Arnold Bennett

The Card Arnold Bennett

Edward Henry Machin first saw the smoke on the 27th May 1867, in BroughamStreet, Bursley, the most ancient of the Five Towns. Brougham Street runs downfrom St Luke's Square straight into the Shropshire Union Canal, and consists partlyof buildings known as "potbanks" (until they come to be sold by auction, whenauctioneers describe them as "extensive earthenware manufactories") and partly ofcottages whose highest rent is four-and-six a week. In such surroundings was anextraordinary man born. He was the only anxiety of a widowed mother, who gainedher livelihood and his by making up "ladies' own materials" in ladies' own houses. Mrs Machin, however, had a speciality apart from her vocation: she could washflannel with less shrinking than any other woman in the district, and she couldwash fine lace without ruining it; thus often she came to sew and remained to wash. A somewhat gloomy woman; thin, with a tongue! But I liked her. She saved a certainamount of time every day by addressing her son as Denry, instead of Edward Henry.