Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    The Little Runaways
    Christmas for the Halfpenny Orphans
    The Orphans of Halfpenny Street
    Audiobook series4 titles

    Halfpenny Orphans Series

    Written by Cathy Sharp

    Narrated by Antonia Beamish

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this series

    Heartache and hardship in London’s East End, from the bestselling author of The Orphans of Halfpenny Street

    It’s the 1950’s and the orphans of Halfpenny Street have found a new home in the Essex countryside at Halfpenny House. Meanwhile, back among the slum clearances of Bethnal Green, St Saviour’s has now been partially given over to a home for disturbed girls though it still serves as a reception centre for local children who are in desperate need.
    Amongst these are Archie and his sister June. They’ve been ‘latch key’ kids; fending for themselves while their caring but harassed and careworn mum tries to make ends meet. Now she’s been accused of theft and prison seems inescapable. Archie has no intention of letting his mum go down. He knows she’s innocent and will do anything to prove it. But can he help his mum before adoption, and the authorities, take him and June away forever?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateSep 10, 2015
    The Little Runaways
    Christmas for the Halfpenny Orphans
    The Orphans of Halfpenny Street

    Titles in the series (4)

    • 1

      The Orphans of Halfpenny Street
      The Orphans of Halfpenny Street

      The Orphans of Halfpenny Street

      Cathy Sharp
      5/5 - 4 ratings
      5/5 - 4 ratings

      Call the Midwife meets Dr Barnardo’s in this gritty drama that will appeal to fans of Katie Flynn. St Saviour’s will never turn a homeless child away… When there is nowhere else to turn, St Saviour’s will give them hope… It’s 1947 and London’s East End is still a bombed-out landscape. Sister Beatrice, who runs the St Saviour’s Children’s Home, knows that life is still a precarious existence for many children and it seems that there is no end to the constant stream of waifs and strays who appear at their door looking for a safe haven. One such arrival is Mary Ellen whose mother is gravely ill. The one silver lining is her best friend, the tearaway Billy Baggins, also a resident of the home, but Billy seems intent on falling foul of Sister Beatrice’s strict regime. New arrival on the staff, Angela, admires Sister Beatrice, but can see that the children need love and kindness as well as a strong hand. When an unwelcome face from Billy’s past arrives on the scene, things are brought to a head. Can the two women work together to keep Billy on the straight and narrow – or is it too late?

      Call the Midwife meets Dr Barnardo’s in this gritty drama that will appeal to fans of Katie Flynn. St Saviour’s will never turn a homeless child away… When there is nowhere else to turn, St Saviour’s will give them hope… It’s 1947 and London’s East End is still a bombed-out landscape. Sister Beatrice, who runs the St Saviour’s Children’s Home, knows that life is still a precarious existence for many children and it seems that there is no end to the constant stream of waifs and strays who appear at their door looking for a safe haven. One such arrival is Mary Ellen whose mother is gravely ill. The one silver lining is her best friend, the tearaway Billy Baggins, also a resident of the home, but Billy seems intent on falling foul of Sister Beatrice’s strict regime. New arrival on the staff, Angela, admires Sister Beatrice, but can see that the children need love and kindness as well as a strong hand. When an unwelcome face from Billy’s past arrives on the scene, things are brought to a head. Can the two women work together to keep Billy on the straight and narrow – or is it too late?

    • 2

      The Little Runaways
      The Little Runaways

      The Little Runaways

      Cathy Sharp
      4/5 - 5 ratings
      4/5 - 5 ratings

      A gritty drama that will appeal to fans of The Throwaway Children and authors Nadine Dorries and Kitty Neale. When little Terry and Nancy arrive at the door of St Saviour’s Children’s Home, they seem shellshocked after being orphaned in the fire that killed their parents. Terry is terribly damaged by his experiences, though the concerned staff, especially Angela Morton, suspect that there is something more sinister behind his disturbing behaviour. Angela shares her anxieties with Mark Adderbury, a psychiatrist volunteering at the home. They’ve grown closer recently but Angela, still grieving the loss of her husband, feels that Mark needs more from her than she can give. Then why does she feel so jealous at the arrival of Staff Nurse Carole, who seems to have captured Mark’s attention? They must all pull together to get to the bottom of what really happened to Terry and Nancy, but the truth may be harder to take than they realise . . .

      A gritty drama that will appeal to fans of The Throwaway Children and authors Nadine Dorries and Kitty Neale. When little Terry and Nancy arrive at the door of St Saviour’s Children’s Home, they seem shellshocked after being orphaned in the fire that killed their parents. Terry is terribly damaged by his experiences, though the concerned staff, especially Angela Morton, suspect that there is something more sinister behind his disturbing behaviour. Angela shares her anxieties with Mark Adderbury, a psychiatrist volunteering at the home. They’ve grown closer recently but Angela, still grieving the loss of her husband, feels that Mark needs more from her than she can give. Then why does she feel so jealous at the arrival of Staff Nurse Carole, who seems to have captured Mark’s attention? They must all pull together to get to the bottom of what really happened to Terry and Nancy, but the truth may be harder to take than they realise . . .

    • 3

      Christmas for the Halfpenny Orphans
      Christmas for the Halfpenny Orphans

      Christmas for the Halfpenny Orphans

      Cathy Sharp
      4/5 - 3 ratings
      4/5 - 3 ratings

      A gritty and compelling drama from the bestselling author of The Orphans of Halfpenny Street. Perfect for fans of Nadine Dorries and Sheila Jeffries. Little twin sisters, Sarah and Samantha are all alone in the world. When their mother died giving birth to Sarah, she was blamed for the death by her father and her learning difficulties serve only to make him more angry and violent towards her. Now he’s finally abandoned them both and they’ve found sanctuary at St Saviour’s Children’s Home in London’s East End. It seems they’re doomed to be separated; no one wants to take Sarah on, but life apart will break their hearts. Alice, a former worker at the home who is now a mother and happily married to Bob, finds her happiness under threat when a face from the past reappears. Jack Shaw, East End bad boy, has always been Alice’s weak spot but is she really about to throw everything away? Angela Morton has her hands full; she’s now in sole charge. But with Christmas approaching, and more than one orphan in desperate need, St Saviour’s is crying out for a miracle…

      A gritty and compelling drama from the bestselling author of The Orphans of Halfpenny Street. Perfect for fans of Nadine Dorries and Sheila Jeffries. Little twin sisters, Sarah and Samantha are all alone in the world. When their mother died giving birth to Sarah, she was blamed for the death by her father and her learning difficulties serve only to make him more angry and violent towards her. Now he’s finally abandoned them both and they’ve found sanctuary at St Saviour’s Children’s Home in London’s East End. It seems they’re doomed to be separated; no one wants to take Sarah on, but life apart will break their hearts. Alice, a former worker at the home who is now a mother and happily married to Bob, finds her happiness under threat when a face from the past reappears. Jack Shaw, East End bad boy, has always been Alice’s weak spot but is she really about to throw everything away? Angela Morton has her hands full; she’s now in sole charge. But with Christmas approaching, and more than one orphan in desperate need, St Saviour’s is crying out for a miracle…

    • 4

      The Boy with the Latch Key
      The Boy with the Latch Key

      The Boy with the Latch Key

      Cathy Sharp
      5/5 - 1 rating
      5/5 - 1 rating

      Heartache and hardship in London’s East End, from the bestselling author of The Orphans of Halfpenny Street It’s the 1950’s and the orphans of Halfpenny Street have found a new home in the Essex countryside at Halfpenny House. Meanwhile, back among the slum clearances of Bethnal Green, St Saviour’s has now been partially given over to a home for disturbed girls though it still serves as a reception centre for local children who are in desperate need. Amongst these are Archie and his sister June. They’ve been ‘latch key’ kids; fending for themselves while their caring but harassed and careworn mum tries to make ends meet. Now she’s been accused of theft and prison seems inescapable. Archie has no intention of letting his mum go down. He knows she’s innocent and will do anything to prove it. But can he help his mum before adoption, and the authorities, take him and June away forever?

      Heartache and hardship in London’s East End, from the bestselling author of The Orphans of Halfpenny Street It’s the 1950’s and the orphans of Halfpenny Street have found a new home in the Essex countryside at Halfpenny House. Meanwhile, back among the slum clearances of Bethnal Green, St Saviour’s has now been partially given over to a home for disturbed girls though it still serves as a reception centre for local children who are in desperate need. Amongst these are Archie and his sister June. They’ve been ‘latch key’ kids; fending for themselves while their caring but harassed and careworn mum tries to make ends meet. Now she’s been accused of theft and prison seems inescapable. Archie has no intention of letting his mum go down. He knows she’s innocent and will do anything to prove it. But can he help his mum before adoption, and the authorities, take him and June away forever?

    Author

    Cathy Sharp

    Cathy loves writing because it gives pleasure to others. She finds writing an extension of herself and it gives her great satisfaction. Cathy says, ‘There is nothing like seeing your book in print, because so much loving care has been given to bringing that book into being.’ Cathy lives in Cambridgeshire.

    More audiobooks from Cathy Sharp

    Related to Halfpenny Orphans

    Related audiobooks

    Sagas For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Her blissful EARLY DAYS

      Sep 15, 2022

      Her blissful EARLY DAYS
      2 min read

    • Article

      Prayers & prey

      Jan 19, 2023

      Waving at me from across the school play ground, the chaplain smiled. ‘Would you like a lift home after school?’ asked Father Francis Derriman, then 29. It was 1967, and all the girls thought that Father Derriman was quite cool. For a priest! He coll

      3 min read

    • Article

      Gift-Worthy Books

      Nov 17, 2022

      Gift-Worthy Books
      3 min read

    • Article

      An Act of Kindness

      Dec 6, 2022

      An Act of Kindness
      3 min read

    • Article

      Thursday, February 10

      Dec 15, 2021

      WE HOSTED AN ISLAND-THEMED BACKYARD sleepover for my daughter’s eleventh birthday. The girls played zany relay games and assembled island-themed kabobs to grill on the barbecue. Although the party was a success, I felt hurt that one of the mothers wo

      1 min read

    • Article

      Vancouver

      Mar 5, 2019

      Vancouver
      5 min read

    • Article

      Our Mothers, Ourselves

      Jul 25, 2023

      Strawberry ice cream. Do you have one little quirky detail about your mother that stays with you forever? Strawberry ice cream is mine. Even though she denied having a sweet tooth, Mom couldn’t resist strawberry ice cream. We usually had it around th

      1 min read

    • Article

      One Step At A Time

      Aug 12, 2019

      One Step At A Time
      4 min read

    • Article

      Love & family

      Dec 28, 2022

      Australian author Peggy Frew creates characters you feel you know and long to help. That aching compassion draws you in and despite its traumatic world of addiction, Wildflowers is impossible to put down. Meg and Nina have always lived in their dazzl

      2 min read

    • Article

      TWISTS, TURNS &REVELATIONS

      Jul 14, 2023

      With the Riboldi brothers settled in Lancashire, it’s the turn of their sisters – so step forward Emma Sophia, born 1866, Catherine Mary, born 1867, and Florence Annette, born 1869, just weeks after their father’s death. Where did they get to, and wh

      5 min read

    • Article

      Story Time

      Oct 6, 2021

      Sarah Francis is sent to Idaho from her New York home to accompany missionary Isaiah, going to teach the word of God to native Americans. She is 17 and sad that her mother does not say “I love you” before she goes. On the train the priest rapes her.

      4 min read

    • Article

      ‘We Had Just Four Days To Prepare For Their Arrival’

      Mar 29, 2022

      Basma Gale, 41, is a holistic health coach and lives in Canterbury with her husband Tom, 41, their children, eight and six, and a Ukrainian family of four. When my father-in-law, an MP, called us from Calais this month, I wasn’t prepared when he ask

      3 min read

    • Article

      The Lost Boy

      Oct 22, 2020

      The Lost Boy
      5 min read

    • Article

      ‘I Am 100% Woman’

      Jul 29, 2022

      ‘I Am 100% Woman’
      4 min read

    • Article

      Books

      Aug 19, 2022

      Books
      4 min read

    • Article

      Top Of The Shelf

      Aug 7, 2022

      For fans of Jane Harper and Ann Cleeves comes a heart-wrenching mystery about a missing schoolgirl whose disappearance leads to the dark secrets of a small town being brought out into the open. OUT NOW A deeply moving memoir of a child’s surviv

      1 min read

    • Article

      Books

      Nov 3, 2020

      How many times have you asked yourself, ‘What if…?’ Ben, whose life hasn’t turned out the way he wanted, has a chance to test this notion. Having never quite found his calling, he is disillusioned, and his marriage to Daphne is on the rocks. So, when

      1 min read

    • Article

      Great Escape

      Mar 27, 2020

      “How well do you know the people who live near you? How well do they know you? Do you know the names of your neighbours? Would you realise if they were in trouble or hadn’t left their house for days?” These are questions posed in an intriguing notebo

      2 min read

    • Article

      Norwegian Woods

      Jun 22, 2023

      Norwegian Woods
      3 min read

    • Article

      SUMMER Reading SPECIAL

      Dec 28, 2022

      In last year’s Booker Prize shortlisted Oh William! we found narrator Lucy Barton reconnecting with her first husband, William, following the death of her second husband. In this sequel COVID has hit New York and William takes control. As a scientist

      10 min read

    • Article

      Great Read

      Aug 10, 2022

      Great Read
      7 min read

    • Article

      Our Door Was Always Open

      Jan 30, 2024

      I once thought my folks invented the opendoor policy. Our door was always open. Whether it was a neighbor searching for his cow who’d escaped through a low spot in the line fence, a student selling magazine subscriptions, or a Watkins salesman, all w

      3 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Halfpenny Orphans

    3.5/5

    3 ratings1 review

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      Sad there isn’t another on in this series. I need to know the rest of the story.