The old house in the city

A crowded former mansion houses struggling families whose children—Lettie, Hor, and the frail Ailie—navigate hunger, fear of the workhouse, and daily hardships. After Ailie disappears to avoid institutional removal, the household and neighbours search amid narrow streets, cramped garrets, and precarious odd jobs. Episodes trace small acts of kindness, domestic resourcefulness, and moral dilemmas as the children and an earnest young man named John confront poverty, secret histories, and community obligations. The narrative moves from immediate need and anxious searching to discoveries that resolve the household's fate and secure a more hopeful new home.