1964

I agree with you fivegee Annette Crosbie gave an excellent performance.

I feel I must praise Annette Crosbie for her moving performance as the old lady who was placed in a rest home. She was almost too convincing and moved me to tears. Such a wonderful portrayal by an outstanding actress.

My Gran had an outside lavatory up till she died in 1976.
She lived in London East End, she would take a "goesunder" up to bed each night.

She had a bathroom upstairs but no lavatory, didn't stop me from staying with her whenever I could, she was one of the kindest, strongest and best ladies I have ever known. I still talk to her and miss her every day.

1965, had first baby in hospital, DH was sent home and told to phone in the morning (even though we had no phone) then three at home. 1st home birth the midwife went home to feed her dog, fell asleep and DH phoned her, "Baby's head showing." 2nd, elderly midwife asked DH for boiling water and when he gave it to her she closed the bedroom door in his face. 3rd.midwife said I needed stitches but as it was the middle of the night she wouldn't wake the doctor so I had to wait till morning, ouch!!!! How things have changed.

We only lock our door at bedtime ,its left unlocked all day ,friends knock and enter .Its how its always been here .I started part time work when I was just 12 in 1966,in our local cinema.There were gas lights all round the buildings that I got to light every day .I was fascinated by them as we'd always had electricity and even my mother born in the early 20's had electric light growing up.When we moved here when I was 11 there were still houses with outside toilets and a friend who was born in the early sixties had gas lighting .its a small country town so maybe just took time to catch up with the city I left behind.

I am fascinated by the age range on gransnet. Seems late 40s to late 80s and beyond. Wonderful wealth of experiences and wise words.

I was equally surprised by mumsnet and so many women having first babies now at 40/41 and older. Having said that my great gran had her first at 21 and the last as 44. But she had 13. Pretty normal then I guess.

I remember an idyllic 70s childhood of playing out all day and every child had a bike.

We didn’t have a key on a string as the door was never locked not even overnight. Times have changed and there seems to be a man in the area who is looking to break into cars or houses.

Call the Midwife, is only based on facts. It's not a documentary and almost certainly tries to encompass different experiences across Britain.

Interesting to read the different GN's people's maternity experiences. You really don't want to hear mine

Anniebach There can be few things worse than losing a baby. To lose two must be heartbreaking, and something you never really get over. I am blessed to have had four healthy children. My heart goes out to you, and anyone else who has suffered such a loss.

My first son was born in hospital in 1964 and I was in there for a week. His crib was near the door and was constantly knocked every time someone came in. My second son was born 12 months later at home. If the first birth was normal we were encouraged to have the second at home. My midwife and GP were present at the birth. I remember them chatting and laughing the whole time, only occasionally keeping an eye on me. It was much more relaxed being at home though. I can remember the midwife calling in the next day and was quite annoyed because I was on a makeshift bed in the lounge and she asked why I wasn't up and about. The baby was born just after midnight and her visit was 10 am. I thought she was very cruel.

I had my first baby in 1969, ten days in the maternity hospital. Second baby in a different county in Wales, home after 36 hours. Third baby in 1972 , fourth baby 1974, they didn’t live.

Allgood. I think that there are quite a few older Gransnetters than me, and I was born in 1939. I had my first child in 1965, then adopted one. I then had three more, in 1971, 1972 and the last in 1980 (big surprise!) They were all born in our local maternity hospital, and all took 24 hours or more to arrive. I'm very jealous of some of the quick deliveries other people have had.

I was born at St George's Hyde Park Corner Bijou

I was born in '63. At home, in the bungalow my mum lived in until she died.

I was 13 in 1964 with 2 brothers 7 & 2 yrs old. All 3 of us were born in hospitals/ nursing homes. The youngest was born in E Africa. I had left boarding school as parents now back in UK and was at the local school opposite my house. I remember going to the clinic with my mum and brothers..to get the babies weighed and to get the orange juice!

My younger brother was born in 1964. A home birth with no anaesthetic, he weighed in at an eye-watering 13lb 10oz!

hannahloisluke snap.

My eldest daughter was born on the day that Kennedy was assassinated too.

The living conditions in the UK varied enormously in the 60s. I has inside bathroom, gas and electricity but sine of the older property especially tenement style were still without these facilities. Large cities took longer to redevelop after WW2 so the conditions shown in Call the Midwife were probably fairly widespread in London.

Funny, I had just been wondering what the age range was on gransnet. A lot of the replies here give some clues.
I was born in 1968 in the house my parents still live in, my my only sister was also born there in 64. My 3 oldest kids were born in 84, 86 & 88. There was no talk of home births, it was 5 nights in hospital with the 1st & 2 nights with 2nd & 3rd. I had my last baby in 2008 - my midwife did her best to persuade me to have a home birth. I declined as I was so much older & worried something might go wrong - I'm glad I had her in hospital as she got stuck.

1967 First baby born at home, if you were fit and your home okay that was the norm in Gosport.
There are plenty of homes like the elderly suffragette's, filled with stuff and more stuff, some people can no longer manage but others choose to have stuff pile around them and that is their choice. Until a few years ago as part of my professional life I visited many of these homes and am sure that they still are out there now. Unless the person has become a danger to themselves and others there is no way or right to remove them.

I was a SW in Brum in the early 70s and believe me there were houses just like the one portrayed - and many much worse!

One person defaecated into empty crisp packets (she used to work for a crisp manufacturer and seemed to have an endless supply of these) - she then put them under the bed. Eventually they rotted into the floor boards and the bed fell through the boards.

LullyDully. No not NHS. I had a bill for 6 Guineas from St. George’s Hospital which was then sited at Hyde Park Corner. Now a hotel.

Bijou, first baby in 1947. New to the NHS. Great to hear . I

10 days was a long stay but I am sure a lot of modern mums could do with the rest and a chance to bond with their babies.

I love Call the midwife but didn't watch it last night. I remember people putting the key on a string. At home, our back door was never locked until bedtime. I had my first baby in 1975 and had to stay in hospital for a week. I went into hospital after midnight and they sent hubby home and told him to come back in the morning. I had forceps birth but he wasn't allowed in the room with me. Well that's what he told me anyway. lol With our other two, I was sent home the next day.

I was 10 in 1964 and my Nan definitely had a key on a piece of string hanging behind the front door. We lived in Stepney in East London and had a great community spirit. As kids we couldn't get away with much because we had the eyes of every parent on us not just our own. We lived in Peabody Buildings and had indoor toilets and bathrooms. We played out to 10pm at night as we were all together and didn't feel unsafe at any time. In fact looking back it was somewhat idyllic compared to today in that respect. We were always running errands for the old ladies on the estate, they'd open the window and shout down from their flat and chuck the money down for us wrapped in their list, which wouldn't happen today. We'd then pop to the shop and walk their shopping up to whatever floor they lived on, there were no lifts and I guess the stairs were difficult for some. I'm a Londoner and still live on the London / Essex border. We always left our bikes lying around and were trusted to walk babies in prams, never had anything nicked back then and we all shared bkes and skates etc. quite willingly.