This is about the life of my Aunt Miriam Whitfield. Miriam was born in Glaisdale, North Yorkshire where her father was the local station master. She was next to the youngest in a family of six.

After the usual childhood Miriam decided on a nursing career and commenced her general training at Newcastle General Hospital, where she qualified in 1928. Then followed a year in Brighton learning to be a midwife, followed by further training to become a Queens District Nurse in 1929.

Now began a long and happy association with Witton Park, where she delivered hundreds of babies as well as attending many medical cases. It was her proud boast that she never lost a pneumonia case and this was before antibiotics, when the only treatment was a four hourly application of a Kaolin Poultice to the chest. Many times Miriam has gone out to do the 10pm poultice and then returned to do the 6am, possibly delivering a baby in between.

As you can see Miriam was a caring and dedicated nurse and gave her all to the community with many humorous moments along the way. One was while crossing the fields to Escomb on a very dark winters night to a midwifery case. A horse popped its head over the hedge as she went past, needless to say she arrived at her destination in record time.

In 1949 Miriam proudly represented County Durham Queen’s Nurses at a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. Afterwards her comments were "How tiny the Queen is, no taller than me," she said.

Her life was not all work, she also enjoyed her holidays with family and friends in her beloved Lake District and also in Scotland.

So let us give thanks and rejoice in the long life of Miriam Whitfield.