New Book - The Maid's Tale by Tom Quinn (Pages 1 - 59)

 

First Published: September 15, 2011

This is an account of Rose Plummer, who was born in 1910, adn grew up in Hoxton. Life was hard for her and her family. They lived in a couple of rooms, and they lived in poverty. Hoxton is an area in the London Borough of Hackney,

In a fresh and unique voice Rose tells us about life in the street. Children spent most of the time in the street as it was impossible to be at home with so little space. 

Rose mentions a figure that was common in Hoxton, the organ grinder and the monkey. The organ grinder and monkey duo represents a classic form of 19th- and early 20th-century street entertainment. A street musician would turn the crank of a portable barrel organ, while a trained, often costumed monkey performed tricks and collected coins from the crowd.

Many men worked in the docks, and she mentions that there were children finding things in the mud, called mudlarks, and what they find went to the rag-and-bone men. 

Mudlarks are individuals who scavenge riverbanks for valuable or historical items. The term originated in 18th-century London to describe destitute children who survived by searching the filthy, muddy shores of the River Thames for scraps to sell, braving dangerous tides and disease.

A rag-and-bone man collects unwanted household items and sells them to merchants. Scraps of cloth and paper could be turned into cardboard, while broken glass could be melted down and reused, and even dead cats and dogs could be skinned to make clothes. In the 19th century, rag-and-bone men typically lived in extreme poverty, surviving on the proceeds of what they collected each day.

Rose mentions the Hackney Empire Music Hall where artists like Marie Lloyd and Stan Laurel performed, but she only went once. Hackney Empire is a grade II listed building. The theatre was built as a music hall in 1901. 

Matilda Alice Victoria Wood (12 February 1870 – 7 October 1922), professionally known as Marie Lloyd, was an English music hall singer, comedian and musical theatre actress. 

Stan Laurel (16 June 1890 – 23 February 1965) was an English actor, comedian, director and writer who was in the comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. 

Rose went to school, unlike many children of the area. Rose mentions that education became free around the time she started going to school. Elementary education was made free in 1891. Free state elementary education was further cemented in 1918.

When she turned fifteen, Rose went into service. Her father had died, and the family had no momey. Her first house was in Cavendish Square. Cavendish Square is a public garden square in Marylebone in the West End of London. 

Rose had many cleaning tasks she had to do on her knees, and there was an ailment called Housemaid's knee, which was some kind of arthritis. Housemaid's knee, clinically known as Prepatellar Bursitis, is an inflammation of the fluid-filled sac in front of the kneecap. It causes a soft, tender, and sometimes warm swelling at the front of the knee.