Throughout the Twentieth Century many women in Ireland and Britain endured shame and institutionalisation for becoming pregnant outside of marriage. In this welcome study, Lorraine Grimes examines the journeys made by hundreds of pregnant Irish women to Britain as they fled to escape their local communities.
Their experiences in Britain, however, were not free of stigma and Grimes's book analyses the nuances of the institutional networks both in Britain and Ireland which these women utilised.
Single Mothers in Twentieth Century Ireland and Britain focuses on the experiences of women from 1926-1973 in cities with high Irish emigrant populations, including London, Liverpool, Birmingham and Glasgow. Unlike official narratives such as Ireland's Commission of Investigation into the Mother and Baby Homes, this book prioritises the experiences of the survivors and ensure that women's experiences are central to the narrative. It also incorporates original interviews with children born in institutions and for the first time, interviews with religious and medical staff are also included in the historiography.
Using archival research and oral history, Grimes reveals the methods British and Irish institutions developed, from forced adoption to repatriation and the impacts of this on the women and children's lives. Grimes makes a significant contribution to the historiography surrounding the movement of women and children across international borders through repatriation and adoption between institutions on both sides of the Irish Sea.
From extensive archival research, this book reveals cases of Irish single mothers seeking assistance in Britain as well as cases of rape, incest and domestic violence within the institutional records. In addition, archival cases expose prejudice towards women from other colonial countries in institutions in Britain, particularly from the 1960s.
A first for the field, Single Mothers includes a chapter on the experiences of single fathers. Sensitive to the underlying issues of class and gender politics, the book also shows that women often enacted a large degree of agency to improve their situation.
If you are interested in women's political and social history, and the history of the institutional relationships of Britain and Ireland, this book is essential reading.
