When need arose, they were there.
Speaking for Cables Wynd and the Corporation Buildings, we were all at one time indebted to certain women folk for their care and attention at time of need.
At the time when mothers were more likely to give birth at home, they depended on the help given them by neighbours in attendance on them.
As well as this, at the other end of life`s spectrum, these same women would help prepare the departed. No money was ever exchanged for these services, such were the close ties between neighbours. How times have changed.
Now today I feel I must give long overdue recognition to these persons who were neighbours in the true sense.
Aged 8 at the time, I was hurriedly given instructions by my own grandmother to let old Mrs Grant know that she was wanted. I was not aware of the reason, but it turned out my aunt was in labour.
Mrs Connolly, a young mother herself, was already present as she lived next door to my grandparents.
Soon I was being introduced to my first cousin.
On a more sombre note, these ladies were in attendance on my grandmother`s death in the same house four years later. Such was our dependancy on our ain folk.
All this was before the National Health Service was instituted.
Now who were your Florence Nightingales? Lets commemorate them here.
Re: Midwife... My Mums Auntie Jennie Duncan was a midwife, she probably delivered babies around the Kirkgate area, I have a photo of her holding a baby. Ruth McClounnan
Bill Macrae, 3 Cadiz Street. My Mother Annie Macrae did these needfuls for all the people in our stair and in the next stair also 32 families were helped if they wanted it. Anecdotes: It was not unusual for our doorbell to be rang in the wee small hours and a neighbour would be there asking if Annie could come as someone was about to Die/Give Birth. We knew it would be a cold breakfast that morning. She was also well known as a Dressmaker and made inumerable wedding dresses and Bridesmaid dresses while she lived there although she was a widow for many many years with four boys to raise. And when my MUM had to move out of our tenement stair (absolutely traumatised at the thought) into Sheltered Housing within 6 months, she was standing in for the assistant warden and helping them with only the deaths this time.
My Auntie,Cissie,12? Jane St. Formerly, Cecilia Black,8 Tennant St. married Jimmy Watson, an all time Docker and ex DESERT RAT in between.
Anecdotes: She was one of these LADY'S that we all knew , "She wis aye workin fir others" whether it be Family, Friends or Strangers, but mostly for the poor and sick. I will alway's remember as a young child if there was a crisis of any sort and she showed up, I would say to myself "Oh good Antie Cissie's here". A comforting thought, in those day's. Alec. I must mention Mrs. Freshwater, 8 Tennant St. Midwife, Sally Ann and all of the above, thinking back, I am ashamed to admit that we "rotten keelies " teased the Family and called them the FISHWATERS. Fun for us at the time, but it must have caused some pain, for which I am truly sorry. Alex Wallace.
