Product Description

The diary of Edith Lorrimer, England 1871 I was shown the laundry - a vast noisy sunless room full of steam and the sharp smell of soapsuds. I counted seven women slaving over the large tubs where the clothes are washed, their reddened faces shiny with sweat even in this weather... Condensation ran down the windows and pooled on the floor. Heavy wooden racks are pulled up and down from the high ceiling and the sheets and clothes are draped over them and hoisted up to the ceiling from where they drip on the unfortunates toiling beneath. No doubt Rosie takes her turn in here. Just to think of it filled my eyes with tears. What a terrible existence. Edith Lorrimer is the sheltered daughter of a wealthy widow who is on the Board of Governors at a workhouse for the destitute. Whilst visiting the workhouse, Edith meets with Rosie Chubb, a troubled orphan who is a liar, quick-tempered and always in trouble...

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #234590 in Books
• Published on: 2004-09-17
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

Customer Reviews

Good book from the My Story series.
Edith Lorrimer, who lives in Stoneleigh, Kent, begins her diary in January 1871, a month before her sixteenth birthday. Unlike many other people in England, Edith is lucky. Even though her father died when she was a young child, Edith and her mother still live a comfortable life. They have a good home, and are able to afford to have two servants. Edith's mother is on the Board of Guardians at Stoneleigh's workhouse, and because she hopes Edith will someday take her place, she begins bringing Edith with her to the workhouse to learn how it is run. What Edith discovers horrifies her. She never knew how bad conditions are at the workhouse, and how terrible life is for the people there. She begins to take a special interest in Rosie, an orphan girl her own age who has lived in the workhouse since she was a very young child, and decides to try and educate her so that she can someday leave and find employment.

Although this book didn't seem to have that interesting a premise, unlike some others in the My Story series, I ended up really enjoying it. It was very well written, and flowed along well, so I never lost interest. I enjoyed reading Edith's diary and learning about how different life was for the middle class and the poor in Victorian England. Readers who enjoyed other books in the My Story series will most likely enjoy this book as well.

Don't expect an adult book...
I was looking forward to receiving this book, but apart from the publisher being called Scholastic, there was no indication that this was a book written for children. As a result it doesnt give you the insight that a book for adults would give, which i found really disappointing. For a child, or for someone new to the subject, it is a good enough book. But if you want a real taste of the times, maybe you should look again

a great book
edith Lorrimer is a sheltered victorian girl,living in stoneliegh in the year 1871.Her mother is on the board of governers at stoneleigh workhouse, which is the most gruelling horrible place, she meets rosie chubbs a orphan who is quick tempered and a liar.

this book is great,I especially reccomend this my story book.