History Comes Alive

The Ragged Orphan by Lindsey Hutchinson is a marvellous historical novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.

The action is set in and around Birmingham, my home town, and I was familiar with many locations, making it easy to picture the scenes.

Life was hard and many people lived hand-to-mouth. There was no welfare state. Tragic circumstances saw orphans seeking work for themselves rather than enter the dreaded workhouses.

We see the courage, grit, determination and hard work of many plucky young lads. Life has dealt some hard hands but they never give up.

Poverty is made harder for some by the demon drink. The head of the household not only spends his wages down the pub but also uses his family as punching bags.