My Jubilee Day

By Audrey

June 7^th 1977 was the day the whole UK celebrated the silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth the II and many street parties were planned. 

To me it was my husband’s 25^th birthday and hopefully the day I would give birth to my twins.

There were never any doubts that I would have twins, my grandmother had told me two years earlier, that I would be the one. My Mother was the eldest of her twin daughters. My Husband was the eldest of twin boys and my mother in law also had a twin sister.

On the morning of the jubilee day I woke really early and I stood looking out of the window on the top floor of the Princess Mary Maternity Hospital, watching the dawn over Newcastle Town Moor. I thought to myself this is it, today is the day. No jubilee parties for me.

A few hours later the nurses came to take me down to the delivery suite, but rather than go in a wheelchair I insisted that I wanted to walk.

My husband later joined me, all gowned up in green and this did cause me to have a fit of giggles. He came prepared with his cheese sandwiches in a Tupperware box and during the day he was fed numerous cups of tea by the nurses, but he never left my side, despite some nurses and doctors saying “should the husband be in here.” I was not allowed anything other than a damp flannel to wet my lips.

Finally at 7.55pm my first daughter was born followed 8 mins later by her twin sister. They are identical twins and had a total birth weight of 11lbs.

At the end of the day I was really exhausted but very pleased that I had given my husband such a wonderful birthday present and at the same hospital where he and his twin brother were born 25 years before, and on such a special day.

The Queen was not the only one celebrating that day.

Shame I never got to the street party, but I was rather busy.