The Midwives of Lark Lane

by Pam Howes

  The Midwives of Lark Lane

  An absolutely heartbreaking historical family saga

  Pam Howes

  Books by Pam Howes

  The Lark Lane Trilogy

  1. The Factory Girls of Lark Lane

  2. The Shop Girls of Lark Lane

  3. The Nurses of Lark Lane

  4. The Midwives of Lark Lane

  The Mersey Trilogy

  1. The Lost Daughter of Liverpool

  2. The Forgotten Family of Liverpool

  3. The Liverpool Girls

  Rock ’n’ Roll Romance Series

  Three Steps to Heaven

  ’Til I Kissed You

  Always on My Mind

  Not Fade Away

  That’ll be the Day

  Fast Movin’ Train

  Hungry Eyes

  It’s Only Words

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Epilogue

  The Liverpool Girls

  Pam’s Email Sign-Up

  Books by Pam Howes

  A Letter from Pam

  The Factory Girls of Lark Lane

  The Shop Girls of Lark Lane

  The Nurses of Lark Lane

  The Midwives of Lark Lane

  The Lost Daughter of Liverpool

  The Forgotten Family of Liverpool

  Acknowledgements

  Dedicated to the memories of Scott Engel 1943–2019 and John Maus 1943–2011, who, along with drummer Gary Leeds, were the founder members of the fabulous Walker Brothers trio. Thanks for the wonderful music and the fond memories. May the sun always shine for you, Scott and John. Xxx

  Prologue

  Aigburth June 1960

  Cathy Lomax eyed her reflection in the full-length mirror. She smoothed the cream silk fabric down and did a little twirl. The dress looked good, and not at all home-made. Her gran had done her proud. The dress was long and floaty, with loose Grecian-style sleeves and criss-cross ties down the front. She couldn’t believe her wedding day was here at last and she was marrying her fiancé Gianni Romano after waiting so long. They’d been engaged a few years and their daughter Lucy was almost eighteen months old. Granny had told her that wearing white wasn’t really appropriate, but there was no reason why she couldn’t have a lovely wedding dress, no matter what the colour.

  Cathy wasn’t too bothered; her lifestyle was hardly conventional. Not many girls had a handsome, professional motorbike rider as a future husband. Gianni had rejoined his father’s fair when it reopened in April after the winter break. Cathy and Lucy had stayed in Liverpool, first spending some time with Cathy’s mam and three boisterous younger step-siblings before moving in with Granny Lomax at her peaceful bungalow. The last couple of years had been different and nothing like the ones she’d planned for herself after her longed-for nursing career had been put on hold when she’d found herself unexpectedly pregnant.

  Cathy hoped that one day she would be able to resume her training. Still, things had turned out pretty well, although she was always waiting, heart in mouth, for a telephone call, or a knock at the door, that would tell her Gianni had been injured, or even worse… She shook herself and pushed those thoughts away.

  Today, she and Gianni were sharing their wedding day with her mam Alice and her husband-to-be, Johnny Harrison. As soon as her mam’s divorce from Jack Dawson, who was serving time in prison, had been granted, Johnny had asked Alice to marry him. Cathy had suggested, jokingly at first, that they should have a joint wedding. But the more they talked about it, the more they liked the idea. The vicar of St Michael’s had known the family for many years and was delighted to conduct a joint ceremony for their early-June wedding.

  Granny Lomax popped her head around the door. ‘You ready, Cath? The car will be here in a minute.’ She stepped into the room. Her lilac flower-trimmed hat was the exact same shade as her smart new dress and jacket. She picked up a circlet of pink rosebuds from the bed, popped them on top of Cathy’s glossy dark hair and handed her the matching bouquet.

  Cathy smiled as Granny’s eyes filled. She looked away and fiddled with the silk bow that tied the bouquet together, while Granny composed herself and dabbed at her tears with a lace hanky.

  ‘Oh, love, you look beautiful. I do wish my Terry were here to give you away. He’d be so proud.’

  ‘I wish my dad was still here too,’ Cathy said, a sob catching her throat. ‘I spent so little time with him before he died.’

  Granny smiled and patted her arm ‘I daresay I will make a good enough job of it. I certainly intend to do my best and he’d be proud of us both.’

  ‘He would, and we’ll be fine,’ Cathy said. ‘Thank you so much for letting me and Lucy stay with you for the last few months. I know it’s not been easy, having a toddler around, but I don’t think I could have coped much longer at Mam’s. It was like a madhouse, most of the time.’

  Granny laughed. ‘Poor Alice, she certainly has her hands full. It’ll be much easier for her when Johnny moves in permanently.’

  Cathy raised an eyebrow. ‘It will, although he’s there most of the time now and they’re really good when he’s around. It’s great that Mam was granted a divorce quicker than normal because of her circumstances, rather than having to wait years.’

  Granny pursed her lips. ‘Best all round. Those children never really knew their father anyway. They’re better off without him.’

  ‘They are.’ Cathy shuddered at the thought of her evil stepfather.

  ‘Here’s the car,’ Granny said as a horn tooted outside. ‘I hope little Lucy’s all right.’

  ‘She’ll be fine, Gran,’ Cathy said. Her ex nursing colleagues had picked Lucy up earlier and were taking her to the church, all dressed up in her new outfit. ‘They all love her to bits and will spoil her rotten.’

  Gianni fiddled with the collar of his new cream shirt. His stepmother Maria moved his hand away and straightened his tie for the second time. She fastened a carnation into his buttonhole and stepped back.

  ‘Do I look okay?’ Gianni, who spent most of his days in jeans and a leather jacket, asked.

  ‘You look very smart,’ Maria assured him. ‘The brown suit was the right choice.’

  ‘Thanks for helping. I would have got it all wrong.’

  ‘That’s what stepmums are for,’ Maria said softly. She hugged him and he blinked rapidly. His dad, Luca, rubbed his arm and broke his thoughts. ‘You ready, son? You’ll do Cathy proud.’

  ‘As I’ll ever be, Dad,’ Gianni said as Maria went to answer a knock at the door.

  They were staying at the Adelphi Hotel in the city centre where the wedding reception would later be taking place. The porter announced that the car was waiting by the main entrance to take them to the church. They followed him down the long, carpeted corridor, past the room where staff bustled in and out, preparing for the wedding reception later. His dad had booked the honeymoon suite for him and Cathy; he and Maria would look after Lucy in their own room tonight.

  Alice took a deep breath as her next-door neighbour Millie finished pinning up her hair. Her younger daughters were sitting
on the bed, smartly dressed and ready to go, their long dark hair fashioned into glossy ringlets. Sandra and Rosie were joint bridesmaids and looked pretty in their pale pink satin dresses, with cream sashes, that Millie had bought from Lewis’s with her staff discount. She’d had quite a job fastening their hair up in rags to create the desired effect. But it had been worth all the squeals and grumbles. Their cream headdresses finished the outfits off beautifully. Alice’s little son Rodney was next door at Millie’s with Johnny and Millie’s husband Jimmy, who were responsible for making sure his new outfit stayed clean.

  ‘Right, Alice,’ Millie said. ‘Let’s get your outfit on and then we’re ready for when the cars come. You’ll go in the first one with the girls and I’ll get in the next one with the boys and we’ll see you at the church. Jimmy will be waiting to walk you to the altar and give you away.’ Millie lifted Alice’s pale blue silk, slim-fitting dress from the wardrobe and helped her into it. She fastened up the zip at the back and handed her the little bolero jacket edged in a slightly darker shade of blue, which complemented the dress perfectly. ‘Something new and something blue,’ she said and dug into her pocket. ‘And here’s my silver bracelet for something borrowed.’ Millie fastened it around Alice’s slender wrist and smiled.

  ‘I just need something old now,’ Alice said. ‘That’s me, I guess. I can’t believe it’s the third time I’m doing this.’

  ‘Third time lucky, eh, gel,’ Millie said. ‘Fingers crossed.’

  ‘God, I hope so, Millie, I really do.’

  ‘Oh, there’s the doorbell. Now let’s get you out of here before Johnny claps eyes on you. No bad luck needed today. Let’s start this marriage as you mean to go on. Come on, girls,’ she said to Sandra and Rosie. ‘Your flower baskets and your mam’s bouquet are on the table in the dining room.’

  Gianni and his family arrived at the church in plenty of time and walked inside. The pews were filling fast and he nodded to friends and neighbours of Alice’s who he recognised from the streets around the Lark Lane area. He spotted his friend and best man Davy in the front pew and Davy’s wife Debbie sitting in the row behind him and went straight over to them. Cathy’s friends from the hospital, Karen, Ellie and Jean, were sitting on the pew behind Debbie with his old mates, Nigel and Colin. Jean held his daughter Lucy on her knee; she was all dressed up in a pretty dress, her dark hair falling in soft curls around her chubby little face. He stopped to tickle her under the chin and she gave him a grin and held out her arms. He gave her a quick cuddle, then handed her back to Jean.

  ‘Oh, you look nice and smart,’ Debbie said as he drew level and dropped a kiss on her cheek. ‘Almost as handsome as my Davy.’

  ‘Thanks, Debs, so do you.’ Gianni admired her pale green linen suit that looked lovely with her striking auburn hair, the first thing you noticed about Debbie. He shook Davy’s hand and handed over two ring boxes. ‘Red box is Cathy’s and the black one’s mine.’

  Davy shoved them into his jacket pockets, muttering, ‘Left Cathy’s, right Gianni’s.’

  ‘You nervous?’ Debbie leaned forward and asked, as Gianni sat down next to Davy in the front pew.

  ‘A bit,’ Gianni admitted. ‘I can’t believe it’s happening at last. Ah, here’s Johnny.’ He waved as Johnny hurried up the aisle. ‘Jimmy’s his best man but he’s walking Alice up the aisle,’ he told Davy.

  Johnny puffed out his cheeks as he reached the front pew where Gianni was nervously tapping his foot. They both turned as the congregation fell silent. The organist stopped playing background music and struck up with ‘Here Comes the Bride’.

  Gianni caught his breath as Cathy, a vision of loveliness, glided up the aisle on her granny’s arm. Alice, following, was a picture of happiness and pride as Jimmy escorted her, followed by Sandra and Rosie and little Rodney, smart in his navy velvet pageboy outfit, his dark hair neatly brushed. Gianni’s heart soared. Cathy was his only true love, and she’d soon be his. Not that she wasn’t already, but to wake up next to her tomorrow as her husband, and every day after for the rest of his life, would be a dream come true.

  Cathy’s heart leapt as she looked at Gianni, his brown eyes shining with love. She stopped by his side and handed her bouquet to Sandra, who, cheeks flushed with importance, glanced smugly at Rosie and stuck out her tongue. Alice joined Johnny and handed her bouquet to Rosie, shooting Sandra a warning behave yourself look.

  Gianni’s hand crept out and stroked Cathy’s hand and her stomach flipped at the simple touch. She took a deep breath and turned her attention to the vicar as he welcomed everyone to his church. She couldn’t wait to be alone with Gianni tonight. It was ages since they’d had undisturbed time together. She turned her attention back to what the vicar was saying, pushing thoughts of lying naked in Gianni’s arms to one side.

  Gianni rummaged in his inside jacket pocket and pulled out a sheet of paper. He got to his feet and tapped a wine goblet to get the guests’ attention. Even though they had invited only close friends and the extended family, there were enough of them to make quite a noise. Alice had told him she didn’t feel confident enough to make the speech that traditionally the bride’s father would have made, so Gianni had agreed to speak on Alice’s behalf too. She had written down a few words she wanted him to say and he’d added them to his speech. Not that he was good with formality either, but he’d tried to make it amusing and hoped the guests would think it was too. He cleared his throat as a silence fell on the room; all eyes turned in his direction.

  He felt Cathy’s hand on his back, caressing him gently, and took a deep breath. He thanked Cathy’s mam for entrusting her daughter to him. On behalf of Alice, he thanked Granny Lomax for giving Cathy away; Maria and his dad for standing by him and helping with the cost of the wedding; their guests, for their well-wishes and many gifts and cards. He thanked Sandra and Rosie, who giggled and squirmed in their seats, for being beautiful bridesmaids; and Rodney for being a good pageboy. He cracked a few jokes, and then turned to Cathy.

  ‘And last but not least, I’d like to thank the wonderful girl beside me, for agreeing to become my wife, and for giving me our beautiful daughter, Lucy.’ He took Cathy’s hand and looked into her eyes as everyone clapped. Then he handed the reins to Jimmy, who made his best man speech for Alice and Johnny, before encouraging Davy to do his best man honours for Gianni and Cathy. Both couples got to their feet as a loud cheer rang around the room, accompanied by a few bawdy comments about wedding nights, and were toasted by their guests.

  Cathy took her daughter from Jean and gave her a cuddle. She sat down with her friends while the hotel staff cleared tables. Evening guests began arriving and the room quickly filled. People Cathy hadn’t seen for ages, from Lewis’s department store, where she’d worked after leaving school, nursing colleagues from the hospital where she’d begun her training, Gianni’s friends from the company where he’d served his apprenticeship before joining the fair. So many people to catch up with and share their special day. The evening guests took seats around the room while others replenished their drinks at the bar. The lights dimmed and Gianni’s friends, who’d brought along a record player and some records, asked the bride and groom to prepare for the first dance. Cathy handed Lucy back to Jean and reached for Gianni’s outstretched hand.

  He led her to the middle of the floor and took her in his arms as Tab Hunter’s ‘Young Love’ filled the room. They were joined by Alice and Johnny. Cathy caught her breath and looked into Gianni’s eyes as everyone clapped. Her stomach flipped and her legs felt like jelly.

  ‘I asked him to play this,’ Gianni said.

  ‘Oh, I can’t believe you remembered,’ she whispered, thinking back to that first night in the Rumblin’ Tum coffee bar when he’d held her close, looked into her eyes, and they’d danced to this song.

  ‘How could I ever forget the night I fell in love with you?’ he whispered back.

  She buried her head in his chest and he held her tight as they danced. Cathy felt like she migh
t burst with happiness. What a wonderful, but very different future they had to look forward to.

  One

  June 1960

  As Luca’s car drove over the rutted field and bumped towards the fairground, Cathy held her breath as she was thrown against Gianni, who held her hand. Maria turned from the front passenger seat to smile at them. They’d enjoyed a few days in New Brighton with Lucy for a short honeymoon and then had travelled to Leeds, after stopping off at Lucerne Street to say goodbye to her mam and family. She’d been sad to leave them all, but she would see them later in the year when the fair pitched up in Liverpool. She felt so excited at the prospect of her and Gianni living together at last. They’d waited such a long time. As the car pulled up alongside a shiny silver caravan, Gianni turned to Cathy and hugged her. She passed a sleeping Lucy across to Maria, and Gianni helped her out of the car and slipped his arm around her waist.

  Luca also clambered out from the driver’s seat and ceremoniously handed a set of caravan keys to her. ‘Your new home, Mrs Romano,’ he announced with a theatrical bow, a benevolent smile on his face as he gestured to the caravan that gleamed in the bright sunlight.