Interesting what your memories are about abortions, Dana, for there you were, clear across the ocean from us, and my memories coincide precisely.
I go back much further than you do, having been born in 1929, but yes, if a woman or girl had access to doctors and hospitals, and if her life was not lived in a Catholic world of churches, neighborhoods, schools and hospitals, then an unwanted pregnancy could very often have her doctor pop her into hospital or clinic for a quick D & C. I mean to tell you, I remember simply dozens of people who had those, and most of them were for change of life babies, as they were called back in the day. If you were younger, the D & C was for "menstruation difficulties", or some such. Anyway, I never hear the term any longer, but for a while there it seemed to me everyone I knew and their mothers, aunts, cousins and sisters had had a D & C at one point or another! I'm not trying to make any point of any kind whatsoever here, except to agree with your memory of real history. Oh, and if any of you are wondering how in the WORLD the subject of abortion came up in this forum, of all places, it is because it is one of the principal themes in BREATHLESS. Some of the principal doctors are taking one or two nurses and performing illegal abortions for extra money to support their lifestyles. They refer to these dead of night excursions as "specials." In the show.
I hope to see Happy Valley one of these days. Perhaps I will purchase the DVDs. I do not do Netflix, as I strongly dislike watching films on my computer AND I do not like to borrow and have to return by a certain date, etc.; or indeed, to have the obligation of remembering to return at all!
