call the midwife

[gina32]

is it me or was the baby born to the white mother very black as opposed to being halfcast?

[carolegif]

I said the same thing! Black babies are lighter skinned at birth anyway and their skin darkens as they are exposed to the sun (like white babies!). this was obviously an older black baby used, but it would have been lighter whether of mixed race or not.

[gina32]

glad it wasnt just me. isnt it amazing how the labours have only lasted a few minutes and the babies are born! besides all that i do like the programme!

[gina32]

oh and nice and clean as well!

[albaqwerty]

just thought I'd stick my oar in. I like this programme too.
If all labours lasted 5 minutes, then men might just have a point when they say 'can't hurt that much' :D

[woofgang]

I think they were making the point that when the baby went out in public there would be no doubt at all that the husband was not the father.

[Ankou]

i agree with woofgang, but also, maybe in the supply of young babies for scheduled filming there just aren't that many mixed race babies born - at least not on demand to tv scheduling.

[anneasquith]

more than a bit ott !

[Dodger666]

Not many mixed race babies being born????

You must be joking.

[dotty.]

not sure why they called the baby 'black' that wasn't the term used back then surely? I'll look at the book when I'm back at work, it's starting to sell well all over again, pity Jennifer Worth didn't live long enough to see the show aired
: (

[Ankou]

3.5% a year overall dogger in todays terms. thats not a lot.
probably even less than that in the 50s.

[dotty.]

It was probably reflecting the huge immigration of West Indian people during the 1950s, in several of my in-laws photos there are West Indian people. His lot were all from the east end or hounslow/fulham way.

[brionon]

Oooh you said half cast-expect the Racial police any moment !!

[woofgang]

In the fifties? yes "black" was a usual, polite term.

[Quizmonkey]

Absolutely Brionon: Gina, the phrase 'half-caste' (note the e) is probably about as offensive as the N word these days. The phrase is 'mixed-race'.

[dotty.]

I don't ever remember using 'black' until the 1980's, possibly late 70's, before then it was 'coloured'.

[ummmm]

It was 'coloured' when I was younger 70/80's.

[Ankou]

brionon / quizmonkey - the phrase in the op didn't go unnoticed, but are you personally offended by it ?

[pips1]

It annoys me so much, I am not in the least bit racist but was also born in the 50s, so when you have been brought up with the terms 'half-caste' and 'coloured' you tend to use them still. we don't mean to cause offence at all but you hardly know what to say these days!

[maggiebee]

Friend of mine is half Scottish and half Jamaican. He laughs about how different people try to describe his colour. When asked he says "I'm black and proud".

[Mosaic]

I suppose I'll get the pc police after me as well, but personally I thought the baby was quite comically black. The scenario ended up like a McGill postcard.
I thought Roy Hudd acted an absolute blinder though.