Boscastle C.P. School
Boscastle CP School
Whilst searching for a birthday present for my Mum I came across a book entitled' To Brave Every banger - The epic life of Mary Bryant (nee Broad) of Fowey1. I'll admit to being a little wary of biographies or historical factual accounts as I don't always find them easy to read and know that Mum feels the same. However, on the basis that r d bought a goodly supply of her favourite chocolate, and the book was about a Cornish Maid, I though I'd risk the purchase! Four days later the book was read ... it must have been good there was still chocolate left! After I had read the book I decided that Class 3 would also find the story interesting and were ready to tackle some of the 'issues' the book raised. We wrote stories and poems, acted parts of the stories, learned a great deal about life in 1786 and discussed prejudice, poverty, Government, justice/injustice and tolerance. All of the children's work was superb and I have enclosed a selection for your pleasure.
Court
Locked up in a prison.
Door shut tight.
Rats on the floor.
Lice in our hair and people growing sick.
Food is rationed, water too.
Shackled together my legs rubbed raw.
It's ever so cold when you sleep on the floor
No privacy for me nor no one else
Still shacked together' four by four.
People throwing rotten fruit and stones,
Shouting 'Rot in hell'
Why do you people think it's funny?
Every where we go we get mocked by the crowd ....
'Die in hell'
'You're a disgrace
'Get off our land'
A slam of a hammer.
the posh self centred voice.
A strange grey wig,
A long magnificent robe,
I put my hand on the book,
Confessed to the crime.
Everything just seemed to slow down,
'YOU ARE TO BE HUNG!'
Wait ...
You are to be transported.
The hammer dropped.
Issy Morgan Yr 5
Mary Broad
In 1784 a disaster struck an already poor county called Cornwall. This
was such a devastating effect on Cornwall because they were already
struggling with poverty. People were dying from starvation. This lead to
people stealing from others to look after their family, and Mary Broad was
one of them, Mary was only young, 19 in fact, and she knew how to sail a
boat. She decided to go to Plymouth so she could get a job and make some
friends. Mary had to walk and sometimes try to get a lift. Even though it
was a long hard journey she eventually got to Devonport in Plymouth.
Soon after she arrived she met two women walking across a cobbled road. These women were nasty robbers but Mary soon got to like them. About two weeks later they decided to plan a robbery in the streets of Devonport. This was Mary's first attempt at robbery but the other two were regular' thieves. They had planned and rehearsed it over and over again but this was the real thing. Mary was scared. This waS getting serious. Robbery was a hanging offence but they went for it.
They spotted a grand woman and were sure she was carrying a lot of money. Mary pounced on the woman knocking her to the ground and ferociously throwing punches at her body while the other two grabbed as much money and jewellery as they could. Then they legged it leaving the woman lying helplessly on the ground.
As they were running away from the assault they were spotted by some soldiers and they instantly recognised the two women robbers. The soldiers ran towards the women. Now they were worried. They were getting closer and closer. The soldier grabbed Mary and handcuffed her. The other two were quickly captured. They knew they were in serious trouble. .
Danny Frohlick Year 5
Mary Broad
Old rusty shackles rubbing into the bare flesh,
Empty stomach,
Throbbing pain increasing in my head.
Old rotten compost flying through the air. The posh snooty Judge bellows,
'Silence, silence in the court,
I declare Mary Broad to be hung
By the neck til death.'
She leaves court upset and down,
Head full of terrible thoughts,
Back to gaol feeling uneasy.
Three months later...
Feeling better than before,
No more gaol,
She's set free from this terrible place, And transported instead.
Faye Haywood & Abbie Brooks Yr 5
Mary Broad
It was the year 1784, the country had gone bankrupt due to the war with America. Taxes had soared, you had to pay for salt, glass, candles, animals and much more. The farming, fishing and mining industries had collapsed which caused poverty and diseases.
I, Mary Broad, lived in Cornwall in a small fishing village called Fowey. My house was down a cobbled road. It has no windows or candles, in fact it had no lighting at all.
As time progressed and fresh food and water became scarce more and more people took to robbery. Me and my friends Catherine and Mary took to highway robbery. This was punishable by death which is why we had to get in and out as quickly as possible.
1785 This was the last robbery I committed and by for the most scary. The person we robbed was called Agnes Lakeman. Mary lay on the road pretending to be hurt and when Agnes got out of her carriage to help her Cather'ine jumped out from the bushes to attack her. But Agnes was tough, she charged at us. She knocked Ca-rherine to the ground and started hitting her. Mary got up and kicked her. Agnes just lay on the ground whimpering. We stole £12 65. We left hel" t'ight there but she got up and chased us off down the road straight towards Plymouth and straight into a group of soldiers.
We were tied up and dragged away.
Robert BriJkes Year 6
Agnes Lakeman's Thoughts
Walking to the court
Many unforgivable souls to see
Judges in front acting high-class
At the back of the procession
It's me
In court
Judge in power
In stumbled Mary
Dressed like scum
She smelt like human waste
Fortunately I was at the other end of
the courtroom
Sentence echoed
Justice done
Mary was to be hung.
Justice is sweet
The scoundrel Mary
Irons around her feet and neck
Feeling the pain I felt
Joe Henderson and Jack Reed Yr 6
Mary Broad at Court
Cramped,
Shacked
Torture,
Will this be my end ....
Or my future?
Silence,
Tension
Justice,
In the haunting walls of
the court
I was sentenced to be hung.
Grief
And
Shame.
In the cart
The journey back starts
Harriet Dawson Y5