Acknowledgements

I’m grateful to Karin Briden, who suggested I paid a visit to the Cartmel Peninsula, a wonderful, fascinating area between Morecambe Bay and the edge of the Lake District National Park. It was the perfect location for Mary Vale Mother and Baby Home. Thanks also to Dr Clive Glazebrook and Midwife Patsy Glazebrook for their advice on childbirth past and present. Special thanks to all the cheerful volunteers at Grange-over-Sands Tourist Office and Carnforth Station Heritage Centre (home of Brief Encounter), who provided me with lots of local history, and to Jon Styles, who helped me map routes over the fells. A special thanks to my enthusiastic editors at Penguin, Clare Bowron, Rebecca Hilsdon and Donna Poppy. Finally, thank you to all my readers. On days when I sit staring blankly at my computer screen I recall your enthusiastic comments on my Facebook page and they urge me on – so please don’t stop!