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On a fine and fair summer’s morning, Michelle caught the ’bus to Whitechapel High Street. She disembarked to find five women closing; laughing and talking cheerfully as was the way in the East End. Happy despite their circumstances. One of those women caught Michelle’s attention. She was tall: head and shoulders above her companions despite not wearing a hat. Blue eyed, fair skinned and she had the loveliest red hair. Michelle was drawn to that young woman. She and that woman were the same height and had similar fine, red hair. Michelle approached the group while wondering what to say. The footpath was crowded and partly blocked by barrows so they had no way of passing.
“Good morning to you all,” Michelle said.
“Good morning to you too,” the red-haired woman said with a soft, lilting accent to her voice. “It’s a fair day.”
“Indeed it is.”
A dark-haired, scrawny woman glared at Michelle with eyes narrowed. “You’re not one of them—”
“No, not at all,” Michelle interrupted. She grasped for words. She wanted to get her message across without putting them down. “I’m interested in the circumstances of women, because we are all disadvantaged. It’s plainly wrong that a woman can work as hard and as long as a man only to be paid a pittance for her labours.”
“That is so true,” the red-haired woman said. “There are few jobs for women and none pay enough to live on.”
“I agree,” Michelle said. “My name is Michelle and I’m working in this area.”
“Pleased to meet you, Michelle. My name’s Mary and these are my friends: Kate, Alice, Lizzie and May.”
“I’m pleased to meet you all.”
“So what will you do about the circumstances of women?”
“She don’t belong here and she don’t know what it’s like,” Alice, the scrawny young women, snarled.
“It’s true that I’m well-off, but I have been helping women such as you for many years now,” Michelle said. “I know much of what it’s like for all of you.”
“I haven’t seen you before,” Mary said.
“My work has been in Edinburgh and Glasgow, but now I’m based here.”
“In the East End with the lowest of the low?”
“In the East End. I have set up a refuge to train women to be domestic servants.”
“Them toffs wouldn’t take the likes of us into their homes,” Alice, the prophet of doom foretold.
“My sister’s a servant,” Mary said. “There’s little money in it and much hard work.”
“This is true and the decision is entirely up to you,” Michelle said. “I do know how much you earn and I do know how much you pay for the basics of life. With domestic service your board and lodging are covered.”
“I could never work as a domestic.”
“I understand, but if you change your mind or if you know of anyone…”
“They can see you, isn’t that right?”
“My refuge is at number five just down there. Call in anytime during the day.”
“We’ll remember that Michelle.”
Michelle stood to one side to let them pass. They continued on with Michelle fascinated by Mary with the lovely accent. Michelle hoped Mary changed her mind and sought assistance. As for Mary’s friends, maybe there was hope, except for Alice. Maybe indeed.
“Good morning to you all,” Michelle said.
“Good morning to you too,” the red-haired woman said with a soft, lilting accent to her voice. “It’s a fair day.”
“Indeed it is.”
A dark-haired, scrawny woman glared at Michelle with eyes narrowed. “You’re not one of them—”
“No, not at all,” Michelle interrupted. She grasped for words. She wanted to get her message across without putting them down. “I’m interested in the circumstances of women, because we are all disadvantaged. It’s plainly wrong that a woman can work as hard and as long as a man only to be paid a pittance for her labours.”
“That is so true,” the red-haired woman said. “There are few jobs for women and none pay enough to live on.”
“I agree,” Michelle said. “My name is Michelle and I’m working in this area.”
“Pleased to meet you, Michelle. My name’s Mary and these are my friends: Kate, Alice, Lizzie and May.”
“I’m pleased to meet you all.”
“So what will you do about the circumstances of women?”
“She don’t belong here and she don’t know what it’s like,” Alice, the scrawny young women, snarled.
“It’s true that I’m well-off, but I have been helping women such as you for many years now,” Michelle said. “I know much of what it’s like for all of you.”
“I haven’t seen you before,” Mary said.
“My work has been in Edinburgh and Glasgow, but now I’m based here.”
“In the East End with the lowest of the low?”
“In the East End. I have set up a refuge to train women to be domestic servants.”
“Them toffs wouldn’t take the likes of us into their homes,” Alice, the prophet of doom foretold.
“My sister’s a servant,” Mary said. “There’s little money in it and much hard work.”
“This is true and the decision is entirely up to you,” Michelle said. “I do know how much you earn and I do know how much you pay for the basics of life. With domestic service your board and lodging are covered.”
“I could never work as a domestic.”
“I understand, but if you change your mind or if you know of anyone…”
“They can see you, isn’t that right?”
“My refuge is at number five just down there. Call in anytime during the day.”
“We’ll remember that Michelle.”
Michelle stood to one side to let them pass. They continued on with Michelle fascinated by Mary with the lovely accent. Michelle hoped Mary changed her mind and sought assistance. As for Mary’s friends, maybe there was hope, except for Alice. Maybe indeed.
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