Archive
Experiment in living, independent of Mission
So we made up our minds that we would find out first of all what was the smallest amount on which a girl
74
could live with decency and that with that standard as a guide we would work all our lives that at least that minimum should be paid to women who were dependent on their own earnings for daily bread….we realised that the time had come for action and that it was now or never if we meant to do something practical.
(we left) Weston-super-Mare on a cold dark day in November, arriving at Paddington late in the afternoon. I never go to Paddington without recalling that day and I never arrive there by train without living over again that long ago arrival. We had now no home in the great city, no associate in work, no machinery or organisation behind us, not much money and no experience in independent living. We put our large trunks in the cloak-room, “just like the servants come up to look for work” as I said to Emmeline, and with small bags took a bus across London to Fenchurch Street and so on to Canning Town. We got a very warm and hospitable welcome there and in less than a week we had taken a little flat
75
behind St. Pancras where we were near our old friends amongst the working folk.
Comments
The archive is still being added to. Please feel free to comment if there's something you'd like to observe or add.