A WREXHAM man has spoken of his pride for his sister and her decades of work in the local area as a midwife.

Bill Britton shares the life of his sister Joan Britton, now 84, who spent 40 years of her life working with generations of new Welsh mothers.

He told the Leader how Ms Britton left school at the age of 15 and worked in a local bakers – but always had her heart set on nursing.

She sat her nursing qualifications whilst working on the wards at Wrexham Hospital on a Friday and attending night school to complete her O-levels.

He said: “Joan was on the wards for only three months when they were asking for people to do Midwifery. She applied and got the job.

“She also applied for her Queen’s Nursing and had to go to Liverpool to do an exam for that, she passed that and has a badge to prove that she was a Queen’s Nurse.”

Mr Britton goes on to reminisce about a small black board that was put in the family’s living room front window to tell people where she was.

He said: “Police came looking for her many a time to take her to her next lady who was in need.”

Joan would often take her niece Debby out with her on her rounds. Inspired by her aunt’s field of work, Debby went on to become a Professor in Nursing and now teaches nursing in Wrexham.

Also accompanying Joan on her rounds was a Boxer Dog called Bruce - given to her by her sister Janet. Bill said “He would go with her on her rounds, sitting in the driver seat when she got out of the car. His face was enough to keep unwanted people away from the car.”

After a spell of working in Wrexham, Joan was sent to Abergele for three months as Bill said they were short of staff.

Joan initially had a bicycle in order to get to and from midwifery appointments but, whilst on the North Wales coast, she took her driving lessons and passed her test.

Her services to the country did not go unnoticed as Bill told the Leader how Joan was offered an MBE but turned it down. Bill said that Joan would say that the women of Wrexham were her reward for they always came and talk to her and tell her how their children were getting on.

Bill gave some examples of how Joan’s 40-year-long career in nursing and midwifery has seen her name and face go on for generations.

He said: “She was asked to train other women in midwifery, and, at Christmas time, she still gets cards from all over the world from women she trained.

“Just the other day, Joan wanted to cross the road where she lived when a large lorry pulled up. The driver got out of the cab, stopped the traffic and helped Joan cross the road. He told her that he recognised her as the woman that delivered all of his children.”