Show Posts
1
Surrey / Re: Assisi Mother & Baby Homes
« on: Friday 20 August 21 01:22 BST (UK) »
Hi there,
I am posting this for my mother who is not tech savvy at 86 but she gave birth to my sister at this mother and baby home in February 1968. My mum was out of the ordinary as she was in her 30's and a mature devout Catholic who found herself pregnant a long way from home as she was here studying in the UK at the time. She was at the home from the end of January to early February as she only was there at the end of her pregnancy to deliver and kept my sister but she did meet a couple of girls there that she has never forgotten and remembers their stories. To this day she goes on about hoping to meet them again and find out where they are now and how things turned out for them. One young lady in particular as my sister was named after her and she was to name her son a particular name in the event they might meet in the future as that young lady was due to give her baby up for adoption and return to Ireland but was still unsure. There was no guarantee she was having a boy of course it may have been her wish. I won't include too much detail as being younger than my mother she may very well still be alive. Another young lady of about 17 who was English would also have had her baby towards the end of January 1968 and was having to give it up under parental pressure. I believe the adoptive parents visited before the baby was even born so they had already met her and her parents in person so they knew who was having the baby in advance. My mother was a a trainee nurse with maternity experience so the nun's had her do obs on the other mother's during the time she was there taking temperatures, blood pressures etc. She remembers it well even at her age and felt very sorry for many of the girls who were clearly upset at having to give up babies and often terrified of the actual birth process being there young and alone if coming from Ireland or not having relatives who could visit or supportive parents to see them through it. Everyone had a job to do from cleaning to peeling potatoes. My mum was lucky enough to have some experience of nursing and working in midwifery so at least knew what to expect. If anyone was born there between the middle to end of January 1968 and the first week of February 1968 and might know anyone. It would be great for my mum to reconnect with the girls/women she met as she has never forgotten them and we have heard their stories for years and wonder ourselves how life turned out for them.
I hope this post hasn't breached any rules. My mother is happy for me to post this and I have left out names and specific identifying information.
I am posting this for my mother who is not tech savvy at 86 but she gave birth to my sister at this mother and baby home in February 1968. My mum was out of the ordinary as she was in her 30's and a mature devout Catholic who found herself pregnant a long way from home as she was here studying in the UK at the time. She was at the home from the end of January to early February as she only was there at the end of her pregnancy to deliver and kept my sister but she did meet a couple of girls there that she has never forgotten and remembers their stories. To this day she goes on about hoping to meet them again and find out where they are now and how things turned out for them. One young lady in particular as my sister was named after her and she was to name her son a particular name in the event they might meet in the future as that young lady was due to give her baby up for adoption and return to Ireland but was still unsure. There was no guarantee she was having a boy of course it may have been her wish. I won't include too much detail as being younger than my mother she may very well still be alive. Another young lady of about 17 who was English would also have had her baby towards the end of January 1968 and was having to give it up under parental pressure. I believe the adoptive parents visited before the baby was even born so they had already met her and her parents in person so they knew who was having the baby in advance. My mother was a a trainee nurse with maternity experience so the nun's had her do obs on the other mother's during the time she was there taking temperatures, blood pressures etc. She remembers it well even at her age and felt very sorry for many of the girls who were clearly upset at having to give up babies and often terrified of the actual birth process being there young and alone if coming from Ireland or not having relatives who could visit or supportive parents to see them through it. Everyone had a job to do from cleaning to peeling potatoes. My mum was lucky enough to have some experience of nursing and working in midwifery so at least knew what to expect. If anyone was born there between the middle to end of January 1968 and the first week of February 1968 and might know anyone. It would be great for my mum to reconnect with the girls/women she met as she has never forgotten them and we have heard their stories for years and wonder ourselves how life turned out for them.
I hope this post hasn't breached any rules. My mother is happy for me to post this and I have left out names and specific identifying information.