The gallows bird by Barbara Sumner

Barbara Sumner has crafted a rich account of life in the seedy side of London in 1833. The heroine, Birdie, has grown up in poverty. Her mother was cast out from a wealthy family when it was discovered she had become pregnant to a stablehand. At age 13, Birdie is sent away from her dying mother to become a laundrymaid in an upper class household, possibly her mother’s original home.

Birdie has an unusual ability: colours and scents are inextricably melded together, something that today we would label synesthesia, when a person can actually smell colours. For Birdie, the memory of her mother’s worn red silk dress has a special fragrance she always longs for. At times, in Angas Hall, the aromas of gowns and fabric are overwhelming. The descriptions of beautiful colours and scents are dramatically contrasted with the putrid smells and grime of the world outside. There is no detail spared in Sumner’s descriptions of the unending toil of the servants, and the grot and filth of the life of the poor and the beggars and thieves.

There is a similar authentic recounting in the language of the underclass, with words such as flashhouse, dollymops, and peelers. Meaning can generally be deduced by context, but there is also a short glossary if needed. It is a harsh time; when Birdie is charged with theft, her sentence is transportation to the colony of Australia, for the term of her natural life.

Birdie is an adventurous and wilful heroine; she is determined to make her own way. While the life of her friend Mary may seem safer in her acceptance of the way things are, Birdie always strives for something better. She becomes an inspiration for some of the women she encounters, and she in turn is buoyed up by the courage and perseverance they exhibit.

The story of Birdie’s life in London and then her transportation aboard the ship is fascinating, but perhaps the best is yet to come. What will she make of her life in Australia? I am sure that many readers will be breathlessly awaiting the sequel.

Themes: Historical fiction, Servants, Women, Convicts, Transportation.

Helen Eddy