Past Recaptured (ePub)

When World War Two ended, Mary decided that her life was not going anywhere. Longing to get away from the restrictions of a home in the Midlands, she decided to train as a nurse. This book describes the difficulties involved in being accepted for training and the obstacles that had to be overcome to achieve her ambition. Although in many ways, the restrictions of the nurses' home were little different to those she had left, she overcame the problems, made many friends and realised she had made the right choice. Nurse training in the fifties, with very little pay, is difficult to envisage in our modern society. Perhaps because of this, there was a comradeship among the nurses, who were always ready to give help and support. Her training led Mary on to work as a midwife in Birmingham and later in the QARANC as a Nursing Sister in the Army. Despite the constraints, studying and hard work of hospital life, there was always excitement and life was never boring. There was even some time for recreation, which Mary used to take part in a drama group at one of the hospitals. Whilst abroad, she met the man she eventually married and found her life changing once again. There were interludes when she worked in factories, packing biscuits and cutlery. But her main interest was in midwifery and childcare and she eventually became a Health Visitor in a busy Northern town. Now retired, she spends time writing and runs a small creative writing group in Burnley, Lancashire.