Off to London
Marjorie’s world is falling down,
Falling down, falling down,
Marjorie’s world is falling down,
But no one cares.
September 8, 1937
Marjorie quickly ran a brush through her short, straight brown hair. They had orders to make haste and not to bring anything with them. It was all so puzzling, but still it was exciting. She bent over to put on her shoes. The morning’s oatmeal felt heavy on her stomach. A worried feeling ran alongside her excitement. Adults who talked in a high hurried voice like the one Nurse used this morning were normally to be mistrusted. However, she was going on an adventure! No school today!
“I am so excited. I wonder where we are going.” Marjorie exclaimed.
“Me too. And anywhere but school and the kitchen will be good,” a girl answered from across the locker room.
“I feel special. This is going to be a great day,” a third girl piped in.
“Girls!” Nurse interrupted their happy chatter. “Put on your winter coats and your tams.” This was odd too, because it was such a lovely warm September day, but they were well-trained children and rarely challenged orders now.
Nurse had approached the three girls just after breakfast and pulled them aside before they could get their coats and books and form the usual lineup for school. Olive would be waiting for Marjorie, but Nurse kept them shut away in a little office. Marjorie did not know what she did wrong. She worried about having to walk with a different partner and being late for day school. She trembled at the thought of being sent to the headmaster. It was generally not good news if the day began with anything out of the ordinary. When the Nurse came back the anxiety in the little room couldn’t be contained. She told them not to fret since the school had already been informed of their absence. She clapped her hands and told them that today they were going on an exciting journey.
“Who wants to go on an adventure?” she asked. And naturally there was a chorus of “I do! I do! I do!” from the three excited girls, who had been standing patiently to hear what they had done wrong and what their punishment might be. They looked at each other and smiled their relief to one another. Nurse told them to not tell the others since they might feel bad because they were not invited to come with them. She bent down and whispered, “Okay, girls, this can be our little secret!” The girls nodded and quickly scampered off when Nurse said they had just ten minutes to get ready.
A twitter of excitement followed them down the hall. They did not have to worry about letting their secret out since the home was almost deserted. Most of the other children had already left for school and the younger ones were in the babies’ room. That left just a handful of the older children at the home at this time of the morning and they were busy doing their chores. They ran up the centre stairs to the girls’ locker room, chatting happily, without a care in the world.
The girls were ready in record time. The thought of doing something different was so exciting, and besides, they were the chosen ones that day. Marjorie quickly buttoned her coat, hoping there was time to slip into the kitchen to tell Joyce about her adventure. Joyce was good at keeping secrets, and she would tell her that she would come immediately to the kitchen when they returned instead of at their usual meeting place after day school. Marjorie smiled to herself; she loved their private spot down at the bottom of the field. Joyce would run up and laugh as she pulled the hidden treats out of her pocket. Sometimes Marjorie shared the treats with her best friend, Olive, but more often than not, she just popped the treats into her mouth, savouring the yummy taste.
Olive’s friendship had become very important to Marjorie. She was there to whisper to at night and this was a great comfort as Joyce and Audrey’s cots were too far away. It was difficult to make friends at the home because so many of the girls kept leaving. Marjorie felt special having such a good friend plus a big sister to look out for her. Joyce was the best big sister anyone could ask for. As she put on her tam, she thought that it was not so bad there really — at least they had each other. Not all of the kids were as lucky as she was; some of the girls had no family at the home, not even a brother.
Marjorie was ready first. This would be her only chance to run to the kitchen. As she charged out of the locker room, she ran smack into Nurse, who grabbed her and told her to slow down. She took Marjorie by the arm and led her right back into the room. Marjorie wiggled, trying to get loose, but Nurse held her tight as she told the other two girls to hold hands and follow. She looked at Marjorie, who was still wiggling trying to get away, and told her to stand still and that she could be her partner. She held Marjorie’s hand tightly as they walked towards the stairway at the end of the hall. These stairs led to the side door. Marjorie wanted to go down the middle staircase. She could call Joyce from there. She wiggled again, then stammered, and told Nurse that she just wanted to see Joyce — just for one second. She promised to be really quick.
Nurse had expected Marjorie to try to run to the kitchen to see her sister. The two girls were extremely close. It was going to be difficult for them to be separated, but it was not in her hands, so what could she could do about it? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It piqued her, but she had to accept it. She told Marjorie that there wasn’t time and marched her ahead telling the other two to come along smartly, and no talking! Marjorie’s delight began to fade. Something was not right. As they reached the bottom of the stairs, a group of ten boys walked out the door.
Marjorie groaned and asked why the boys had to come, but Nurse did not answer. As they followed the boys out the door and under the four big white pillars, she could see Kenny at the rear of the line. Marjorie tried to get his attention, but he was too busy marching like a soldier. The kitchen window came into view as they rounded the end of the building. She could see Joyce, but she was not looking her way. Marjorie squirmed, trying to get free. If only she could run to the window to get Joyce’s attention, but Nurse held her even more securely. Marjorie yelled out as loudly as she could. It worked, and Joyce looked up. Marjorie waved frantically. Joyce saw her and waved back. Marjorie yelled even more loudly that she was going on an adventure and would see her later.
Nurse shook Marjorie and scolded her and said there would be no more talking. She warned her to look straight ahead and pulled her back into formation as they continued down the edge of the field. They walked past St. Mary’s Church at the bottom of the field, and along the little side path that led to Bristol Road. Marjorie was not happy that the boys were coming on their adventure, but she was glad for Kenny. He looked behind and gave her a little wave.
After walking for a while, Marjorie looked up at Nurse and said that she was hot and thirsty. She asked, “Are we going to walk the whole way? How much farther?” She wanted to know where they were going. Marjorie pulled off her tam and tugged at her buttons. She wondered why they had to wear their winter coats. The three girls looked at Nurse, but all she said was for Marjorie to hush and to stop asking questions. She told her to put her tam back on, button her coat, and that she would see all in good time.
They carried on down Bristol Road and crossed over at the bottom where the road forked at Oak Tree Lane. They stayed on Bristol Road, and as they walked over a little bridge, Marjorie recognized where they were. She looked up — it was the train station. The very same station they arrived at when they came from Newcastle all those months before. She read the sign — Selly Oak Station. Memories of her mother, of her sisters and brothers, and of Whitley Bay flooded back. An image of Newcastle loomed in her mind and the terror was as fresh as ever. Suddenly everything was clear to her. They were sending them back to Newcastle. It was a trick! Fear wormed its way up Marjorie’s spine. She dug in her heels, not wanting to get any closer. In a flash, she thought she could find her way back to the home if she broke free. She was a fast runner.
Nurse yanked at Marjorie’s arm and told her to stop pulling. She looked down at Marjorie and could see the fear in her eyes and her heart softened as she asked, “What is wrong?” Marjorie choked back her tears, and asked if they were sending them back to Newcastle. Marjorie’s comment puzzled Nurse — the children often came out with unreasonable and unexplainable