Julia Varley — Life in the Casual Ward

THE AUTHORESS ON THE ROAD.

On my second journey I decided that as I should be really destitute, I would take something to enable me to earn a copper on the way. Acting on the advice of my hawker acquaintance of the previous tramp ward, I obtained some lavender flowers and envelopes, and made up eight packets to be sold at 1d. each: also some tissue paper to make flowers, and a small wicker basket.

Setting off from Bradford, I walked to Halifax, the journey occupying about four hours at good steady pace. I was very tired, as I had on an old pair of boots, down at the heel. I put in an appearance at the tramp ward at seven o'clock, and found I was the only woman, but there were about five men waiting in the passage. We passed through the lodge one at a time after giving name, age, last occupation, where to, where from, and a few little observations to each. When my turn came, I got a kind little lecture from the tramp master, who advised me to

GET OFF THE ROAD AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

I had to cross a yard to the female wards, and was put into a receiving ward. Here I found a respectable looking woman, who put me through the usual examination as to destination, etc. I found it much more convenient to answer questions by asking others, and discovered that she was on her way to Oldham, and knew all the tramp wards for a good way round. I was told which to call at and which to avoid. The arrival of my supper put an end to the talk. An old man brought me a thick slice of dry bread, and a tin can containing about a pint of gruel. The gruel was very thick, and sweetened with treacle, and very sweet indeed. I took a few spoonfuls, but could not manage much, and the bread I left. After a time the tramp mistress appeared, and I was taken into the "undressing room," and told to undress and leave my clothes there, and then get into the bath. To do this one has to leave that room, and cross a passage into the bath room. The floors are concrete, and very cold, and my feet were bare. The attendant stood by the bath all the time, and saw that I washed my head. I was given a towel that had been used before, and a nightdress that was not clean, three rugs, and ushered into a cell. My clothes were put in a heap outside the door, and that latched on the outside. The bed was very low, but higher at the head than the feet, and of closely-woven wire. After a little scheming I managed to make myself fairly comfortable, and fell asleep. During the night I awoke very cold indeed, and could not get any warmth out of the rugs at all, and was very glad when I heard the door unlocked. I dressed, and felt much warmer. On entering the day room I found

THE OTHER WOMAN SMOKING

a short clay pipe while waiting for breakfast, which on arrival consisted of the same oversweetened gruel and dry bread. My companion was taken away to do her task, while I was told to wash out the baths, clean all the pipes and taps in the bath room, wash the floor, sweep the two cells and corridors and waiting rooms. The tasks always remind me of the work of the Israelites when they had make bricks without straw. I could not find any soap, and the pipes had to be cleaned with "bathbrick," which was nothing more or less than sand. The work did not seem to improve their appearance. The pipes were copper, and could have been made beautiful with proper material. I did them twice over, I was so ashamed of them. A man was sent in to whitewash under the baths while I was sweeping out the corridors. I was surprised to hear a good voice, but on going to investigate found almost a scarecrow keeping time with the brush to his singing. He sandwiched "I need thee every hour" between "Won't you come home, Bill Bailey and "A bird in a gilded cage." At this point the attendant came and told me I could go. I was given my things, and discharged about ten o'clock. I was very hungry and thirsty, and on my way down to the town decided I would try and do a little business with my lavender, so that. I might get a cup of tea. On knocking at a door, however, my heart faded me, and I asked for a drink of water instead.

Having an acquaintance in the town I called and got a little money to get something to eat, and then started on my onward journey. Leaving Halifax about twelve o'clock

I SET MY FACE TOWARDS TODMORDEN,

the way being through beautiful country. The walk was very enjoyable, and the fresh air made me very hungry. I felt compelled to spend two of my precious coppers on a tea cake and a cup of tea at one of the villages through which I passed. Arriving at about five o'clock I found I had come too far, and had to retrace my weary steps two miles. Never were miles so long or roads so dusty, and I envied the mill girls their clog-shod feet, as they rang out musically. When I asked my way to the workhouse, of a kind-faced old lady, who seemed to be a district visitor, she eyed me from the top of my dusty old hat to the toes of my shabby old boots, and said, "Young woman, don't you think it a shame that you should be a tramp; there's a place in the respectable world for you," and walked on, leaving me without the information I desired. I wonder, if I had 'been the tramp she thought I was, would her words and manner have helped me to get into the proper path, or respect the followers of Him who had nowhere to lay His bead?

I next asked a little girl, who went with me a little way to put me in the right direction. The workhouse stood high among the hills, and after a weary climb I stood a moment and my eyes rested on one of the loveliest views one could imagine. Beautiful tree clad hills away on every side, between them still away rose others, a wood was at my feet, and on the hillsides across were dotted whitewashed cottages that glistened in the setting sun, which shed its beams in great golden rays like the half of a huge star. . . It was glorious indeed. I was only a few minutes' walk from the workhouse. I arrived very, very footsore and dusty. I had no fear of being refused admittance, as I looked (and felt)

A GENUINE TRAMP BY THIS TIME.

The gate was locked, and as the old man who had charge of the lodge unfastened it, I was subjected to a little good-tempered chaff. The usual formalities over I was directed to the tramp ward, where I found the most picturesque person I had yet come across. This was a woman of about sixty, whose silvery hair made her tanned complexion seem even darker. Her costume consisted of a miscellaneous collection of rags almost beyond description. Through a hole where a pocket once was, a tin can was to be seen. This I found was her tea-pot. It had been in its earlier days a coffee tin. Two holes were bored in near the top, and a piece of string made a handle. This was fastened round her waist with a length of rag. We were both in the bath-room and had our supper brought, which consisted of a mug of good hot tea and a slice of dry bread. I was glad to drink the tea, and gave the bread to my companion. It was not a "Silver Grill" arrangement this dining-room of ours. We sat on the hot-water pipes and used the edge of the bath as a table.

BREAKFAST IN THE BATHROOM AT TODMORDEN.

The old woman who had charge of the ward told us m a sharp tone to "Hurry up, and as she did not want to spend all the night with us, we need not have a bath." Two nightgowns or shirts were given us, and they were not clean. We undressed. This fellow traveller of mine was the first to be ready. I was so taken up with her dress that I could not get on with my unrobing. Under a thick jacket, that she had had given her, she wore a curious thick wrap. This was, I found, an old print blouse, without sleeves, and the under arm seams were ripped open. The back part was folded and put round her neck. and the two fronts tied in a knot under her chin. All her garments were just as curious and very ragged. Her stockings were simply legs, and pinned over to form a foot, while the boots. were men's that she had rescued from a dust heap. The old woman gave us each three rugs and a pillow. This was a bag with some straw in. To prepare it for use you shook the contents into one end, doubled the spare material under, and there you. were. The beds were the wire ones, and you spread one rug under you and doubled the two over, but however you do, draughts sneak in. I was in a room with another woman who had been in for a week. She was used to laundry work, so they were glad to have her. I was told that this tramp ward was a very good one, and that the food was nice. This woman had been in nearly all the tramp wards round about Lancashire, and knew all the ropes. I was surprised to find that

THE TRAMP WARD I KNEW BEST AND HAD HELPED TO GOVERN

for three years had a fearful name throughout the country. This woman had been an inmate of it two years ago, and said if she got that way again, and she could not make her lodging money, she would put her clog through a window to get locked up. I had heard a few good lectures on Poor Law, administration before this, but when she hoped that the lady Guardians of that place would have to go through what the tramps had to do there it was rather weird, and I felt creepy almost. All the time she was talking her fingers were busy with crochet work as she sat up in bed. She said that for a length of three yards she could get one shilling from servants at back doors, and it was worth at. After she had had a smoke from a short black pipe, we settled for sleep, but her cough prevented it for some time. However, the old inmate attendant brought her a bottle of cough mixture and both of us extra rugs. This was very acceptable to me, as the wire mattresses were no softer than when I started on my tour. I folded the extra one in four and lay on it, and felt comfortable, and fell asleep.

In the morning the old woman brought our clothes, and sharply told us to get up. When we had dressed and folded our rugs. Breakfast arrived in the shape of hot tea and dry bread for the new arrivals, and dripping and bread for those who had finished. After breakfast the labour master gave us our tasks. I was taken to the kitchen, my picturesque friend to the house to scrub bedrooms, and the other one to the laundry. I washed and stoned the floor and washed, the passage and store room. Lunch was given the tramps here — a slice of dripping and bread, which was delicious to me, I was so hungry, and tea that had been left' from breakfast, to drink. Dinner was the same as was served to the inmates — boiled beef and potatoes and bread, tea and dripping, and bread for supper. Next morning tea and dripping and bread. and then we were discharged. I had intended going on with my friend of the can, as she had talked of going to Rochdale. I divided my packets of lavender with this woman When we got outside the gate she said she had changed her mind, she was travelling the other way as she knew where there was a good hay stack where she was going to sleep; she had had enough of tramp wards. She intended to get to a place where a party of them always set off from to go "pay pulling." With a cheer wave of the hand, and a wicked wink to, the old man at the gate, she set off at a brisk rate in the opposite direction to mine, and then I found that my few packets of lavender had gone with her. I took a good breath of the beautiful country air, and decided that when my time came to retire to the seclusion of the workhouse this should be my choice, said good-bye to the old man, and set my face towards Rochdale.