Biddy's Diary from Dickens' Great Expectations

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Biddy's Diary from Dickens' Great Expectations

Winter 1813

23rd December

The dark and dull nights are ever present in the midst of winter, rain

and snow seems to flow constantly. The soggy marshes are becoming

almost invisible due to the mist glooming over the barren landscape.

My vision is obscured and it is no longer possible to see the hulks

prison ships. I write this in the warmth and luxury of the inside. I

have just finished getting lessons prepared for the children I teach

at the local dame school, well the front room of Mrs Wopsles house and

also a small shop. Mrs Wopsle is in charge of the school but doesn't

seem to want to teach or care for the children. I shouldn't really be

saying this as I am in her residence and she is giving me some work.

As I was preparing lessons for tomorrow I noticed the loud noise of

cannons being blasted from the hulks. The sound is even more chilling

in these dark winter nights. Many convicts from the hulks try to flea

the prison and escape offshore. Not many succeed, a lot of these

convicts would have been punished for trivial crimes such as stealing

a handkerchief but even small crimes could get you capital punishment.

The Hulks is renowned for its shoddy and almost cruel conditions, the

convicts would be given very little food and a lot of them would die

or become seriously ill due to under-nourishing. Although the floating

prison is highly unattractive, it became a place for sightseers to

visit and take a 'tour of the hulks' as it is called. I better go and

think of a recipe for a Christmas Pudding which Mrs Wopsle demands I

make for Christmas Day, which is no inconvenience as I enjoy cooking

for others.

Christmas Pudding recipe

Mix dry ingredients first then mix with lightly beaten eggs and

liquid. Grease the bottom of a bowl large enough to hold pudding and

press mixture into it. Place wax paper over the top and then foil over

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