Case 175

In visiting one day in Edward's Place I visited A. playing with other children, and asked to whom she belonged; she had bare arms & no shoes & stockings and very poor clothing. Some woman told me that her father was out with a barrow all day, & she had no mother to look after her, & would come to no good in that Court (Edward's Place is considered the worst Court in Marylebone & is well known to the Police) The woman asked Mr. to meet me another day, and he consented willingly to give the child up if he might be allowed to know where she went, and what would be done with her. He said that he could not afford to pay anything having another child to keep; and if I had pressed this point the little girl might not have been allowed to come. She behaved well with the elderly widow who has taken care of her for the last ten days, & seems to be a child who would repay good training. Her mother deserted her more than three years ago.
G.