Call The Midwife #2

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Libbylulu said:
As sweet as the ending of the young girl bringing home her baby, the shame she would have felt from neighbours and passers by would have awful back then. The Colette story is also not of its time
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Yes I thought it odd that the parents wanted to keep the baby but their daughter didnā€™t.
Iā€™d have thought the reverse would be true. The woman was Irish wasnā€™t she? I donā€™t know if that was to imply she was religious but if so, back then theyā€™d have probably disowned their daughter for bringing shame on the family.
Iā€™m sure the midwives and doctors would have been more judgemental too but no, they are so liberal and accepting.
 
My mum got pregnant in 1961 and she had to get married. There was simply no question of her having the child and keeping it so she got married and had to stay married even though her husband was awful.

My dad got a girl pregnant in 1968 and her family would not allow her and my dad to get married, for religious reasons. The girl was Indian, my dad's family weren't totally accepting of the mixed relationship but would have supported a marriage, which they both wanted. Her family locked her in a room until she was ready to go into an unmarried mother's home where she was forced to give the baby up. It really annoys me that they give the 60s the chocolate box treatment, no one was that accepting. It must have been an awful time to be alive, in many ways
 
Lizzie Mintdrop said:
My mum got pregnant in 1961 and she had to get married. There was simply no question of her having the child and keeping it so she got married and had to stay married even though her husband was awful.

My dad got a girl pregnant in 1968 and her family would not allow her and my dad to get married, for religious reasons. The girl was Indian, my dad's family weren't totally accepting of the mixed relationship but would have supported a marriage, which they both wanted. Her family locked her in a room until she was ready to go into an unmarried mother's home where she was forced to give the baby up. It really annoys me that they give the 60s the chocolate box treatment, no one was that accepting. It must have been an awful time to be alive, in many ways
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I love CTM but as you and others have stated it was still a very different time, sadly there was still prejudice towards unmarried mothers and it rang so untrue that the mother of the teenager would have been so keen to have her and the baby. If anything it would have likely been them pressuring for the adoption of the baby. At times they do sugar coat things to the point it becomes unrealistic. It would have been different if the parents were slightly hippy or unconventional but they appeared very conservative, professional and no doubt worried what the neighbours might say.
 
I think CTM has gone a bit too chocolate box in recent series.

I remember the series were Mary was pregnant with a pimp at 15 and she was forced to give up her baby and it drove her mad to the point where she took someone elseā€™s. That was much more in keeping with the times.

Same with the hairdresser who worked from home and she got pregnant with a mixed race baby and her husband kicked off, so she gave it up for adoption. Again, much more realistic.

Of course some husbands did ā€œacceptā€ babies from outside marriage and of course, some unmarried mothers did keep their babies, but not as many.

My exā€™s nan was conceived during the war as the result of an affair between his great nan and a married American solider. Despite it being the 40ā€™s and her being a single mum, she did keep her baby.
 
I think in a private set up like the nuns were they could employ anyone they wanted. I know private schools could employ married teachers. By 1960 a lot of nurses were married with families. I think more women worked than you might expect. I know my mother and most of my friends' mums did. There were a lot of latchkey kids.
 
Fishwife said:
I think in a private set up like the nuns were they could employ anyone they wanted. I know private schools could employ married teachers. By 1960 a lot of nurses were married with families. I think more women worked than you might expect. I know my mother and most of my friends' mums did. There were a lot of latchkey kids.
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Yeah my nan worked while raising seven kids. This was in the 50s-70s. She worked on and off, but generally she worked as they just couldnā€™t afford to live otherwise.
 
Rippedjeanmaybe said:
I think CTM has gone a bit too chocolate box in recent series.

I remember the series were Mary was pregnant with a pimp at 15 and she was forced to give up her baby and it drove her mad to the point where she took someone elseā€™s. That was much more in keeping with the times.

Same with the hairdresser who worked from home and she got pregnant with a mixed race baby and her husband kicked off, so she gave it up for adoption. Again, much more realistic.

Of course some husbands did ā€œacceptā€ babies from outside marriage and of course, some unmarried mothers did keep their babies, but not as many.

My exā€™s nan was conceived during the war as the result of an affair between his great nan and a married American solider. Despite it being the 40ā€™s and her being a single mum, she did keep her baby.
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I still remember Doctor Turnerā€™s attitude to the lad who was gay that was working in a hotel. Compare that to the doctors on Itā€™s a Sin in the 80ā€™s are we supposed to believe attitudes regressed in twenty years.
 
Shesaidwhat? said:
I still remember Doctor Turnerā€™s attitude to the lad who was gay that was working in a hotel. Compare that to the doctors on Itā€™s a Sin in the 80ā€™s are we supposed to believe attitudes regressed in twenty years.
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I agree. There is no way heā€™d have reacted like that in the 1960s. If the writers made Timothy gay, no doubt Dr Turner would throw him a coming out party and invite the nuns! šŸ˜†
 
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