The Incorrigible Rogue

by Cynn Chadwick

Rochdale, Lancashire, England, 1885.

Martha Anne Ashworth is in trouble in school, once again. The precocious and gifted 10 year old daughter of mill owner John Ashworth has, for the umpteenth time, tried school and parental patience and now legal authority with her quick wit, sharp tongue, impudent defiance, and certain determined independence. With her mother dying, and her father drowning his woes in whisky, young Martha Anne’s wildness leads to her eventual arrest as an Incorrigible Rogue; all seems to be spiraling out of control until an uncanny friendship with the village wise woman, Betty Nuppy, helps guide Martha Anne on a path to salvation, if not, at least, redemption.

270 pages, Paperback

Published July 21, 2023

About the author

Cynn Chadwick was born and raised in New Jersey but has lived in the South for over twenty years. Earning both an MA in literature and an MFA in fiction at Goddard College in Vermont, Chadwick is currently a lecturer in the Creative Writing Program at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. Prior to earning her degrees, she worked for one of the first women in the United States to become a master carpenter, an experience that continues to inform her writing.

Reviews

[Vicki Lane]

For years my friend, the writer Cynn Chadwick, had heard stories of her family's origin in the UK, as well as the interesting fact that her great grandmother Mary Anne had a somewhat checkered past. Indeed, had been officially labelled an Incorrigible Rogue.

Well. What's a writer to do? With this intriguing tidbit, Chadwick determined to find out more about her great grandmother, born in Lancashire, England in the 19th century. The author says, "She'd been known to me through family stories as: a fishwife, a drunkard, a whore, and a brawler. There were stories of a husband who fled her, a man who beat her, sons who dragged her from fights in pubs, and yet, something didn't ring true as she'd lived long and kept her family close."

So, Chadwick went to Lancashire to talk to family members and to immerse herself in the surroundings. As she pursued what bits of May Anne's history she could find, she came to the realization that what she was trying to do was to redeem Mary Anne by exploring the possible causes of her behavior.

The novel is rich in incident and the setting is beautifully realized, thanks to the author's extensive on-site research. And Mary Anne is a terrific and sympathetic protagonist.

Chadwick does an excellent job in redeeming her great grandmother, building on fragments of family legend and imagining the circumstances that produced the woman she began to know. It's a lively tale, a roller coaster of a life, and a redemption song to touch the heart.

[Susan Ward]

I really enjoyed this fast-paced tale of an English woman in the 1800s, from an impetuous teen to a mature woman. The language and locations gave the story a lot of color. Martha Anne Chadwick had a few frailties, including her temper, but many endearing qualities. She had one true love early in life and a husband who fooled her. Despite her hardships, Martha Anne managed to take care of her children and was a good friend. I admired her grit and determination. She was definitely incorrigible from time to time. Well worth reading!