see how Peterkin was but there was little change, he still lay where she had left him and was breathing shallowly. Beth came in while she was in there.

  ‘Any change Ruth?’

  ‘No Beth but that is better than him dying on us.’

  ‘True Ruth. From what I hear of Peterkin, he is too stubborn to die from one bullet wound.’

  ‘William took out two balls from his body Beth!’

  ‘I did not know that!’

  ‘William said to say it was only one to make us believe he would get better, he says positive thoughts would help but I don’t know if it does.’

  ‘It has to be better than negative thoughts Ruth I suppose. I wonder what Andrew has found at Tavistock?’

  ‘From what I have been told, it is pretty dire there, sometimes he bought animal feed for them to eat because it was cheaper!’

  ‘And then beat them to work when they had no energy to do so. I am glad he has moved on so that Andrew can work his magic there but it is going to be an uphill struggle!’

  ‘Rather him than me Beth but I am sure he will overcome the problems there, as he did with this place. I was in a workhouse and my children were heading for an orphanage after they had worked me to death there, if M
r McDay had not come along and taken us under his wing.’

  ‘You have Mrs Hodgson to thank for that, he asked her for someone to be a nurse to the children and she said you were the one for the task and even told Andrew where you could be found!’

  ‘That Mary is a real gem. If it was not for her my children could be in Tavistock and I could be dead!’

  ‘Well you may well find yourself helping out at Tavistock while things are sorted out Ruth as I might be. Eliza is able to teach now and she has two girls she is teaching to look after the children therefore it is likely we will both be needed down there, as I cannot see any way to get them all up here.’

  ‘If I am asked to go down there then I will go Beth, your husband is a fine man.’

  Martin moved from farm to farm and from shop to shop trying to buy cheap food but food which was worth buying. He was getting better all the time but knew that everyone had a limit that they would go down to for their wares. He loaded his cart when each deal was agreed upon and moved on. Sometimes he moved on without food only to be stopped at the gate, for more bargaining. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it did not. When he returned to the orphanage his cart was full and he walked in to find Andrew in the parlour, which was now empty of children.

  He laid the purse with what money was left on the desk.

  ‘You are in charge of supplies so I think you should keep hold of that Martin. In case you see the need to go out and buy more when I am not about.’

  Martin did nothing but tears ran from both eyes. ‘Why?’ He said after a while.

  ‘I thought I explained.’ Andrew answered with a smile.

  ‘No; why weren’t you in charge when I first arrived? I’m sure things would have been so much different.’

  ‘They still can be Martin.’ Andrew replied.

  Martin picked up the purse. ‘I’ll make sure they are careful unloading the cart or things can go missing.’ He said knowingly and walked out.

  ‘You do that Martin I would hate to see someone go hungry because of it.’

  Andrew followed Martin out a little while later to see how he had fared but he had no need to worry there was enough to feed everyone for some time, if they were frugal and they had learnt frugality at Lamerton the hard way. Theodore was helping to unload and store it in the normally locked food storage room. It was infested with rats but it was all they had for now.