Worth (1935-2011) wrote her memoirs in her 60s, and the first volume was published in 2002. The BBC series began airing in early 2012.
The story is autobiographical, with most names changed to protect the privacy of people Worth hadn't kept in touch with in the 50 years since the story's setting. And that setting? It's Worth's foray into midwifery in the tough slums of London's East End in the 1950s and early 60s! Yes! This is Betty's world, replete with caps and cloaks, Cockney accents and bicycles.
The first book contains a lot less romance (the author fled a doomed love affair, in her mid-teens, to learn nursing in a West End hospital, and doesn't care to discuss it) and a whole lot more gynecological detail than a Betty novel. There are also heartbreaking stories of poor people abandoned to horror by a system without safety nets. Worth doesn't shrink from the sorrow and horror, but keeps a stiff upper lip and soldiers on, calling in the chiropodist to deal with toenails untrimmed for decades, befriending a young prostitute and trusting a mother of 25(!) to deal with a premature baby successfully. There's also a skinnydipping interlude in literal Brighton, but other than constant babies, no mention of metaphorical Brighton.
I've only seen two episodes of the show, one from the middle and one toward the end, but I get the impression romance figures more largely in the film version than the printed. And oh, the costumes! The hairdos! The meals!
Must dash to library and attempt to wrestle volumes two and three (Shadows of the Workhouse and Farewell to the East End) from what is most likely a long list of requestees. So maybe the bookstore...
Enjoy!
Thank you for posting this. I have only seen a part of one episode and forgot all about it. Now I remember that I had mentioned it here on the blog. I looked up my comment: I had mentioned it because one of them said, "Horlicks and off to bed."
ReplyDeleteTomorrow, I'll be heading for the book store...
This one of my favourite TV series. There is an episode where Jenny goes to work in a hospital for a while - love the uniform!
ReplyDeleteThis is well worth watching, although there's not too much hospital "romance" but there is a romance developing but I won't spoil it for you other Betty's that may not have seen the show yet. Here in Australia I've already seen two and possibly three of the series already. Very entertaining and if you like the retro era you'll like the show.
ReplyDelete