In 1854, 12-year-old Hannah Francis is living in the
Macclesfield workhouse with her mother. The workhouse master has
an agreement with Critchlow’s cotton mill to provide pauper
apprentices, a cheap form of labour, and sends Hannah and three
other youngsters to the mill. Separated from her mother, Hannah
takes it upon herself to look after her three young travelling
companions and keep up their spirits. Despite the harsh working
conditions, Hannah’s cheerfulness wins her many friends. But
when she comes to the attention of the mill’s evil owner,
matters take a tragic turn, and even the good-natured Hannah
finds herself plotting revenge. The story moves between the
workhouse and silk mills of Macclesfield to the cotton mills of
the Derbyshire dales, touching on the hardships of the working
families when the American Civil War creates a cotton famine
that threatens a whole industry. This is a heart-warming tale.
Ms Dickinson is a natural storyteller, and there are enough
twists in the tale to keep the reader in