Harrow Road - Paperback

by Margie Taylor (Author)

Set in London in the 19th century, Harrow Road tells the story of Annie Elizabeth Taylor who, at the age of 30, is deserted by her husband and left to fend for herself and her three children. At a time when there were few safety nets for those battered by circumstance, Annie is left with only one option: she enters the Paddington Union Workhouse on Harrow Road. The food is inedible, the bed infested with lice, and every waking hour is regulated by the toll of the workhouse bell. But even inside the "Bastille", as it's called, there are friendships: the other women help her adjust to life inside the workhouse. Their colourful stories interrupt the monotony, their friendships support her, and a surprising connection with a London City Missionary helps her to find her calling. Based on true events, Harrow Road is a compelling and authentic portrayal of the plight of the poor in Victorian London. It is also, in the end, a story of hope.

Author Biography

Margie Taylor was born and raised in Fort William (Thunder Bay), Ontario. Formerly the host of CBC's Wild Rose Country, The Eyeopener and The Homestretch in Alberta, as well as the producer and host of numerous CBC radio shows in Vancouver, Taylor has been a freelancer and contributor to the Calgary Herald and The Globe and Mail and is the author of five books. Taylor now makes her home in Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada.