Family Freedoms

Life in the Beginning

Standing outside the Ward, as he had done so in the past. Tired after a twelve hour shift in a chemical works, a cycle ride to the Widnes Railway station and a heart wrenching journey to an out of town Hospital. Nothing could dampen his spirits today. Standing there in the only suit of clothes that he owned, new shoes and shirt crisply ironed.He had been here before?
He had stood in a similar office to which he had been summoned on the last occasion.This time was not like the time previous,when after a lot
of soul searching, he had been asked to make a life or death decision." The decision is yours Sir" said the Surgeon.Taken back by the severity of these cruel words he was stunned into silence. " The baby or your wife".This was a decision that only God could make as far as he was aware.Brought up as a good living Catholic from Irish stock, educated by Fransiscan Ideology, fashioned into, a hardworking human being, this
time he was on his own.His mind was in a whirl, what would his mother do? His responsibility
was to his wife, her family. What would her father say upon being told of the loss of his daughter? He dreaded to think.Sitting there, head resting in calloused hands tears streaming down his work worn weath-ered face.Nobody to turn to, no Rev Dean Clarke to to ease his delemma. No, this needed all of his courage,determination and soul searching. A quality that would stand him in good stead in the future and would follow him through his life. His head had cleared of the initial shock of the words. Mind crystal clear, eyes steeled in his head he said quite irmly, "The life of my child is very important to me. But I can always get another child but can I replace he woman I love?" The thoughts flashed through his mind. Deja' vu' no, no. But this time was not like the last occasion, this time he was welcomed into the ward and congratulated upon the delivery of a 10lb healthy male child. The hospital was The Oxford Maternity Hospital, in the Parish of Abercromby, in the City of Liverpool.
The date was the Fourth of April 1937 AD

And this man was my Father.