I found out I was pregnant just after my 18th birthday, I was a bit frightened of what my boyfriend would say, but need not have worried he was so overjoyed we married a month later and were so happy. Things were going great, no morning sickness - I was a picture of health. Then in February I started to get niggly pains, my doctor said it was a bit of a water infection, nothing to worry about. This went on through February, and in March these pains were stronger and I went back to the doctor. She said it was still nothing to worry about.

Then April the 2nd I knew something was wrong. I was getting strong pains so sent for the doctor and was rushed into hospital. They sedated me and kept me in bed. On the 4th April my waters went, when I called a nurse the sister told me off and more or less told me I was being a a pain. When I said I felt as if I needed to push she told me not to be silly, and I insisted so much she eventually examined me and from that point it was panic stations. I was taken straight to delivery, where there were doctors, midwifes and a specialist doctor with an incabator.

I eventually gave birth to a little girl 2Ibs 2 ozs, the midwife tried to stop me seeing her by saying that it would only be harder if I did and she did not survive, but I was insistant that I wanted to see her, and was so glad I did. She was beautiful and this is the only thing of her I have, my memories. I was taken straight to theatre as my after birth would not come away. And came around in the morning in a darkened room with tubes everywhere, and a doctor standing at my bedside telling me he was sorry but my baby had died, it was so cold and impersonal.

In 1971 this was the way that hospitals dealt with baby deaths, but what made it harder for me was looking out of that hospital window shortly after, and seeing a metal box being taken out of the neonatal ward and I asked what it was and was told it was a coffin taking babies to the mortury. It has always been there, was that my baby? We named her Charlotte Joan Spencer, and my husband had her buried but never told me where. I would like to know for certain where Charlotte is buried but do not know where to start.

Charlotte Joan Spencer
2Ilbs 2 ozs
4th April 1971