Bridie — Christine Thomas

Bridie O'Neill is just sixteen years old when her beloved mother dies. Mad with drink and grief, her father shamefully abuses his eldest daughter, who flees her Irish home for safety in England. There she finds refuge as a housemaid to Francis Homes, a kindly widowed doctor in London's East End. Just as contentment seems assured, the shadow of Bridie's past returns to haunt her and she is forced to be self-reliant once again. She chooses to support herself and her small son - as a moneylender. Gradually she becomes a familiar figure in the mean streets and is much respected for her honest dealings. And at last, love, too, comes Bridie's way from a rather unexpected quarter...