Call the Midwife Trivia Quiz

Answer: A memoir

"Call the Midwife" was first a best-selling memoir (actually, a trilogy of books) written by Jennifer Worth about her life as a midwife in the 1950s. While Worth changed the names of the people her characters were based on and amalgamated some others, the stories describe real events of the time. Sadly, Jennifer Worth died shortly before tv series based on her writings went to air.

The tv series proved to be more popular than its creators had expected, so much so that by the third season the source material had been exhausted and original stories and characters were created.

Answer: Late 1950s

The first episode starts in 1957; from there time progresses at roughly 1 year per season. This means that changes in healthcare and society at large are weaved through the narrative--such as mass public health campaigns, the shift towards hospital-based childbirth, the availability of contraception and increasing independence of professional women.

Answer: Heidi Thomas

Heidi Thomas adapted Jennifer Worth's memoir for television, including adding original storylines and characters. She is married to actor Stephen McGann, who plays the role of Dr Turner.

Steven Moffat (along with Mark Gatiss) created the BBC television series "Sherlock".

Bill Sellars created the series "All Creatures Great and Small", which was also based on memoirs, in this case of the British vet James Herriott.

Andrew Davies adapted a novel by former political staffer Michael Dobbs into the BBC series "House of Cards".

Answer: Order of St Raymond Nonnatus; Anglican

The convent is named Nonnatus House in honour of the order's patron. In reality, as a young midwife Jennifer Worth lived with sisters of the Community of St John the Divine. She created the pseudonym for her memoir, which was carried into the tv series.

St Raymond Nonnatus is a real person who lived in what is now Spain in the 13th century. He is the patron saint of pregnant women, midwives and childbirth, having been born by caesarean section after his own mother died in labour. "Nonnatus" means "not born" in Latin.

Answer: Poplar

Poplar was a district on the north bank of the Thames river with substantial council estates (that is, public housing). In more recent years the area has been rezoned into other districts. The docks regularly feature in the show, with many of the families that the midwives serve working as labourers in the shipping trade.

Answer: Sister Julienne

While not the oldest nun nor the Mother Superior of their order, Sister Julienne is the Sister in Charge at Nonnatus House. She is kind, tactful, non-judgemental and resolutely devoted to her patients' wellbeing. Sister Julienne is based on the real-life Sister Jocelyn of the Anglican Community of St John the Divine.

Answer: Dr Turner

Dr Turner seems to be the lone doctor for whole of Poplar! He attends the antenatal clinic and difficult homebirths, runs a general practice and also works at the maternity hospital where women with particularly risky pregnancies are admitted. He is a passionate advocate of public heath care, often spruiking the benefits of the National Health Service which was established in the UK in the late 1940s.

Answer: Yes

Nonnatus House runs a regular antenatal clinic and also provides general district nursing home visits. So while most of their patients are women and babies, the nurses do their fair share of looking after men in the community, too. A few episodes each season focus on these varied patients and their stories.

Answer: The London

"The London" is The London Hospital, about 3km from Poplar. Founded in 1740, it was renamed "The Royal London Hospital" in 1980, and is now one of Europe's largest acute care hospitals.

During the series Jenny spends the most time at "The London", filling in on the male surgical ward in Series 2 (where we first meet fellow nurse, Patsy) and returning for a stint in the maternity ward in Series 3.

Answer: Laura Main

A show set in a convent in the late 1950s can't help but have fabulous music. As well as rock and roll hits, the soundtrack includes samples of traditional Anglican worship music sung by the nuns, such as the psalms that form part of compline and evensong.

Many of these are led by Laura Main, who also performs as a soloist on several occasions--such as the Advent hymn "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" in the first Christmas special.