The Christchurch and Bournemouth Union Workhouse (Second

edition 2000)

It is often assumed that the workhouses were a product of the Victorian era, a view reinforced through the writings of Dickens and stories such as Oliver Twist. They did in fact exist much earlier and in the case of Christchurch and Bournemouth it was way back in 1764 with the purchase of ‘The Parish Workhouse’ which in modern times we know as The Red House Museum. This is a historical book which takes us back to that darker time in history.

Described as a ‘very amenable paupers place’ the Christchurch and Bournemouth Workhouse was by all accounts a well-appointed workhouse, probably one of the best in the country in its time and where the poor, the destitute, sick, orphans and others in need of help could seek refuge and in return for their labours they were fed and able to rest. A sound idea and in many respects back in that era, it probably was, though in reality it turned out to be a harsh, almost prison like institution where the reader learns that many took their own lives to avoid the workhouse, and others even preferred prison.

The book is extensively well researched and you can tell the author has a real passion for her subject. The book takes the reader from the early beginnings of the workhouse, through its move from the (now) Red House Museum to what was then the old Christchurch Hospital, through the two wars and onto what we now know as the modern NHS.

Two chapters really stood out for me, one being the research of a public enquiry into the death of an ‘inmate’ which the London press reported as ‘simply shameful’, and the other being the chapter on the war years and the descriptions on how the town pulled together to help those wounded in the trenches.

The Faraway Tree (From The Faraway Tree series)

Enid Blyton is a name many readers will recognise if they’ve ever read ‘The Famous Five’ or ‘The Magnificent Seven’ but fewer people are probably aware of Blyton’s ‘Faraway Tree’ series of books aimed at a slightly younger audience. My six year old daughter couldn’t wait to get to bed to hear the next instalment as the book transported her young mind to a world of enchantment, magic and adventure.

The Faraway Tree series centre on the adventures of three young city kids: Jo, Bessie and Frannie (or Fanny in older books), who’ve recently moved to the country, drawing similarities with the much loved ‘The Railway Children’ written by Edith Nesbit.

The Faraway Tree is the second book in the series which follows on from ‘The Enchanted Wood’. It is recommended to read The Enchanted Wood first but the books can be read independently without too much confusion.

In this story, the children are joined by their cousin Rick who as well as having a keen sense of adventure also has a penchant for cakes, sweets and in fact anything edible, sometimes with hilarious consequences.

Author: Sue Newman ISBN: 0 9524856 1 3

Number of pages: 152

Reviewed by Brian Case

I would recommend this as a read for anyone who has an interest in local history both of Christchurch and Bournemouth. It gives a chilling insight into past times of the people, the inmates who suffered, and those who were paid to look after them. Here however it would be only fair to say that at the time they probably thought they were doing good, its only now in our modern times we can see this was not necessarily the case.

One minor issue I had was the way the format of the book has been laid out as its all printed in one column which at times makes for a difficult read, two columns would make for an better flow though I should add this does not take away the enjoyment of the book.

To learn more you can visit the Red House Museum on Quay Road, Christchurch, open most days and free entry (opportunity to donate inside if you wish)

Author: Enid Blyton

ISBN: 978-1-444-96157-7

Number of pages: 224

Reviewed by Jason Harris

The children are friends with a strange set of characters who they met in the previous book and who all live in the tree such as Silky, the rather sweet fairy, Moonface and Saucepan man.

The Faraway Tree is the tallest in the enchanted wood, so tall in fact that it pokes through the whispy white clouds. At the top of the tree, beyond the clouds is a whole new land, which changes regularly. Sometimes the land might be a wonderful one such as the Land of Dreams, where your dreams come true, or the Land of Toys, where you can imagine any toy like and it will appear allowing you to play with it. But on another day, after the previous Land has moved off, it may be replaced with a not so pleasant one such as the Land of Tempers where everybody is in a bad mood and shouts at each other.

The children regularly venture to the top of the tree and explore the new lands, together with their new found friends from the tree. The book is an endearing one, far removed from the modern world that todays children are so often caught up in. These series of books are an example of an author who has no limits to where her imagination can take her, which is why the books connect so well with younger readers. It’s full of impossibilities and improbabilities which only serve to draw the reader (or listener!) further in to the fascinating world of The Faraway Tree.