Jennifer Worth was a nurse, midwife, ward sister and night sister from 1953 until 1973. Her Call the Midwife trilogy comprises Call the Midwife, first published by W&N in 2007, as well as Shadow of the Workhouse and Farewell to the East End. The books were based on Worth's experiences as a midwife in London's East End in the 1950s, and have sold almost a million copies in the UK, according to the publisher.
Call the Midwife has been made into a major television series for the BBC, produced by Neal Street Productions and scripted by Heidi Thomas, who also wrote the screenplay for "Cranford". The series runs for 6 weeks from 15th January 2012.
Jennifer Worth died on 31st May 2011 and is survived by her husband Philip Worth, their two daughters and three grandchildren.
Author photo © KCP Studio