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  • Illegal abortion

    I have transcribed and edited the trial details of the woman who adopted my father. She was a private abortionist - totally illegal at the time - and in 1943 one of her 'patients' died and she was put on trial at the Old Bailey. This was a family secret which I discovered in my late 30's and as you can imagine I was absolutely shocked. She died when I was a baby so I never knew her.

    The papers held at the National Archives were released in 1993 but I was disappointed to find that much of it had been removed or censored. I can only imagine that she named some of her prominent clients in court. She seems to have been used by women in high society and also the American armed forces. The girl who died was the girlfriend of an American soldier. If she had named high ranking American officers in court then it would hardly be surprising if the court papers were censored. I have a strong suspicion that one of her clients was an American officer of the very highest rank who went on to a career at the highest political level.

    The court papers make fascinating but distressing reading as the procedure of termination was described in detail - completely unlike anything a modern patient would endure. I'd love to post it on here but I fear the moderators would have my guts for garters!
    Paul Barton, Special Agent

    Hear my themetune on http://www.turnipnet.com/radio/dickbarton.wav

  • #2
    Paul

    Illegal abortion carried many risks, both medically and socially (if someone found out). And as well as turning to an abortionist there were many other women who tried to bring on an abortion themselves, poor things.

    I always remember that horrible scene in "Alfie" when Denholm Elliot is the abortionist.

    And of course the people caught doing illegal abortions were just a tip of the iceberg - many others went undetected.

    Many other women, in dire straits, resorted to killing their unwanted babies.
    ~ with love from Little Nell~
    Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

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    • #3
      I found an inquest report for a woman (loosely connected to me) who had died in the early 1950's, of the results of an illegal abortion. The newspaper report was fairly explicit, which surprised me. Its not something I would have wanted kids to read.

      But it did say that her injuries were "self-inflicted" - again, this surprised me, as I thought this highly improbable.

      The family talk (25 years later) was that her mother-in-law had helped her, but if this the case, no-one said anything.

      It was a sad case as the woman had 2 small children already, her husband was in a respectable & secure job, and there seemed to be no need for such drastic measures.
      Vicky

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      • #4
        Paul

        Women have always wanted abortions and some women would go to any lengths to procure one.

        Where there is a need there is always someone ready to answer that need. Many of these abortionists were highly skilled at what they did, and the thousands upon thousands of women who recovered completely and without after effects are not recorded for posterity.

        No matter how harsh the law, women still went on having illegal abortions and it was this which forced a change in the law.

        The death rate for abortions has reduced dramatically because of the change in the law - but some women do still die when the procedure goes wrong.

        And of course, the gentry could always persuade a willing doctor to perform "an appendectomy" on their daughters, thus ensuring at least a modicum of hygiene and proficiency.

        I really cannot condemn either abortionist nor abortionee, but then I'm a woman and can imagine the desperation that drove them to it.

        (I'm not saying that you can't imagine, Paul, just saying that as a female I can identify in an emotional way)

        OC

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        • #5
          This is why I support abortion - I don't like the idea, and I wouldn't want to have one myself, but I wouldn't deny a legal abortion to any woman, because I grew up in the Fifties, and I can remember women dying from backstreet abortions done with unsterilised knitting needles and such like.

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          • #6
            Mary

            Yes, I feel exactly the same as you. I also remember the small fortunes made by quacks who advertised pills "for women's irregularities".

            These were sugar pills but cost the earth. It wasn't just the back street abortionist with her douche bag who profited, it was the quacks, the baby farmers, the private adoption agencies (who SOLD unwanted babies, make no mistake about that, even if it was called an arrangement fee) and so on.

            When I was a child in the 50s, our next door neighbour stuck her head in the gas oven. She was pregnant for the fourth time, three children under 5 and hubby was playing away.

            My mum found her and called an ambulance. She was sent to prison and her husband put the three children into care and waltzed off with his new lady love.

            My mum always said "I should have left her there instead of interfering".

            OC

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            • #7
              I know of one person (now aged about 60) who gave birth in secret and killed the new-born baby. She spent time in jail for that. Not that uncommon, I know.
              Uncle John - Passed away March 2020

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              • #8
                Paul, have sent you a PM

                Thanks, Carol

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                • #9
                  Paul

                  If you haven't already seen it, watch the film "Vera Drake" with Imelda Staunton.

                  It deals with back street abortionists in the 50s and is absolutely spot on with the attitudes of the time. It may make you feel slightly differently about your relative.

                  OC

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                  • #10
                    Vicky

                    Who knows why the woman connected to you wanted to get rid of her baby? Perhaps she had suffered post-natal depression before, or couldn't bear the thought of another childbirth and responsibility. Maybe her husband's job wasn't as secure as you think - or she may have thought it wasn't. Perhaps he didn't want another baby, maybe they'd tried contraception and it had failed.
                    ~ with love from Little Nell~
                    Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Little Nell View Post
                      Vicky

                      Who knows why the woman connected to you wanted to get rid of her baby? Perhaps she had suffered post-natal depression before, or couldn't bear the thought of another childbirth and responsibility. Maybe her husband's job wasn't as secure as you think - or she may have thought it wasn't. Perhaps he didn't want another baby, maybe they'd tried contraception and it had failed.

                      Nell, according to the newspaper report, her husband said she was "delighted" at the idea of another baby, and they wanted a girl. They already had 2 boys who were 2 & 3 years old. He was a postman. There was no mention of post-natal depression or other problems.

                      Last time I mentioned it, it was suggested the child might not have been her husband's.

                      I did know the MIL, and I thought she was such an interfering old b**** that she could have talked her into getting rid, just cos she didn't fancy having to babysit 3 under-5's.

                      We'll never know.

                      So sad, a young woman dying needlessly, and leaving 2 young lads who were too young to even remember her. She died on 23 Dec, so I bet it ruined Christmas for the whole family that year.
                      Last edited by Vicky the Viking; 01-03-08, 17:09.
                      Vicky

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                      • #12
                        May be of interest to those who have not seen the film Vera Drake which is on Film 4 at 9pm tonight.
                        Dawn

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                        • #13
                          I saw a bit of this last night & was surprised to see a cheese grater amongst her "tools of the trade". I shudder to think what it was used for.
                          Lynn

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                          • #14
                            LOL Lyn!


                            It was used for grating up the soap!

                            OC

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                            • #15
                              I saw that 'Vera Drake was on last night but wasn't in the mood to watch it. I'd have been shouting at the telly and stuff about the injustice of it all and the terrible things some women had to go through because there wasn't any choice and most people in those days didn't give them any choice anyway in most cases.

                              But when I saw the post about the cheese grater this morning I was wondering, thanks for putting my mind to rest OC.

                              So for grating the soap it was used.

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                              • #16
                                Well thank heavens for that, I had all sorts of horrible ideas running through my head. Mind you I still think that it would have been an unpleasant experiance for the poor woman.
                                Lynn

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                                • #17
                                  Though she obviously deemed it preferable to having a baby.
                                  ~ with love from Little Nell~
                                  Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

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