A STREET MARKET IN 1851

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Fresh veg! Best in the market!

(Loud distressing squawks as a child steals a live chicken)  ‘ere he’s nicking me chickens! Come ‘ere you little toe rag! If I get my hands on you, I’ll ring your ruddy neck! Constable! Constable! How is it you can never find a copper when ya need one?   (Frantically             searching around)  Stop him! Stop him! Somebody stop him.

You’ve got to ‘ave eyes in the back of your ‘ead Lizzie. That boy’s always stealing something. Needs putting over ‘is mother’s knee and given a good thrashing!

Times are gettin’ ‘ard Flora. That’s the second fing stolen today.

(Cynically)  Wot? Caw, make a stuffed bird laugh. We’ll ‘ave to ‘ave a collection. Come on

let’s speak to the others. (Stallholders gather around LIZZIE, comforting her. Enter             FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE, her sister PARTHE and their mother FANNY. Their maid     JENNY follows behind)

Momma, you know how I hate coming to the market.

Stop fussing Parthe. We won’t be here for very long. 

Don’t worry Parthe. No one is going to hurt you. 

But I’m not in the best of health.

(Offering FLO an apple)  Nice to see you Miss Nightingale. Buy some fresh fruit. Going very cheap. 

'ow about a nice lace ‘andkerchief. Please buy something off a poor lady.

Come away Flo.  Look at your hands. You don't know where all this stuff has been. This whole place smells horribly.

(Holding up a small posy of flowers to PARTHE)  This would go well with your fancy dress

missus. (PARTHE pushes the flower seller away)

Leave us alone. Oh Momma, why did you bring us here?

Be quiet. You’re creating a scene.

Oh look! That woman touched my dress. It’s left a horrible dirty mark. I will surely catch some terrible illness.

I said be quiet! We had better go to the park before you embarrass us further. Flo, will you and Jenny kindly finish the shopping. Come along Parthe and stop fussing.

But Momma. I want to stay with...

I said come along.

(Exit FANNY and PARTHE)

It’s no good Jenny. Parthe can’t stand being parted from me for too long. You go and finish the shopping. I’d better catch up my Momma.

Yes ma’am.

(Exit FLO)

Hey Jenny. The Nightingales gone and left you to do all the shopping have they?

Yes. I’m afraid so.

‘ere. ‘ave you got any interesting news about them?

I most certainly have. Listen everyone. Gather round. Mistress Florence and her sister Parthe had a terrible argument the other night.

They are always arguing about sumfink. Parthe will be the death of Florence.

Yea, you’re right Hilda. You’d think Florence was a slave. She looks after that spoilt brat day and night.

Flo’s so fed up. Some say she’s near to committing suicide.

We heard this row all over the house. I’m sure Mistress Nightingale wants to leave home. After all she is thirty-one years old now. I overheard her say something about wanting to work in a hospital.

Me ‘usband finished up in one of them places. Said there was ‘ardly room to swing a cat and the place stunk like a sewer. Slimy things growin’ all over the walls, ‘e said.

What happened to ‘im then Agnes?

‘e smuggled in a bottle of gin. ‘e and the nurses drank too much. ‘e got the screamin’ ‘orrors and ran off into the night. Never came back and I’ve never seen ‘im since.

Probably thinkin’ about you Agnes. That’s why ‘e never came back!

(General laughter)

‘ere, don’t them Nightingales talk posh. Did you see the look on ‘er face when Dot touched 'er with ‘er ‘and. (Mimics PARTHE) “Oh look, that woman touched my dress. It’s left a terrible dirty mark. I will surely catch some terrible illness.”

(Over musical introduction)  Worlds apart really, ain’t we! 

DAUGHTER OF A RICH MAN

FLORENCE IS THE DAUGHTER OF A RICH MAN (RICH MAN) 

SHE’S EXPECTED TO BEHAVE LIKE ALL THE UPPER CLASS

THEY’LL SMILE, WAVE, GIVE US WORK
ACKNOWLEDGE OUR EXISTENCE

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO JOINING IN
BE SURE THEY’LL KEEP THEIR DISTANCE

SHE BELONGS TO THEM AND NOT TO US

THEY’RE A LAW UNTO THEMSELVES DON’T RECOGNISE US
WE’RE WORLDS APART

OUR LIVES BEAT WITH DIFF’RENT HEARTS

AND SHE BELONGS TO THEM        
AND NOT TO US (OH, NO)
WON’T RECOGNISE US (WHAT A SHAME) 

NO TIME FOR US

(Stallholder mimics Sir Walter Raleigh laying down cloak for Queen Elizabeth I)

Call that a coat? (Derisory) Young man, I have no intention of walking on a pile of rags!

FLORENCE IS THE DAUGHTER OF A RICH MAN (RICH MAN) 

SHE’LL NEVER GRACE THE TABLE OF THE WORKING CLASS

THEY WINE, DINE, TOUR THE WORLD
BUT HIDE BEHIND DISGUISES

THEY’RE MONEY MAD AND CHERISHED GREED IS ALL THAT GOD DESPISES