The Five Shilling Children

By Lindsey Hutchinson

Tears and tribulations, laughs and heartbreak, from the queen of Black Country sagas.
Adam and Polly Fitch face a bleak future after being sold for just five shillings to Miss Reed's orphanage by their bullying father. Missing their mother Minnie, and their three brothers still at home, they know they must stick together to survive.

But the orphanage does have one advantage – a merry band of children who soon form their own kind of family – and they're all determined to escape the clutches of the wicked Miss Reed.

Adam decides to survive he'll need to fight, so he sneaks out to have boxing lessons with the famous pugilist Billy Marshall. Lessons he needs sooner than he expects when his beloved sister Polly is sold to the rich Bellamy family, and Adam decides to go to her rescue.

Can Adam, Polly and their band of friends survive life with only each other to rely on, and will they ever have the happily ever after they so long for...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
• Release date: Sep 19, 2019
• ISBN: 9781788541503

Lindsey Hutchinson

Lindsey Hutchinson is a bestselling saga author whose novels include The Workhouse Children. She was born and raised in Wednesbury, and was always destined to follow in the footsteps of her mother, the multi-million selling Meg Hutchinson.

Book preview

1

‘Oh for God’s sake Polly, stop yer snivelling!’ Minnie Fitch said looking down at her nine-year-old daughter. ‘I’ve got enough to do lookin’ after the babby, and you’re always crying!’

Minnie sighed heavily as she watched Polly run out of the back door of their two-up, two-down house in Bank Street, Wolverhampton. A moment later the steam train trundled past on the iron rails that ran alongside the row of houses. As it passed, it set the whole house rattling and when the whistle blew, the baby in her arms began to howl yet again. John was teething and had given his mother no peace during the night.

Dropping onto a wooden kitchen chair, Minnie cried along with him – out of pure exhaustion. Pushing her fair hair out of her face, she wiped her eyes on the corner of her apron.

‘Mummy, I watched the train go past!’ Polly yelled as she came running back into the kitchen. Seeing her mother in tears, she stuck her fingers in her mouth and stood staring. In her young mind she wondered if she had been the cause of her mother’s weeping.

The London and North West Railway cut through the heart of the large industrial town of Wolverhampton in the Black Country, its steam trains thundering past the groups of houses day and night.

Another train went past and everything shook again. Polly watched a cup jiggle along the edge of the table before dropping off the end and shattering into a hundred pieces.

‘Bloody trains!’ Minnie yelled, and Polly now knew what had upset her mother. She sighed a little breath of relief to know the tears were not down to her.

Wiping her snotty nose on her old cardigan sleeve, Polly shivered. ‘I’m cold,’ she mumbled through her wet fingers. Her bare feet were dirty as were her hands and face. Her cotton dress, almost a rag now, held no warmth. Brown eyes regarded the woman who began to yell at her, and hair so dark it was almost black fell about her face as her chin touched her chest.

‘Well go and get into bed then!’ Minnie shouted.

Polly shook her head saying nothing. She didn’t want to go to bed, it wasn’t night-time yet. She watched her mother close her eyes and squeeze them tight – the warning sign of a rising temper. As Minnie opened them again, Polly took to her heels. Unfortunately, she wasn’t quick enough and the slap bounced off the back of her head.

‘Do as you’re bloody told! Minnie was in full swing now, chasing Polly into the living room, a screaming baby held on her hip. All her own tears forgotten, Minnie Fitch had had enough. Laying John in her husband’s big easy chair, she caught Polly by the arm. Swinging the child round she smacked her bottom hard ignoring Polly’s screams and crying.

‘I’m fed up to the back teeth with you lot!’ Minnie said harshly as she threw her daughter away from her. Catching John just as he was about to roll off the chair she went outside and dumped him in an old perambulator in the communal back yard. Securing him in with straps, she left him to cry it out.

Polly sat on the floor in the corner of the room sobbing her little heart out. Try as she might, she couldn’t understand why her mummy was so horrible to them; her brother Adam usually suffering a scolding in the same way. Polly wondered where ten-year-old Adam was; she hadn’t seen him all morning. Probably out scavenging with the big boys – Peter who was eleven and twelve-year-old James. She knew they should be at school, but was fully aware they had no intention of going.

Pushing her lank dark hair off her face, Polly ran her nose along her sleeve once more, her sobs dry now. Her bottom was sore so she lay down on her side before shoving her dirty fingers in her mouth again. Polly’s chocolate brown eyes roamed the room as she lay quietly. Daddy’s chair by the empty fire; a kitchen chair for mummy and a peg rug on the floor. There were no curtains at the windows but no-one could see in anyway because the glass was too dirty. The filthy windows meant the light couldn’t get through either, so there was a small table which held a candle in its holder.

Sleeve and nose coming together yet again, Polly wished Adam would come home. He was the only one who had any time for her.

*

Polly and Adam were constantly chastised by their father and so had become very close. Both sharing the same dark eyes and darker hair, they had, even at this early age, noticed the difference. Their brothers and parents were all fair haired with blue eyes. Polly remembered Adam asking why that was and he had received a thrashing from their father in reply. Gerald Fitch was a bully.

She heard her mother bring in the screaming baby once more and then a noise from the kitchen had Polly listening carefully. Realising it was Adam’s voice, she jumped to her feet and raced through the door throwing herself into his arms. Everything would be all right now – Adam was home.

However, all was not well, for James was arguing with her beloved Adam.

‘You’m a bleedin’ liar Adam!’ James yelled.

‘I’m not! I begged those sausages and well you know it!’ Adam returned.

‘Mum, he didn’t. It was our Peter – he told me so!’

Adam was furious at the lie and kicked out at his big brother.

Minnie thrust the wailing baby into Polly’s arms and went to separate her sons who were now brawling on the kitchen floor.

‘You two, get off to the slag heaps and find summat for us to burn. I can’t cook these sausages with no fire!’ she said to her eldest boys. ‘And you, yer lying little bugger, I’ll teach you to tell me an untruth!’ Minnie gave Adam a good hiding where he stood.

Dropping back onto her chair she took back the baby and looked at the boy she had just thrashed. He was staring back at her defiantly, breathing heavily through flared nostrils. Suddenly Minnie knew he had been telling the truth but it was too late now, Adam had taken a punishment he didn’t deserve without making a sound. She loved these two children who were so different from the others, but she was so very, very tired and her heart ached as she watched them now.

Turning towards a sobbing Polly, Adam took her hand in his and led her upstairs. ‘Shh, it’s all right now. You get into bed and you can have my blanket over your own. You’ll soon get warm.’ Adam sat on the bed with his little sister. He was shivering but it was not the cold – it was anger. His brothers had got him into trouble again. He had fought valiantly but James was bigger and stronger than him.

At almost five feet tall even at his young age, Adam was as thin as a lath. Having had no schooling didn’t mean he was stupid – he was far from it. Adam was street-wise with common sense in abundance.

Polly slipped her tiny hand into his and smiled. Adam’s heart melted and his anger dissipated in an instant. No words were needed for they were of an accord. In this harsh household they only had each other, and Adam vowed then and there he would always take care of Polly.

Neither of the two children had supper that night; there was not enough to go around, so Minnie wasn’t allowed to call them down from the bedroom. The two older boys ate and retired to bed in the same room as Adam and Polly.

It was late when Adam was woken by his father shouting. Creeping to the top of the stairs in the darkness he listened.

‘James and Peter have to eat Minnie, they do all the scavenging and coal picking!’ Gerald yelled.

‘I bloody know that – I ain’t stupid!’ Minnie rasped, ‘but them two little ’uns ain’t had a bite for two days now.’

‘Look, I can’t bring in any more money than I am already. I asked for a raise and the gaffer told me to bugger off!’ Gerald was exasperated. ‘I don’t know what you do with your money!’

‘Oh that’s bleedin’ rich coming from you! You spend yer coin on beer every damn night afore you come ’ome.’ Minnie railed back at him.

‘I deserve that ale! I work hard for it!’

‘I don’t care. I have to feed them kids tomorrer.’ Minnie sighed as John let out a lusty cry. ‘Now that one wants a feed and I’ve dried up,’ she muttered quietly. Then turning to her husband, she raised her voice, ‘So, you’ll have to do without milk in your tea so the babby can have it.’ Grabbing the already prepared bottle then the child from the packing crate that Gerald had stolen from a local factory, she shoved the bottle teat roughly into his mouth. Instantly John was quiet, happily drinking his watered-down milk.

‘Blimey, Minnie, we have to do something otherwise somebody is going to starve!’ Gerald was pacing the room by the light of the single candle.

‘Well I can’t do any more than I am. These children keep me busy from morn’ til night – I’m bloody exhausted.’ Minnie sat John up and patted his back. After a huge burp, the baby settled to the bottle once more.

‘There’s only one answer to this,’ Gerald said.

‘Oh ar, and what would that be?’ his wife asked.

‘The two little ’uns will have to go to Reed’s.’

‘I won’t take ’em!’ Minnie railed. ‘They’re my babies!’

‘You bloody will if I tell you to, and you make sure you get a good price for ’em an’ all!’ Gerald boomed.

‘There has to be another way!’ Minnie yelled back.

‘There ain’t. Now unless you want a thrashin’, you’ll do as ye’re told!’ Gerald was in no mood to argue further. He’d stopped off at the boozer on the way back from his job at the brickworks and sunk a few pints of porter. He knew he got nasty when in his cups but Minnie’s arguing was driving him to distraction.

‘If you want to sell my babies then you do it yourself cos I won’t!’ his wife challenged as she placed John back into his makeshift bed.

All that could be heard from Minnie after that was her howling and crying as she was beaten by her drunken husband; a sound all too often heard in their household.

Adam, shocked to the core had crept back to bed but hadn’t been able to sleep. Reed’s! The Orphanage! He knew come the morning he and Polly would be frog-marched up the tramway and left with Miss Reed. He’d heard the horror stories about that place; how the children were beaten black and blue. For him, that would not be much of a change from his life here he realised. The orphans were given no food if they were naughty; again no change there. So, all in all, would it be any worse a life than the one they were living now? He supposed not.

But for all that had happened to him, Adam didn’t want to go. His mother yelled and his father smacked him, but they were still his parents.

He lay awake until the light began to creep into the bedroom, searching its way between the dirty patches on the window.

Somehow, he had to tell Polly where they would be going very shortly. She would cry and yell, so it would be up to him to be a man and look after her from now on. Adam was afraid for himself but more scared for Polly.

As the time drew nearer, Adam’s fear grew until he was shaking. He was terrified he would never see his parents again.

2

It was an hour later when Minnie yelled up the stairs for Adam and Polly to get themselves dressed. The bedroom was cold and Adam shivered as he nudged his sister awake. ‘Come on, titch, it’s time to get up.’

‘I don’t want to, it’s warm in here,’ Polly said sulkily.

‘I know but mum said as how it’s time.’ Adam placed Polly’s one set of clothes on the bed and left her to it. Racing down the stairs he shot out the back door to the privy. A moment later he was back. Looking around the kitchen where his mum was feeding the baby, he saw there was no fire in the grate. Judging by the empty table he guessed there would be no breakfast either.

‘Is that lazy bugger still in bed?’ his mother asked.

‘No, she’s just getting up,’ Adam answered feeling fear surround him again.

‘Right, when this ’un is fed, we’m going out.’

‘Where we going, Mum?’ Adam felt he should ask even though he already he knew the answer.

‘Never you mind where, just get them old boots of Peter’s on and fetch her ladyship downstairs.’

Adam nodded and took the stairs two at a time. It wouldn’t do to upset his mum because she would only take her temper out on Polly.

‘Are you dressed, our Pol’?’ Adam called as he reached the tiny landing.

‘Yes!’ came the answer. The door opened and Polly glared at her brother. She was cold and hungry and in no mood to argue.

‘Come on, Mum’s waiting,’ he encouraged.

‘What for?’ Polly asked as she stepped down the bare wooden stairs carefully.

‘Just hurry up or else she will be mad again.’

‘All right, Adam!’ Polly said a little sharply.

Waiting at the bottom of the staircase for her, he felt like crying. Polly was so innocent but his older head on his ten-year-old shoulders told him they would both have to grow up pretty quickly now.

The children watched quietly as Minnie held John to her chest and expertly wrapped a large shawl around herself and the baby tying him in a cocoon.

Grabbing Adam and Polly by the hand, she was about to march them through the door when she came face to face with Gerald.

‘Why ain’t you at work?’ Minnie asked in surprise.

‘I’m making sure you’re doin’ as I told you,’ her husband replied.

‘These two are goin’ to school,’ Minnie said as she pushed the children behind her.

Gerald shook his head slowly then in a lightning swift movement he pushed Minnie aside. Having the baby strapped to her chest overbalanced her and she took a few steps to right herself.

It was all the time that Gerald needed and he grabbed Polly and Adam by an arm each and dragged them towards him.

‘No, Gerald!’ Minnie yelled as he made to walk away with her children.

‘You look after the babby!’ Gerald snarled.

‘Gerald – please…!’ Minnie begged holding out her arms.

‘I told you last night but I knew that you wouldn’t do as you’re told. So, I’ve come to do it myself!’ Gerald glared at his wife as he spoke.

‘Gerald – for God’s sake!’ Minnie yelled before launching herself at the man trying to take her children away.

A fist caught her on the jaw and she felt a tooth jump out of its socket before she collapsed to the ground. Her arms instinctively folded across John to protect him as she fell. She heard Polly crying but it was as if she was underwater. She saw Adam staring at Gerald, a look of pure hatred in his eyes.

Whistles and bells sounded in her ears and the light grew dim; her heart ached at the pleading look on her children’s faces as they were hauled away.

John was screaming as Minnie got to her feet and dashed to the door, but she could see no sign of her husband and children. Her heart was breaking as she leaned her thin body against the door frame and she wept bitterly. She hated herself for her weakness; she should be able to protect her offspring but she couldn’t. She wished for the millionth time she’d run away years ago when she had the chance.

Suddenly an arm slipped around her waist and Minnie was helped to a chair by her neighbour, Flo’ Spittle.

‘Oh Minnie, look at the state of you again! That man wants hanging for the way he treats you!’

Unable to explain what had happened for the pain in her head, she simply allowed Flo’ to take John who was yelling his little lungs out. Pushing her little finger into the baby’s mouth, Flo’ felt him suck hard.

‘I heard all the shouting and guessed he was at it again, the bully,’ Flo’ said as she looked at Minnie’s face where she’d been struck.

Still in shock Minnie couldn’t speak. All that could be heard was her ragged breathing as she tried not to scream her anguish out loud.

Having settled John in his box bed, Flo’ stroked the shoulder of her friend. ‘I’d best not be here when he comes back eh?’

Minnie nodded, her tear-filled eyes showing thanks for Flo’s help and concern.

Meanwhile, father, son and daughter walked along the tramway smartly and Polly had to run to keep up. The autumn chill hung in the air and a dampness settled on them as they passed rows of dirty houses much like their own. The cold cobblestones stung Polly’s bare feet and her chest ached as the wind took her breath away.

Crossing the bridge that spanned the Birmingham Canal, there was no time to linger to watch the narrowboats chugging along. Adam smelled the filth of rotting food which had been dumped into the dirty water and his belly rumbled, reminding him of his raging hunger.

On they strode, past the Wolverhampton Union Workhouse with its imposing wrought iron gates. Adam glanced at the lodge where the porter resided during the day and he shivered. At least they weren’t going in there! On they went, passing a few of the workhouse outbuildings until they came to Jenner Street. Walking its length, they didn’t stop until they reached the corner where it joined Steelhouse Lane.

Polly had begun to cry again, complaining about the cold which penetrated through her summer dress and the cardigan which was starting to unravel. Adam had no jacket he could give her; he was dressed only in a shirt and waistcoat, ragged trousers which were too short and Peter’s old boots which had holes in the soles.

Stopping at last, Gerald knocked on the front door of one of the houses and waited. Presently it was opened by a stern looking woman dressed in a long black dress. Her brown hair was pulled back into a bun and her dark eyes moved to each of them in turn. Nodding she held the door open for them to enter. Gerald stepped in, dragging the children with him. Closing the door, the woman then led them to a warm kitchen.

‘How much?’ Gerald asked tilting his head to Adam and Polly.

‘Five shillings each,’ the woman answered, instantly seeing the profit to be made once she sold them on.

Gerald nodded and letting go of his children’s hands he pushed them forward and took the money held out to him. Turning on his heel, Gerald left without looking back.

‘Daddy!’ Polly yelled trying to run after her fleeing father. Suddenly she was grabbed by the woman in black.

‘Now then, we’ll have none of that, little lady!’ she said sharply.

Polly wriggled herself out of the woman’s grasp and sobbing she ran to hide behind Adam who had watched the whole thing in shocked silence. Even being so young, he realised what had just occurred. His father had just sold them both – his two children – for five shillings each!

‘What are your names?’ the woman snapped.

‘Adam and Pollyanna Fitch,’ Adam answered over the din of his sister’s crying.

‘Right, you can come along with me. The first thing is for you both to have a bath. We need to wash that filth off. You will have a uniform to wear and then you can have some breakfast.’ Una Reed led them through to the kitchen where two tin baths were dragged in from the scullery by the maid at Una’s request and now sat waiting to be filled.

‘Get those dirty clothes off and Miss Ashby will be with you in a moment.’ The stern woman stalked off leaving the children to do her bidding.

‘I want Mummy,’ Polly cried.

‘I know, but we have to live here now, Polly,’ Adam said helplessly as he watched her take off her cardigan.

‘I don’t want to!’ Polly railed, throwing the garment on the floor.

‘Hush, look that lady said we can have something to eat, that’ll be nice, won’t it?’ Adam spoke quietly trying to stem his sister’s tears, as well as hold back his own.

Polly nodded then turned as a voice sounded.

‘Oh hello, Adam and Pollyanna. My name is Miss Ashby. Come and sit by the fire while I fill your baths.’ Bright blue eyes smiled at the children as she ushered them to chairs set by a glowing fire. Fair hair surrounded a kindly face as she gave them each a piece of bread covered in dripping which she prepared at the great wooden table in the centre of the kitchen. ‘You eat that then you can have a bath.’

‘Is this breakfast?’ Adam asked innocently.

‘No child, it’s porridge for breakfast in this house.’ Ruth Ashby smiled again as she set to filling the tin tubs with pans of water warming on the range. ‘There now, come on, Pollyanna – in you get. It’s nice and warm.’

‘I like to be called Polly,’ the young girl said stiffly as she shucked her clothes and stepped into the water. Sitting down, her attention immediately returned to her bread and dripping.

‘Fair enough then, Polly. Now, Adam, that’s your bath there whenever you’re ready,’ Miss Ashby said gently.

Adam had taken a liking to this lady immediately; she was kind and she had a soft voice – not like his mother’s harsh yelling. Stripping off his clothes he got into the warm water and soon began to feel a little better.

Miss Ashby washed Polly thoroughly including her hair, then wrapped her in a huge fluffy towel and sat her by the fire again. Then it was Adam’s turn. He was not happy about being bathed by a strange woman, and he covered himself with his hands. Seeing his embarrassment, Ruth Ashby washed his hair then gave him the soap. ‘I think you’re old enough to bath yourself, Adam.’ Returning to Polly she rubbed the child’s hair with another towel whilst Adam bathed quietly.

Once they were dressed in the drab grey uniform, the children were taken to another room and given a steaming bowl of porridge covered in milk and sugar. They wolfed down their breakfast and scraped the bowls clean.

Ruth Ashby watched them eat and her heart went out to them. Another two unwanted children, sold for the price of five shillings. She shook her head imperceptibly. God knew when these two had eaten last, the poor mites were half starved. A cup of tea and a slice of toast later, Polly

Reviews for The Five Shilling Children

[kris_anderson-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Five Shilling Children by Lindsey Hutchinson takes to Wolverhampton in the heart of the Black Country. Polly and Adam Fitch are sold to Reed’s Orphanage by their father for five shillings each. They miss their mother (not their bully father), but they are thankful for a warm bed to sleep in each night plus hot meals to eat. They are especially grateful that they still have each other. Adam has always been protective of Polly. The siblings become close friends with the other children at the orphanage. The bond strengthens over time making this assortment of children a family. When Una Reed sells Polly to a wealthy family, Adam escapes the orphanage with the help of the other kids to get his sister back. The Five Shilling Children is a heart wrenching tale. I like that the author gives us different perspectives: the children, their mother, a nanny, and two ladies at the orphanage. It is shocking what these children suffered at the hands of adults. I was drawn into this emotional novel right away and I stayed up late to finish it. I wanted to see what would happen to Adam, Polly and their makeshift family. As the story evolves, we find out why Gerald Fitch went from a loving husband and father into an abusive man who drank through his earnings. I enjoyed the various storylines in the book and how it all tied together. The Five Shilling Children is my favorite book by Lindsey Hutchinson. The love between Adam and Polly was strong and touching. I loved how the kids came together and were loyal to each other. It was so sweet that they never forgot to pray for help and guidance. The Five Shilling Children is an emotional historic novel with a nasty nanny, a famine of funds, a supportive pugilist, a vile father, and hopeful children.