The Lamerton Workhouse Orphanage

by S G Read

  They walked inside and Beth showed them round, explaining what it had been like before Andrew came. She pointed out all the alterations he had made after his arrival. Alice slipped away from the two women and walked up to number six, she knew who it was by the number on his jacket.

  ‘You are supposed to put me to work number six.’ She ordered.

  ‘Begging your pardon miss but it will mess up your clothes.’ Six replied.

  ‘Well I can’t really take them off can I?’ Alice answered.

  ‘I wasn’t suggesting you did miss.’ Six replied quickly.

  ‘Then put me to work.’ Alice insisted.

  ‘But…’ Six looked at her and gave up the argument, if she wanted to work she could.

  Beth and Rosemary continued with the tour, not noticing Alice leaving their group, they went up stairs to where Eliza was looking after the babies with Ruth. Rosemary chatted with them about Andrew.

  ‘So he changed all these nappies?’ Rosemary asked, when she heard about his first encounter with Mrs Hunt.

  ‘Not all missus.’ Eliza answered. ‘I hadn’t had my Sarah then.’

  ‘One of these is your baby?’ Rosemary asked in dismay.

  ‘Yes, she is.’ Eliza answered and pointed to her baby.

  ‘And who is the father?’ Rosemary asked. ‘You are in here until you are sixteen are you not?’

  ‘I am. It could have been the last master before Mr McDay or the whip, I don’t rightly know.’

  ‘They both took advantage of you?’ Rosemary asked now getting hot under the collar. To whip someone who did not do as you asked was one thing but to deflower someone as young and pretty as this was another.

  ‘I thought it was punishment missus.’ Eliza answered.

  Other questions crowded into Rosemary’s head but she held them at bay, Clarence could sort this out. ‘She is a very pretty baby and she takes after you Eliza.’

  ‘Thank you missus.’

  They walked down the stairs and Rosemary stopped to watch Alice, who was watching six work and oblivious to all other. Her dress was already wet but she did not seem to care.

  ‘I think that dress will need a wash.’ She said quietly and walked on.

  The next port of call was the parlour and then the bedroom. Beth knocked the door to see if Ann Webber was up to receiving a visitor as Alice was no longer with them.

  Beth let Rosemary inside and stood waiting but the two were engrossed in conversation. Ann was sewing up a tear and Rosemary wanted to see what it was like when she had finished. Beth waited for ten minutes.

  ‘I will go up to my class now.’ She said quietly.

  ‘Thank you for the tour Beth, we will do the garden tomorrow; not that I know much of gardens.’ Rosemary answered.

  Beth left them talking and went upstairs to her class. Ruth would be looking after them, until she took over.

  Andrew stood outside admiring the view from the cottage and smoking a cigar given to him by his father.

  ‘The big day soon then?’ Peterkin said from the side of the house where he was leaning.

  ‘Safe enough for you to have a cigar?’ Andrew asked.

  ‘Not yet master Andrew I have to deliver a letter.’

  ‘Still working then, this near the wedding?’

  ‘Well, between you and me, without this letter there wouldn’t be no wedding.’

  ‘How come Peterkin.’

  ‘I’d rather you didn’t use my name sir.’

  ‘Sorry but what did you mean? I saw the priest two weeks ago and he was to ask the bishop for permission to marry us here. He did say the banns should be up for three weeks prior to the marriage but I saw it as a mere detail.’

  ‘Yes he did, and the bishop said no to the wedding being held here.’

  ‘So what is in that letter?’

  ‘Instruction from the bishop to go ahead. Your father appealed to the bishop’s better side.’

  ‘Which is?’ Andrew asked suspiciously.

  ‘He paid money into his personal retirement fund.’

  ‘What bribed him?’

  ‘Just say persuaded him in a way only a rich man could but remember, I did not tell you.’

  ‘Tell me what?’ Andrew asked.

  ‘Exactly.’

  ‘So he must think this wedding is a good thing?’

  ‘He does but I am not so sure of Mrs McDay.’

  ‘Beth will bring her round, I only had to look into her eyes and I wanted to marry her. And at that time I thought she was a man!’

  Peterkin chuckled. ‘Thank God she weren’t, the bishop would have wanted a lot more money.’

  Andrew laughed and walked back inside after tossing his cigar butt into the garden just as Tom came limping inside.

  ‘There is a priest here Mr McDay.’ He said urgently.

  ‘He is a day early.’ Andrew replied and followed him out to where the carriage was standing but it was no priest, it was the bishop.

  ‘Good day to you bishop.’ Andrew greeted and helped the overweight man down onto the cobbled yard.

  ‘Are you the husband to be?’ The bishop asked.

  ‘I am.’

  ‘Well I have to bless this place, all of it to enable the wedding to take place here; from now on it will be hallowed ground.’

  ‘Tom go and see Ruth and make sure a meal is prepared for the bishop after his work is completed.’

  ‘Yes Mr McDay.’

  ‘Come bishop I will show you round.’

  They walked from room to room and even went into the garden to bless it. To make the most of his father’s bribe, he had the new parcel of land blessed, just in case it helped in the future. While the bishop ate enough for two men, Andrew drew up a deed which the bishop duly signed with his seal, then he was gone.

  That evening Mrs Oldray arrived with her sewing kit and other things for the second fitting. The fitting was held in the parlour with Ruth standing by the door to stop anyone coming in who was not wanted. Beth and Mrs Oldray talked and Ann Webbers name came up; soon after the two were in talking to her. Mrs Oldray was more than interested in having her help, both now and in the future. The fitting moved to the bedroom. As Ruth was no longer needed outside the door, she went upstairs, making sure Alfred knew he was not to go into his mother’s bedroom, on pain of death!

  During the evening the wedding dress took shape and both Ruth and Rosemary ended up in there to giving both their opinion and help, when it was needed and accepted.

  Andrew and Clarence sat out in the garden letting things progress without them, although it was still cold, it was a pleasant evening. When the cold made them come inside, the women were still working on the dress, so the two men walked across to the cottage, after Andrew made sure that Eliza was coping upstairs. All was quiet up there and Eliza was asleep. They left it that way.

  ‘What would the whip have done in the case of the girl in charge being asleep?’ Clarence asked as Bolton brought in a glass of brandy for each of them.

  ‘In this case it would have been Mrs Hunt who would have been drunk and best not disturbed. Had she put Eliza in charge, he would have punished her in his own particular way.’

  ‘From behind if I remember right.’ Clarence replied remembering what had been said. ‘How can people do such things?’

  ‘A position of authority over those who know no better, seems to corrupt.’ Andrew answered.

  ‘But not you.’

  ‘No? Why am I marrying the teacher I hired?’

  ‘Because you love her and she loves you. I researched the Conibear name and they are a well respected family, or were until they found themselves at odds with the local land owner.’

  ‘Don’t tell me, Lady Dymonds.’ Andrew exclaimed.

  ‘No a Lord Elliot. They were in dispute over a piece of land and disputes cost money. They lost and it cost them dear which is the only reason Beth had to go into teaching. Were I fighting the case for them they would have won and Lord Elliot would have counted the cost.’
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  ‘Is it too late to fight the case again?’

  ‘Not too late but too expensive for a client. Different for a daughter though, it might make a good Christmas present next year but I expect you to come home for it.’

  Andrew reflected on that for a while. ‘I can get Mrs Webber to move back in over Christmas and with her and Ruth and the older children I foresee a possibility.’

  The following day was the day before the wedding and it was like any other day for the children except that the customers had been warned that there would be no washing done after Friday until Monday morning. Therefore they arrived in droves to leave their washing. Alice was soon helping six but this time dressed more for the task, with Andrew helping and Clarence sitting in with the children who were being taught by Beth, rosemary walked into the kitchen in the cottage where Bolton and Lily were sitting.

  They both immediately started to rise.

  ‘No do not get up.’ Rosemary said with enough stress that they both stayed put. ‘I do know my way round a kitchen. What are we drinking?’

  ‘Tea Mrs McDay.’ Bolton answered.

  ‘Is there any in the pot?’

  ‘Yes Mrs McDay.’

  ‘Stay there I can get a cup and saucer.’ She poured herself a cup of tea and sat in the kitchen with the servants, something she had never done, after they could afford servants. ‘So what do you think of Devon?’

  It was a question for either and both of them but Lily waited for Bolton to answer.

  ‘Well Lily?’ Rosemary prompted.

  ‘It is very quiet Mrs McDay.’ Lily answered.

  ‘Is that good or bad?’ Rosemary asked.

  ‘I used to like watching carriages go by in London but instead now I watch wild animals in the fields and even in the gardens and the air is much cleaner here. The washing sometime came in dirty when I hung it on the line in London. That doesn’t happen here.’

  ‘That is still not an answer Lily.’

  ‘I don’t know whether or not I like it better than London Mrs McDay, if I am honest. On my day off I get to go somewhere of my choosing but here I might as well work on.’

  ‘And you Bolton?’

  ‘A long way to go for something, if your ladyship asks for something not already in the cupboard when we are here. In London I can get it delivered within the hour.’ Bolton answered. ‘So as somewhere to be a butler, it is not good but as somewhere to retire to, I think I could grow to like it.’

  ‘It is hard to think that you both get a day off and yet those children over there used to rise at six and work until night time or be whipped, some to death.’ Rosemary declared.

  ‘Now that Master Andrew is in charge things have changed though.’ Lily half said and half asked.

  ‘Yes but his being in charge is very tenuous, he has to keep Mr Easterbrook happy or he will lose the position and then if things try to revert to how they were, there will be resistance and only the children will lose.’ Rosemary warned. ‘I could urge Clarence to help out and he would but I cannot see Andrew accepting it.’

  ‘He would, if it was the only way maam.’ Lily replied.

  Rosemary smiled.

  ‘How wise of you. If it was the only way to save them he would ask Clarence for help and Clarence would give it one way or the other.’

  Alice walked into the kitchen soaking wet and saw them all sitting together. She looked at them as if deciding something then said ‘I am going to change my wet clothes.’ And walked out again.

  Rosemary watched her go. ‘Will she manage it Lily?’

  ‘Oh yes Mrs McDay, she is often dressing when I go into her in the morning, this morning she was dressed and ready to go. Bolton had to walk her over to the orphanage.’

  ‘Even my Alice is growing up.’ Rosemary declared. ‘Soon it will be suitors and dresses for balls and all that goes with it, then she will be married and we will be all alone, present company accepted.’

  ‘I let one day follow the next Mrs McDay.’ Bolton said wisely. ‘It seems a waste of time to worry about what might be.’

  ‘Quite so Bolton; open a bottle of wine and we will toast tomorrow’s wedding.’

  Chapter 8

  The day of the wedding arrived. Mrs Oldray was there making final adjustments to the dress with Rosemary and Mrs Webber helping. All the women had been in there including Ruth and Lily, until Mrs Oldray suggested politely, that some had things to do for the wedding arrangements.

  The priest arrived and Andrew showed him the official parchment of hallowing.

  ‘That all seems to be in order.’

  ‘Does this mean you will be able to come up and deliver sermons in the future?’ Andrew asked.

  ‘Oh yes, time permitting and I feel these lambs of God will never walk through the doorway into my church Mr McDay.’

  ‘That I can believe myself Father Ignacious but start them on the path of God now and who knows.’

  ‘God does Mr McDay; he moves in mysterious ways, his mysteries to perform.’

  ‘So I hear Father Ignacious.’

  ‘Where do you want me to perform the ceremony?’

  ‘Right here in the wash room if you are happy with it. It is the room which we can all stand in and see the ceremony.’

  ‘It is a good room for a wedding Mr McDay; if you will help we will set up the Altar over by the door ready for the ceremony.’

  ‘I will help you do that sir.’ Bolton replied. ‘Master Andrew is wanted in the cottage.’

  Bolton was not taking no for and answer and Andrew found himself walking over to the cottage. As he opened the gate, with Tom there to close it after him, a coach he recognised clattered by on its way to Tavistock.

  ‘Did you see who that was Tom?’ Andrew asked.

  ‘No but wasn’t that Lady Dymonds coach?’

  ‘Yes it was, will you do me a favour tomorrow, Tom?’

  ‘Anything Mr McDay.’

  ‘Chain the gate up when all the guests are in, just in case she cares to make a scene.’

  ‘She will not get in if she does come here tomorrow Mr McDay.’

  ‘Good.’ Andrew continued his walk, watching the coach disappear into the distance as he did so.

  ‘Come inside my boy.’ Clarence declared. ‘That is no place for you to be until it is all ready. Should you see your bride in her wedding gown before the ceremony, it is considered very unlucky so let us try to keep all the luck we can, considering what has gone on up until now.’ He too had seen Lady Dymonds coach.

  They sat and talked, although Andrew was as nervous as a kitten and it showed; the sight of Lady Dymonds coach had not helped one bit.

  Bolton stayed with the priest and set up the Altar, while they were at it, musicians arrived, again paid for by Clarence. They set up where Bolton told them to, then Bolton walked upstairs to see the children and Ruth who was up there teaching them. He explained what was to happen and where they were to stand but in the end they all had to go down stairs, so that they knew where to stand. Ruth and Bolton sorted them by size rather than age to make sure they could all see. While Tom collected the larger boys now and then to unload washing but this time in was left in the stable for washing, when they started washing again. Bolton ran the whole thing as he had run the household for years and it was soon under control. Mrs Oldray appeared from the parlour.

  ‘The dress is finished and Miss Conibear is ready.’ She said grateful that it was finally finished.

  ‘You will stay for the wedding Mrs Oldray.’ Bolton replied but it was not said as a question.

  ‘Have you a spare kerchief.’ She asked with quizzical smile.

  ‘We have several spare kerchiefs Mrs Oldray and I am sure they will be needed.’ Bolton answered.

  Tom came limping in. ‘They are starting to arrive.’

  ‘Good Thomas, show them in, Lily serve the drinks to the newcomers.’

  ‘Yes Mr Bolton.’

  Bill and Mary Hodgson came in and were seated. Where the seats had come from no
one knew until afterwards but they were there and ready for use. Lily served them with a sherry each and repaired to her station for the next guests. Mrs Oldray took a seat and Lily took a sherry over to her. Not to be left out Mrs Webber was carried out in a chair and placed where she would see the proceedings and the doctor took a seat next to her. Lady Lamerton was the last to arrive and took her seat with her butler hovering near bye, in case she needed anything. With them all there Tom was sent over for the bridegroom.

  Clarence opened the door.

  ‘It is all ready for Mr McDay Mr McDay.’ He said awkwardly.

  ‘Time for you to go across now son.’ Clarence called inside. ‘Thank you Thomas we will be over directly.’

  Tom limped back over to the orphanage and was followed a few minutes later by Clarence and Andrew. They walked in and were told where to stand by Bolton. Andrew had anguished over who should be the best man with Clarence first on the list but refusing and after considering the remainder of candidates, including Bill, Bolton and number six he chose the doctor. They stood together facing the priest while Beth was still in the parlour. Bill stood by the door now ready to do his duty. As both Beth’s parents were dead, he had consented to give her away. The music started and Rosemary opened the door to let Beth through with William and Sarah, formerly forty and forty one holding the long train. Sarah had insisted that this was one corner she would not let slip. Rosemary took her place next to Clarence mopping tears from her eyes as she did so, as Beth made her way forward arm in arm with Bill. They stopped in front of the priest and waited for the music to stop and for him to begin.

  He started with a reading from the bible followed by…

  ‘We are here to hear the vows of Elizabeth Mary Conibear of Dunkswell and Andrew Xavier McDay of London in preparation of their wedding on this day January the 22 second in the year of our Lord 1837. Who brings this woman to be married to this man?’

  ‘I do.’ Bill replied solemnly. He gave her hand to the priest who moved it to Andrew’s hand as Bill retreated to where Mary was waiting for him, tissue in hand.