# Mother — The Railway Children character guide > Mother in The Railway Children by E. Nesbit. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Directly Mother, little Mother Goose, Grandfather Mother, ÄúYour Mother **First appearance:** 0001-the-railway-children ## Snapshot A clever, playful writer who hides her grief behind jokes and stories, holding three bewildered children together after their world collapses. ## Who they are Before the change, Mother filled the nursery with homemade poems and read her stories aloud after tea; afterward, she writes furiously for money and never lets the children see her cry. Her pride forbids charity, and her silence about Father's absence becomes a weight the children can feel but not name. She is the quiet engine of the book — the reason the children's kindness matters, and the standard against which they measure their own behaviour. ## Relationships ### [Roberta (Bobbie)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/characters/roberta_bobbie) _family_ Mother and Bobbie share a deeply affectionate and supportive bond, with Bobbie often acting as her mother's confidante and helper. ### [Peter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/characters/peter) _family_ Mother is a caring and guiding figure for Peter, especially after the father's absence, fostering his sense of responsibility. ### [Phyllis](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/characters/phyllis) _family_ Mother is a gentle and nurturing presence for Phyllis, providing comfort and guidance. ### [Father](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/characters/father) _family_ Father and Mother share a loving marriage, though separated by Father's wrongful imprisonment. ### [Roberta (Bobbie)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/characters/roberta_bobbie) _family_ Mother and Bobbie share a deeply affectionate and supportive bond, with Bobbie often acting as her mother's confidante and helper. ### [Roberta (Bobbie)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/characters/roberta_bobbie) _family_ Mother and Bobbie share a deeply affectionate and supportive bond, with Bobbie often acting as her mother's confidante and helper. ### [Peter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/characters/peter) _family_ Mother is a caring and guiding figure for Peter, especially after the father's absence, fostering his sense of responsibility. ### [Phyllis](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/characters/phyllis) _family_ Mother is a gentle and nurturing presence for Phyllis, providing comfort and guidance. ### [Peter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/characters/peter) _family_ Mother is a caring and guiding figure for Peter, especially after the father's absence, fostering his sense of responsibility. ### [Phyllis](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/characters/phyllis) _family_ Mother is a gentle and nurturing presence for Phyllis, providing comfort and guidance. ### [Father](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/characters/father) _family_ Father and Mother share a loving marriage, though separated by Father's wrongful imprisonment. ## In the story ### [The Railway Children](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/chapters/the-railway-children) The resilient and loving mother who manages the household after the father's departure, writing stories to support the family and maintaining a cheerful front. ### [The Beginning of Things](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/chapters/i-the-beginning-of-things) The loving and resilient mother who writes stories and poetry for her children, but hides her sorrow after the father's departure. ### [Peter's Coal-Mine](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/chapters/ii-peter-s-coal-mine) Struggles with poverty, writes constantly, and tries to keep the children cheerful despite their circumstances. ### [The Old Gentleman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/chapters/iii-the-old-gentleman) Falls ill with influenza, struggles with the cost of medicine, and allows the children to walk by the railway despite her fears. ### [IV: The Engine-Burglar](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/chapters/iv-the-engine-burglar) Angry and tearful upon learning the children asked strangers for gifts, but forgives them and writes a thank-you letter to the Old Gentleman. ### [Prisoners and Captives](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/chapters/v-prisoners-and-captives) Speaks French with the stranger, takes him home, and reveals his tragic past; her voice trembles with emotion. ### [Saviours of the Train](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/chapters/vi-saviours-of-the-train) Writes letters to help the Russian find his family; cares for him and lends her watch to the children. ### [For Valour](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/chapters/vii-for-valour) Unhappy but not revealing the reason; Bobbie silently loves her more; she is praised by the Old Gentleman as a good woman for helping the Russian. ### [The Amateur Firemen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/chapters/viii-the-amateur-firemen) Anxious when children return late and wet, but proud of their bravery; shares memories of canal trips with Father. ### [The Pride of Perks](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/chapters/ix-the-pride-of-perks) Supports the children's plan by allowing them to use the bun-day for Perks's birthday and offering to decorate the buns. ### [The Terrible Secret](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/chapters/x-the-terrible-secret) Reveals her sorrow over the separation from Father and encourages the children to talk about him, sharing stories of their childhood. ### [The Hound in the Red Jersey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/chapters/xi-the-hound-in-the-red-jersey) Comforts Bobbie after she learns the truth, explaining the false accusation and the evidence against Father. ### [The Hound's Grandfather](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/chapters/xiii-the-hound-s-grandfather) Nurses Jim, agrees to become matron of Three Chimneys Hospital, comforts Peter with a metaphor about God writing their story. ### [The End](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/chapters/xiv-the-end) Now has time for lessons and play; writes rhymes for the children; notices Bobbie's distress and lets her off lessons. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/characters/mother - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_railway_children_se/characters