In Victorian times, Janey thought the Megsons were her parents until Mrs Megson confesses she stole Janey from Mrs Wellson, the wife of a wealthy mill-owner. Upon the death of Mrs Megson and imprisonment of Mr Megson, Janey goes to live with her real family. But Richard, the adopted son, resents Janey and is trying to get rid of her.
In Victorian times, Beth Bailey has lived all her life at Mercy House Orphanage. Then she is adopted by the Howards and now lives a life of luxury and is very happy. When she finds a photograph of a girl named Louisa who looks just like her, she reasons the Howards must have adopted her because she resembles their late daughter Louisa. Terrified she will be sent back to the orphanage if she loses her looks, she starts going to great lengths to keep her face maintained.
In the early 20th century, Sally Smith (named Sarah in the reprint) is a music-hall conjurer and juggler. She had been looked after by Maggie Miller, but now Maggie is crippled and unable to speak after a stroke. Welfare authorities of the period force them to run away together, but music-hall work is hard to find. This forces Sarah to resort to third-rate halls, which are proving undesirable.
In 1860, orphans Hannah and Oliver Franklin come to London to find their Uncle George, but find he is deceased. Silas Grodget, a theatrical agent, finds Hannah a job on stage and she becomes a popular singer. But Grodget is an unscrupulous man who intends to make a profit out of Hannah.
In Victorian times, Evie lives secretly in the old Opera House and keeps herself well hidden because she fears the workhouse if discovered. She discreetly helps out at the theatre and comes to the aid of performers with problems. This starts rumours of a friendly ghost in the Opera House.
Bessie, maid to Mr Owens, had promised before he died that she would take care of the five children he had adopted. Mr Owens leaves them a strange-looking house that is shaped like a shoe!
Mr Owens had been over-generous in his lifetime, so there is no money left to support the children. But Bessie is determined to keep the family together and make their own living.
1969
1980
Other Appearances:
Tessa Blake’s brother John is crippled in a mine accident that also kills their father, and life gets tough for the Blakes. Tessa makes friends with Ruth Grayson, a rich crippled girl who wants to buy John’s paintings. Tessa discovers Ruth’s grandfather, Mr Grayson, owns the mine and also the woollen mill where she makes a hard living. Then Tessa and Mr Grayson discover that crooked managers have been stealing the money that Mr Grayson invested into both businesses for safe working conditions and proper machine maintenance.
According to an old family curse, flaxen-haired Rosemary Polworth is not to see the second full moon after her thirteenth birthday. Rosemary does not believe it, but runs away rather than see her parents suffer on the night she is foretold to die. However, the parents send an agent out to find her, and he is not a pleasant type.
When a rival railway company lays claim to a stretch of land over which Rosie Dickson and her friends are laying a track, things get violent. When Rosie’s track is completed first, the rival company stages a crash, and Rosie is badly injured while saving lives.
In Victorian times, Honor Bright is driven out of her home village because the villagers think she is a typhoid carrier after her parents die from it. She goes to London, where she falls foul of Aunt Betsy, who runs a Fagin-style racket of training girls to beg and steal. Honor refuses to do the same and sets out to lead an example of courage and honesty for the girls to follow.
