The Climbing Boys

We all know boys were sent up chimneys to sweep them in Victorian times, but this story set in Dublin in 1830, really brings this to life.  Hugh known as ‘Scholar’ because of his love of learning, has to temporarily leave school to help the family business when his father breaks his arm.  One of the chimneys he sweeps is that of Daniel O’Connell, a famous Catholic politician, who takes an interest in him.  Scholar cannot tell Izzy, the maid whom he has met and rather likes what he does, but when he discovers that a rival sweep is using a girl to go up the chimneys he has to act and needs Izzy’s help.  The rival gangs and the crooked sweep all get their just desserts, and although Scholar does not return to school, he and his family can see a better future in front of them.

Full of details of life in the streets of Dublin and of family life and poverty at the time, (Scholar’s mother is about to have another baby in a family where there is already not enough to eat), this is an exciting and engaging story and Scholar’s adventures and sense of right and wrong come through strongly.  The ending is a little pat as all ends well, and a more realistic outcome might ring more true. Albertha comes from Belfast, where Daniel O’Connell’s views are not widely held with so there is an interesting historical perspective.  The notes provide more background which may not be familiar to readers this side of the Irish Sea.

These historical stories published by O’Brien do bring an extra perspective to the genre of historical fiction, often highlighting other views of events and personalities in British history.