Jennifer Worth
Jennifer Worth
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Jennifer Worth's full name was Jennifer Virginia Archer. She is often referred to as Jennie Lingard in her writing.
Birth and Death Dates
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Jennifer Worth was born on July 23, 1935, and passed away on May 31, 2011.
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Born in London, England, Jennifer Worth held British nationality. She worked as a midwife, a nurse, and an author, best known for her books about her experiences as a midwife in the East End of London in the 1950s.
Early Life and Background
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Jennifer Worth grew up in a comfortable middle-class family in Essex. Her early life was marked by a strong sense of duty and service to others, which would later influence her career choices. She developed an interest in nursing during her teenage years and went on to study at the Royal College of Midwives.
Major Accomplishments
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Jennifer Worth's most notable accomplishment is her series of memoirs about her experiences as a midwife in the East End of London, which were later adapted into a popular BBC television series. These books, including "Call the Midwife," "Shadows of the Workhouse," and "Farewell to the East End," offer a unique perspective on life in post-war Britain.
Notable Works or Actions
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Worth's writing focuses on her time working as a midwife in the 1950s. During this period, she worked at the Anglican convent of Nonnatus House, where she and other midwives provided care to mothers and babies living in poverty-stricken areas of London. Her experiences during this time have been extensively documented in her books.
Impact and Legacy
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Jennifer Worth's writing has had a lasting impact on readers worldwide. Her portrayal of life as a midwife in the 1950s provides valuable insights into social history, while also highlighting the importance of compassion and care in healthcare. The popularity of her books and the subsequent television series have raised awareness about the challenges faced by women during this period.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Jennifer Worth's quotes and stories are widely quoted or remembered due to their candid portrayal of life as a midwife in post-war Britain. Her writing provides a unique perspective on social history, highlighting the struggles faced by women and children living in poverty-stricken areas of London during this period.
Worth's legacy extends beyond her writing; she has inspired numerous readers to pursue careers in healthcare and has contributed significantly to our understanding of the importance of compassionate care.
Quotes by Jennifer Worth
Jennifer Worth's insights on:
And ‘woman’ in the slums is capable of taking on almost superhuman responsibility, from a very young age, that would crush most of us. Today they live in luxury – look at all the giddy young girls around us – they have no memory of how their mothers and grandmothers lived and died. They have no understanding of what it took to raise a family twenty or thirty years ago.
Most houses had a wireless, but I did not see a single TV set during my time in the East End, which may well have contributed to the size of the families.
I remember one old woman we pulled out of the rubble. She wasn’t hurt. She gripped my arm and said: ‘That bugger Hitler. ‘E’s killed me old man, good riddance, ’e’s killed me kids, more’s the pity. ‘E’s bombed me ’ouse, so I got nowhere ’a live, bu’ ’e ain’t got me. An’ I got sixpence in me pocket an’ vat pub on ve corner, Master’s Arms, ain’t been bombed, so let’s go an’ ’ave a drink an’ a sing-song.’” There.
The men were ordered to retreat, and to leave the dead. In the sun the injured would die of thirst the following day. “That was the moment when I realised the truth of my mother’s words, that we were just ‘cannon-fodder’. Young private soldiers were ordered, time and time again, to march directly into gunfire, and High Command didn’t give a damn how many died, nor the cost in human suffering.
All nuns, by the very fact of their monastic profession, are exceptional people. No ordinary woman could live such a life. There must inevitably be something, or many things, that are outstanding about a nun.
As everything slides away, what I am left with is faith and love. Faith, which has been the cornerstone of my life, and love, which has been always with me. Love of my husband; our love for each other; love of my daughters and my grandchildren, and their surpassing care of me. And overall, and around all, the love of God. Thanks be to God.
We must all commit Sister Monica Joan to our prayers. We must seek God’s help. But I will also engage a good lawyer.” I.
Every child is conceived either in love or lust, is born in pain, followed by joy or sometimes remorse.
I am just thankful that I knew her at all. If we had not met, or if we had met and just passed each other by, all the great literature of the world, all the poets, all the great love stories would have been meaningless to me. You cannot understand what you have not experienced.