Episode list

In Victorian London foundlings Hetty Feather and Gideon Smeed are fostered by the Cotton family until the age of five when they are taken to the foundling hospital, run by the austere Matron Bottomly and separated into different wings for boys and girls. Having sworn that she would look after Gideon Hetty makes efforts to see him, meeting Mathias, an older boy who looks after Gideon and who plans to escape and run away to sea. Hetty helps Mathias craft a letter to the man who will facilitate this and plans to join him and other boys in an escape attempt. However, thanks to the She-Mob, a group of nasty girls who seek to ingratiate themselves with matron, she fails to join the escapees. Following the discovery that three boys have gone the hospital is subject to an even harsher regime.

Hetty tells her friends Harriet and Polly that it will soon be her and Gideon's birthdays as celebrated at the foster parents and, since the sexes are segregated, she must think of a way to meet Gideon for a celebration. When food is stolen from the kitchen Matron orders a lockdown but Hetty takes advantage of a rat infestation to get a message to Gideon and later, under the guise of helping the rat-catcher lay traps, she and her friends obtain access through the loft to a tower where they meet Gideon and his friends and establish their own den. Later that night the food thief is caught - it is Mathias who, having escaped, has returned to the hospital where he is hiding.

Matron attempts to coerce a cowed Mathias into being her spy as she sets the orphans to work making toys, supposedly destined for charities though Gus discovers that she and tradesman Cooper are planning to sell them to stores for profit and leads the others in sabotaging the goods. They are almost caught but Mathias rescues them before explaining how he returned to the hospital to avoid being sold as a slave. Matron is angry when she sees the damaged toys but, as the children are falling ill due to lead paint, humane teacher Mr Cranbourne persuades her to stop her venture, pointing out that the governors would not be happy to know about her deal with a rogue like Cooper.

A new foundling arrives, a little girl called Eliza, who was fostered with the same family as Hetty though Hetty is disappointed that her borrowed brother Jem seems to have forgotten her. Matron also receives a visitor, her kindly sister Annie, appalled that Matron will not visit their dying mother. When Eliza takes revenge on Matron by shredding her clothes Hetty takes the blame and is put in solitary but Annie discovers the real culprit and rescues Hetty, explaining that she and her sister were also raised in a workhouse, hence Matron's severe attitude. Thus Hetty has information to use against her enemy and is also cheered to find that Jem has not forgotten her at all.

The foundlings must perform a hymn by composer Mr Melrose to sing at a charity lunch but they are bored by it so kindly Nurse Winterson teaches them a music hall song, with the result that Matron sacks her. Hetty, aware that the nurse is the sole provider for her invalid father, persuades the children to go on strike and refuse to sing at the lunch but Matron tries to call her bluff by threatening punishment. Fortunately the children stage a concert of their own which so impresses Mr Melrose that he persuades Matron to reinstate Nurse Winterson.

An army sergeant visits the hospital to recruit a drummer boy, the successful candidate being decided on the outcome of a series of tests. In the event the sergeant picks both Walter and Matthias - who has stood up for his friend against the bullying Vince but Matthias declines the offer, stating that his fight is within the hospital. Meanwhile Hetty and Sheila are forced to work together in the infirmary and call a brief truce whilst they help to bring the withdrawn Charlie out of his shell.

Gideon gets a letter from his mother wanting to see him and he attempts to escape but Hetty proves to him it was a hoax perpetrated by the unpleasant Sheila. Meanwhile Hannah and Arthur Prestwick come to the hospital to reclaim the little girl they left there. Matron claims that no such child was ever admitted but Hetty comes up with proof and her friend Mary is reunited with her parents. Hetty's attempts to persuade a humane governor, Lady Asquith, that Matron is selling the foundlings to cruel masters as apprentices are, however, less successful as Matron lies her way out of it.

Gideon plans on escaping in search of his parents, but Vince and Judd have other plans.

Sheila uses the open day as an opportunity to make some money, but ends up getting caught thieving! What will Matron Bottomly say?