Down Poverty Street - Ethel Carnie Holdsworth;Florence Boos

Annie and William Dale are newly married with a young infant baby, Jackie. Seeking to improve their straitened circumstances, they take in lodgers to cover their rent and set up a millinery business. Despite their hard work, they face challenges which seem insurmountable as they both succumb to illness and William falls prey to the temptations of alcoholism and gambling. Unbeknownst to Annie, William wagers the contents of their home on a horse race, however against the odds, the horse wins and they come into a fortune.

Down Poverty Street focuses upon the day-to-day reality of life for the lower classes, in which poor health, illness and death wait in the wings, yet the solidarity between a husband and wife, a sense of charity, courage and the strength of a community can overcome. Carnie Holdsworth deftly avoids romanticising the world which she portrays however, showing characters who find happiness in their lots and who value social relationships and community connections more than financial reward.