"No one has ever said that to me. Thank you Miss Bennett."
Edith Wharton was a former inmate of Wentworth Detention Centre.
'Edie' to her friends was attempting to find refuge at the 'Salvos' but couldn't as she and Horris were not married.
Edie ends up arrested after throwing a brick through the 'Salvoss' refuge window and then attacking her landlady with an umbrella that was given to her by a sympathetic sergeant at the local police station. Edie makes friends with Lizzie Birdsworth and unfortunately during the night passes away.
Life before Prisoner[]
Attempting to find refuge at the Salvation Army, they are told they can stay if Edith went to the female area and Horris went to the male area (as they weren't married). So Edie and Horris decide to rough it in the park, as long as it means staying together, despite Horris being seriously ill.
In the morning, Edie finds out that Horris has died and their stuff was stolen. After buying alcohol (with what little money they had) and getting drunk, she decides to go to Salvation Army, while in her drunken state, to tell them what she thinks of them. She ends up throwing a brick through a window (for which she gets a warning). After getting her pension she rents a flat, which has a sociopath landlady who takes five weeks rent in advance. With little money left she goes shopping but is caught shoplifting (for which she gets another warning). When Edith returns to her flat her landlady calls her a common criminal and drunk, and she retaliates by attacking her with an umbrella. She is then sent to Wentworth.
Life in Prison[]
In Wentworth Detention Centre, Edie is befriended by Lizzie Birdsworth. The two chat about the old days, and they share some funny moments when Edie is talking to staff, while Lizzie is trying to steal, only to tell Edie "I thought you were distracting them for me".
While both inmates and staff warn Edie that prison can be a dangerous place at times, Edie doesn't seem to mind as she has a roof over her head and a place to sleep.
Officer Jim Fletcher had a soft spot for Edie. This was naturally due to her age. Jim wanted to do everything he could to make Edie comfortable, including keeping a protective eye on her. When Jean Vernon upset Edie with questions about her future, it was Jim who confronted Jean about the situation. Eventually Edie was told she would be released. The night before she was due to be paroled, Edie went to bed worried about her future. By morning, Lizzie was saddened to find that Edie had passed away during the night, dying peacefully in her sleep. In a noble gesture, Jim Fletcher claimed Edie's corpse in order to avoid her receiving a "pauper's funeral", and giving her some respect.