Interview with Mrs G. Matthews

              1932 first started working in Abbey Street area. She left the General Hospital and did her training at Old Bond Street hospital, this was part of her training for midwifery. They always had a nurse with them whilst training and were never allowed to do the delivery until after they'd passed their exams. They had to see 20 births and delivery 20 plus 12 inside the hospital before they could take their exams. 

It was mostly night work. They walked everywhere. Described the first case. Most people had large families because there was no contraception. Remembers doctors telling men off after women had had 11 children. But no advice. Abbey street area was poor. There was no regular work. They lived on a pittance and the church gave very little. In Belgrave some nuns from St. Marks were very good and used to go and help. All were home births because it cost a guinea to go into hospital. No one wanted to go anyway. They never paid for a home delivery. Sometimes they'd have to put the baby in a drawer although everything was very clean. Describes another birth. Describes housing - kitchens, cleanliness, toilets, 2 to 4 houses. Had to burn cancer dressings, that was part of her training. Talks about washing facilities. The lighting was gas and 1p a time. Sometimes when she did a delivery the gas would run out and so they'd have to deliver by candlelight. Talks briefly about dirty delivery and illegitimate birth, would carry newspaper to put instruments on when dirty. Describes flea bitten women and children. Doesn't remember any of them dying. The area was very neighbourly - describes one example. Used bromide to deaden pain, but the only one who could give injections was a doctor and it worried her. Talks about having her own children at home. 
T.B. was very bad in the 'district.' She worked in the district for 3 years (just before she got married) and lived in. You could sign up for either 2 or 5 years. They had overflow from the hospitals and handled the surgical T.B. cases. They were sent out from Groby Road, where they gave T.B. injections. Belgrave very nice district but most houses had a T.B. patient. They went everywhere on bikes. It worried her because it could spread to the whole family but doctor would step in and make them have tests. 

They were covered by health service run by firms (½ p a week) - it covered the whole family. Had to ask if they had a 'yellow card'. They never got fresh air. They had to sit on doorsteps. The new estates helped get rid of T.B. Talks about 'districts' changing. They had no room in Groby Road for them all. Describes hospital and relative who suspected T.B. and chilblains. There was no knowledge of contraception. There were very large families and so they were glad if they had a miscarriage. Remembers one shop in Northampton Street where you could buy a durex. It was a disgrace in those days.  

There were a lot of back street abortions. When she was at the General Hospital there were criminal abortion cases that went wrong and they ended up in hospital. It was all covered up and no-one ever caught. No way to stop it. Talks about spilling a phial of Novacenobe on fingers. Care was taken that no one was infected with V.D. Patients inspected once a day and tested once a week. One boy came in who they thought had a stroke. In the night the doctor decided he must be tested. He went to the men’s ward. He went to Carlton Hayes. Remembers two men who went queer with V.D. 

Born Burfield Street. Went to Catherine School. Describes house. Talks about how they moved house and describes the new house. Talks about first day at school and what she did.