Page 38 - My Story (final)

Hilary was born at home in Thurlow Hill on 18th April 1962. My lovely young midwife who had
delivered Susan and taken care of me throughout the pregnancy was on vacation (how dare she) and we
had a fat, jolly, middle aged woman who delivered the baby OK announcing it was a boy. “Oh, shout down
to my husband and let him know”, I said. Peter was coping with two children’s’ lunches but arrived in the
room with the doctor who had once again missed the delivery. “It’s a boy” announced the midwife, “Who
said?” said the doctor, “She looks like a girl to me.” “Oh dear”, said the midwife, “I just took a quick look
from the back!” Peter suggested she be sent back to nursing school.

This time around my parents decided they should come and stay and help out – after all, Peter
needed to work to support his growing family. Peter and I spent many hours trying to find a name for this
third daughter and even scanned the lists of horses running in Derby or Ascot or wherever they run at
that time of year. My parents wondered at the screams and shouts and guffaws coming from our room
as they fell into an exhausted sleep.

Whereas Helen was our first, wonderful baby, Susan the happy, smiley one, Hilary complained
her way through babyhood and childhood. Indeed, the BBC needed a recording of a crying baby and
brother-in-law Peter arrived with recording equipment, knowing Hilary would oblige. Of course, on this
particular afternoon all was sunny, she was always entertained by the other two, but we managed to
upset her just before he left, and he got his recording which was used on radio for many years.

It was actually small wonder that Hilary cried a lot – she was always being squashed or sat on by
the other, bigger two. As a baby in the pram she had Susan sitting on a seat almost on her lap and when
Helen go tired of walking, she would stand on the base of the pram, holding on to the two sides of the
handle, right in Susan’s face. When we were in the car Hilary was invariably between the other two while
they fought and scuffled over her head – she was really like the dormouse at the mad hatter’s tea party!
She has remained the smallest in the family but learned to assert herself!

Jackie with Lesley & Debra

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