General Chat

Thank you and I have curtseyed <3 I was a child bride plucked from the arms of my mother (TG)

;-) :-D

there were some dire housing in the east end and dock area even during the early 1960's but maybe they have used poetic licence ;-)

Haven't been there but have heard about orange juoce and castor oil.

London was still recovering from the Blitz in the 50s, probably to a greater extent than the rest of Britain. More than the buildings would have been damaged, water mains,gas mains, drains etc.

People needed somewhere to live more than they needed all mod cons.

Wend you are old enough to be my Mum :-D

Hayley! :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-P :-\

well you so are.... :-|

Right, that's it!! I'm off to bed now, sulking and sucking my thumb :-P :-D

Girls girls, now Hayley how many minutes on a norty step - it is rude to refer to a lady's age and Wend - a lady would ignore a remark like that now kiss and make up - after you leave the step Hayley.

Nighty night Mu...ermm Wend ;-)

Night Aunty Chris ;-)

Night night and sleep tight both of you - a better day tomorrow!!!! <3

Sniffs - oh, awright then - gives H a quick peck.

Night, night <3

Morning All
I was looking forward to watching this programme, because like others I had read the books..I enjoyed it, not bad for a Sunday night BBC production. OH enjoyed it also.
The poverty as depicted, I thought was typical of the docklands area of London, at that time, it was only about 10 years since the war had ended. But, it was probably not typical of elsewhere in the country, particularly in more rural areas.
My older sister was a trainee District Midwife, in one of the less affluent areas of Nottingham, in the early 60's. , which is now regenerated,and much sought after.
When she went out on night calls,by bycycle, she used to take money out of her own very slim purse for the gas meter of the patient, as more often than not, the meter would run out. When the doctor arrived, very grumpy at be woken from his sleep, he was often well hungover.
We were shopping together in Nottingham one day about this time, when sister pointed to a young thing tottering on very high heels, when sister informed me that so many weeks before she had been called to deliver the woman of a baby. When she had arrived, the woman was balancing a plate of stew on her chest, which she was eating between contractions.
Oh well. It takes all sorts.

Julia in Derbyshire

Superb Program

as a collector of prams I was in my element
as a mother of 2 I was amazed at the mother of 25 how on earth did she look that good
and my heart went out to Pearl

My son was shocked that they left the babies outside in their prams

I can't wait for next week

Morning Quoy, Had to laugh to myself at your son's remark. Even in my child bearing years, late 60/70's we always had the baby outside by 9.00am, being bathed, dressed and fed, and a row of Terry Towelling Nappys blowing on the line.
Looking forward to the next episode aswell

Julia in Derbyshire

I bet the delivery scene gets complaints.

Bearing down seems to be the in thing on TV at present. The pregnant abdomens are very realistic, though.

I enjoyed it, despite the slow start.

Late fil was born after a string of still births, and they wrapped him in newspaper, and either (from distant memory), put him under the bed, or on the wash stand, before discovering that he was alive.

My birth mother was a midwife in Basildon in the 1950's- 60's. She tells me of taking coal for one patient.

I missed it :-(

I was at work and forgot to record it, there is a few good things on Sunday nights to watch.

I will have to catch up on the i player

Teresa :-)

I liked it. As i lived in the east end in the 70's and it was still bit like that even then. The flats we lived in were built 1847 and falling down while we were in there, we were on the 4th floor.the railing were half hanging off so had to walk along the wall side. We had rats as big as cats running around. You wouldnt have thought it in the 70's would you.

Part of it was also recorded in Mill Hill north London in the former Jesuit Seminary. I use to live in Mill Hill(i have lived in many places) as well and just cant place it,i must google it late.

Have to see how rest of the weeks are,as some of these promgrams start off good then end not so good.

Hazelx

I would not say I "enjoyed" it but it certaiinly brought back memories !

I trained as a midwife in 1950,6 months at Queen Charlottes and 6 months on the district covering Islington and the Kings Cross area.

We lived in a house near the Angel Islington

It was a very poor area and had been badly bombed,rationing was still in place but I do not remember it resembling anything like that depicted for the London Docks.

Lovely generous people,you could go out on call at night on your own with no fears

Ah well :-)