MIDIRS Essence > July 2010 > MIDIRS
Exploring the history of birth: a case study of midwifery care in 1930s England
Originally posted on Jul 2010
For those who have an interest in the history of midwifery, and perhaps nursing, there is a wonderful website that gives information about the UK Centre for the History of Nursing and Midwifery.
The centre is located in the University of Manchester, with support from the Royal College of Nursing, and is very active in offering insights into a wide range of documents that illustrate the varied activities of nurses and midwives over the centuries. MIDIRS Midwifery Digest has featured several articles about this in the past.
The June 2010 issue of the Digest continues this theme where Dr Tania McIntosh, Lecturer in Midwifery at the University of Nottinham, who has links with the Centre, interviewed Mrs Alice Ray (nee Pearson) about her experiences of being a midwife in Blackpool in the 1930s.
Alice sadly passed away in June at the age of 103 years old, but when interviewed, her memory appeared undimmed as she recounted her role and activities as a district midwife and her relationships with the women in the community and the local doctors.
Dr McIntosh reflects on some of these memories and how they relate to midwifery care as it is undertaken today. Sometimes it is good to know where we have come from so that we can see more clearly into the future, as well as recognising the great debt we owe to the pioneers of nursing and midwifery, and women like Alice who are so easily faded out of the picture but whose diligence and competence contributed to increasing health for women in pregnancy and childbirth.
Reference
McIntosh T (2010). Exploring the history of birth: a case study of midwifery care in 1930s England. MIDIRS Midwifery Digest 20(2):159-163)
To find out more about the UK Centre for the History of Nursing and Midwifery visit www.nursing.manchester.ac.uk/ukchnm.
Dr Tania McIntosh| MIDIRS Midwifery Digest 20(2):159-63) | Photo credit:
Gina Pierce
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