General Chat

I am sure that I read that the series was so successful that theya re going to put on another series.

Rita, the way I read it, it was to be another series, not a repeat.
We had ration books for ages after the war, but we did live in Scotland at the time. Cigs, we quite cheap by comparison to today. I still have my Identity Card.
I can remember that just after the war, my mother smoked (very few), Park Drive. They used to come in by boat from Northern Island. Dad smoked, but he had been in the Navy. They both gave up when I was in my teens and about to get married.

Julia in Derbyshire

I have just read in the Radio Times that this programme has been recommissioned by the BBC, and will be shown next year.

Julia in Derbyshire

I have to admit having attended classes etc in 1958 do not recall any mothers/to be smoking but then none of my female friends or family did either. However, I can recall the senior partner of the practice having on his desk a very large tin ashtray (pub type) and the ash was always falling on to the desk so piled high with butts!

I lived then in a large village 5 miles from major city.

Yeah Kay I agree far too much packed in to 1 episode.

Well I thought it was cut short on being entertaining for a last episode,........just too much packed in.and triplets aswell.!!

Winnie, Jenny was not an actress and was fairly elderly when the series was fimed for TV, she died last year (from cancer I believe).

Agree with you Rita about the children running around in the clinic. Remarked on it OH while we were watching the episode. Our clinic was at my GP's surgery, smoking was unheard of.

Iv never heard Jennie Lee speak as much in an episode, She seems a bit wooden.
Miranda is wonderful though. What a lovely series and Im glad there is to be another one. :-)

Just watched this weeks (Sundays), recorded it. Yes I think they have amalgamated two books. Very good this week and very sad.

I too have enjoyed what I have seen of the series Rita sadly I missed acouple of episodes as I was on holiday, but I love some of the detail, like the women all sat there have a smoke whilst waiting for their appointments the old prams the way the babies are dressed who gobby and rude some of the women were, my mum would of been married about that time but she had been nurse before han.

They must of intergrated the 2 books, as soon as I saw Peggy and Frank I knew who they were, in the book it gives a more detailed story of how they became to be in the work house , all about Franks struggle to get Peggy back, all about the sexual abuse that went on in the work house, how Frank became to be a coaster, back slang, I was also shocked at the incest and we decissused it on one of Ann's book club threads, I remember Jean Durrant saying it wouldn't of been discussed in them dayspeople would of just accepted it.


Next week the old nuns court case is also from the same book, now if it is acted half as funny as its written it will be really good. :-D

I've read Shadows of a Workhouse and thoroughly enjoyed it

Passed it onto my daughter she also thought it was good

Surprises to come

;-) ;-) ;-)

i have that one too Rita (shadows of the workhouse) havent started reading it yet.

Rita it is by the same author who wrote the book called Call the Midwife.

Yesterday on Alan Titchmarsh show - there was a retired midwife (retd 3 yrs) who began work in 1957 in an area./close to Paisley. Said factually it was spot on, that she recalls no sheets for the bed but newspapers and borrowing a cup and saucer so she (midwife) could have a cup of tea as they drank out of jam jars. She actually brought her original kit with her and last birth was twins the second being breech. A younger midwife began in Poplar two years ago and some rep of widwives.

I am a big fan of Roy Hudd. Thirty years ago I worked on the taxi rank in Chichester when he was appearing in Underneath the Arches at the Festival Theatre.

Nobody could understand why I always drooled when he was on TV. Well,I can tell you the camera hates him. He looks dead gormless in photographs and on TV but I can tell you that in those days he was absolutely gorgeous up close.

I have just watched the recording. I thought Roy Hudd's acting was excellent and the storyline was so sad. Annoyingly though the recording cut off just as Jenny was on the bench and Jimmy walked up to her. Did much happen after that? I need to check the book.

oh its FANTASTIC ive watched all three episodes so far....Reads far better in the book.....But still a FANTASTIC program :-) :-)
What abt "BIRDSONG" very good viewing truly enjoyed :-) :-) :-)

Morning Everybody
Really enjoyed this again last night.
Neither of us are very fond of Miranda Hart in the other parts she has played, But last night thought she was great.

Take Care All

Julia in Derbyshire