THE badge given to midwives at Rottenrow Maternity Hospital in Glasgow features two little snowdrops.

Jean Bertram, nee Asquith, has treasured hers ever since she trained there in the early 1960s.

“I still have it,” she explains, proudly. “It brings back many happy memories. Snowdrops – the first sign of life.”

(Image: Newsquest)

Jean got in touch to share more Rottenrow memories with us after her first collection received such a warm response from readers.

Does anyone know why the badge features snowdrops? One story claims it is because around 150 years ago, midwives would pick snowdrops from nearby woods to sell in bunches to fundraise for the hospital.

Jean Bertram recalls it was a fast-paced, never-a-dull-moment environment at Rottenrow, or the Royal Maternity Hospital, to give it its full name.

(Image: Jean Bertram)

“One day I was in with another nurse with a patient, and had to buzz for Sister when the birth was imminent,” she recalls.

“Waters broke, buzzer pressed and within minutes the Flying Squad came through the door…”

She laughs. “Oops, wrong buzzer.”

As it was a teaching hospital, there was always competition between the trainees.

(Image: Jean Bertram)

“We had to race medical students to get the quota of deliveries. and 'gas and airs', and there was also nursery nurse training going on,” she explains. “Things changed so quickly, the scans, the progress was amazing.

“There are lots of funny memories too. The district midwives used to try and hurry on the mums-to-be by asking, ‘do you want the forceps?

“I still have my Maggie Miles textbook for studying. You had to be careful studying on the bus – some of the pictures in the book were horrific.”

Jean also worked as a district nurse in Lanarkshire and in Glasgow, where they were known as Green Ladies.

(Image: NEWSQUEST)

Known for their distinctive bottle-green uniforms, these women provided pre-natal and post-natal care, and assisted with home births.  Sometimes they cycled round the city, but some had their own scooters.

Our photographer captured Agnes Walker-Love as she was getting ready for her rounds in 1950. The caption states she was “checking up on her Swallow gad-about, a motor scooter which does 100 miles to the gallon.”

(Image: NEWSQUEST)

“In Glasgow, early in my career, I was sent to a patient in a downstairs tenement, I’d to wait until the ‘real’ green lady came,” recalls Jean.

“I was taking the patient’s history when she started to push. I got her in bed, had a lovely delivery (well, I thought it was) and tidied up all the sterilised equipment, job done.

“Cord cut, tea appeared, we were all enjoying having a chat. I had never done it on my own before, so when it had started I’d asked the baby’s dad to phone the midwife.

“When she arrived, eventually, she told me she’d received a message from the dad which simply said ‘baby arriving, all well’.”

Jean smiles. “I’d done it. I knew then I was going to be a midwife forever.”

Jean came to Glasgow with her best friend Pat, who sadly died at the age of 27. Jean got married and lived near Airdrie, working in Calderbank and Bellshill hospitals, until she was sadly widowed at 36 with three young daughters. She remarried and moved to Kilwinning.

Our stories about Rottenrow always prompt many happy memories and unusual stories.

Stuart Law was born in Rottenrow in 1950, and he got in touch to tell us about the “celebrity doctor” who helped deliver him.

“My mother, who is now deceased, told me she had a bit of difficulty during my birth and a doctor was called to assist – they thought I had polio but thankfully it turned out not to be the case,” he explains.

“I’ve always been told the doctor who came to help was Dr Adam Little, who played for Rangers FC.”

Dr Little did indeed play football – his career began in the Rutherglen Academy team and he also played for Lanarkshire Schools, and was honoured with a Scotland Schoolboy International cap.

He was 17 when he signed for Rangers, under manager Bill Struth, and he went on to pick up 17 winner’s medals. He played in the New Year’s Day game of 1943, when Rangers overwhelmed their great rivals Celtic 8-1.

He joined the Royal Medical Corps during the war and while serving, he played football for the British Army and Arsenal.

Do you remember Rottenrow? Did you work there, or were you born there? Get in touch with Times Past to share your stories and photos.

Email ann.fotheringham@glasgowtimes.co.uk or write to Ann Fotheringham, Glasgow Times, 125 Fullarton Drive, Glasgow G32 8FG.