Grace Thompson
Call the Midwife is a BBC television series based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth, a lay midwife who worked with Anglican nuns in Poplar, East London. The nuns in the series are part of the Church of England, a form of Protestantism, and are not Catholic. The real-life Nonnatus House, which was the home of the nuns of the Order of St. Raymond Nonnatus, is now in Birmingham. The series depicts the lives of midwives and the joy and heartbreak they experience while bringing life into the world in London's grimy East End streets.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Religious order | Anglican Community of St John the Divine |
| Type of religion | Church of England, a form of Protestantism |
| Type of church | High Church |
| Religious practices | Candles, incense, Latin singing |
| Religious figure | Raymond Nonnatus |
| Location | London, England |
| Founding year | 1848 |
| Founder | Physician Robert Bentley Todd |
| Founding purpose | Improve nursing in London's hospitals |
| Current location | Marston Green, Solihull, England |
| Current involvement | Health, pastoral care, retreat facilities |
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What You'll Learn
The nuns in 'Call the Midwife' are Anglican, not Catholic
The nuns in *Call the Midwife* are Anglican and not Catholic. The series is based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth, a lay midwife who lived and worked with these very nuns in Poplar, East London, more than 60 years ago. Worth nursed with sisters from the Anglican Community of St John the Divine, an Anglican religious order of nuns within the Church of England, founded in London in 1848. The community was founded as a "nursing sisterhood" working with Florence Nightingale in London's East End.
In the first episode of the series, Sister Julienne asks Jenny if she has a faith and confirms that the nuns are Anglican. The Nonnatus nuns have been described as High Church, incorporating many Catholic rituals like candles, incense, and Latin singing. However, they are not Anglo-Catholic, a form of Church of England worship that is essentially Roman Catholic without recognising the Pope as the head of the church.
The Anglican nuns in *Call the Midwife* are able to have much contact with non-religious midwives and nurses and interact closely with the Poplar people. This is in contrast to the Catholic nuns who appear in the show, who are referred to as "Roman Catholic nuns" to differentiate them from the Anglican Nonnatus nuns.
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The nuns are based on the Community of St John the Divine
The nuns in "Call the Midwife" are based on the Community of St John the Divine, an Anglican religious order of nuns within the Church of England. The community was founded in London in 1848 as a "nursing sisterhood" and worked with Florence Nightingale in the Crimean War. The nuns were also involved in training secular nurses for King's College Hospital in London and for private district nursing.
The community was founded to improve nursing in London's hospitals and continues to be involved in health and pastoral care, as well as operating retreat facilities. In the 1950s, author Jennifer Worth wrote about her work with the order in her "Call The Midwife" trilogy. The order was named "Sisters of St. Raymond Nonnatus" in the book and the subsequent television series.
The community has been based in Marston Green, Solihull, England since 1976, after relocating from London's East End due to a steep increase in rent. The nuns have offered space for prayer, contemplation, and retreat, hosting 1,600 people in 2014. However, in recent years, the community has dwindled to just five full-time members, and they have struggled to afford the repairs and upkeep of their Grade II-listed property.
The nuns have no financial help from the Diocese of Birmingham, and their income is limited to pensions, donations, and small returns on investments. Despite their circumstances, the nuns have avidly followed the BBC series, which has inspired many women to become midwives, but not necessarily nuns.
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The nuns are part of the Church of England
The nuns in "Call the Midwife" are part of the Church of England, an Anglican religion. The show is based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth, a lay midwife who worked with the nuns in Poplar, London, in the 1950s. The real-life nuns that served as consultants for the show are a group of seven Anglican sisters from the Community of Saint John the Divine, founded in London in 1848 as a "nursing sisterhood." The community is now based in Marston Green, Solihull, England, and continues to be involved in health and pastoral care.
The Community of Saint John the Divine is an Anglican religious order of nuns within the Church of England. While the Church of England has a broad spectrum of approaches to faith and religious observation, the nuns in "Call the Midwife" seem to follow a High Church tradition, incorporating Catholic rituals such as candles, incense, and Latin singing. However, they are not considered Anglo-Catholic, which is a form of Church of England worship that is similar to Roman Catholicism but does not recognize the Pope as the head of the church.
The nuns' affiliation with the Church of England allows them to have extensive contact with non-religious midwives, nurses, and the people of Poplar. It also influences their practices and rituals, such as their outfits and involvement in the community. The Church of England's history, including the destruction and appropriation of Catholic churches during its creation in the 1500s, has also shaped the nuns' experiences and practices.
The nuns' Anglican faith is referenced multiple times throughout the series, including in the first episode when Sister Julienne asks Jenny about her faith. The show accurately portrays the diversity and complexity of religious observance within the Church of England, reflecting the real-life experiences of Anglican nuns and their contributions to healthcare and society.
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The nuns are involved in midwifery and nursing
The nuns in "Call the Midwife" are based on the real-life Community of St. John the Divine, an Anglican religious order of nuns within the Church of England. The community was founded in London in 1848 as a "nursing sisterhood" and continues to be involved in healthcare and pastoral care.
The nuns in the show are not Catholic; they are Anglican and part of the Church of England, a form of Protestantism. However, the Nonnatus nuns incorporate many Catholic rituals, such as candles, incense, and Latin singing. Their founder, physician Robert Bentley Todd, established St. John's House in 1848 to improve nursing in London's hospitals. The Sisters of St. John oversaw the training of secular nurses for both King's College Hospital in London and private district nursing.
The Nonnatus House in the show is the home of the Nuns of the Order of St. Raymond Nonnatus and the Midwives. It is their headquarters for their work in midwifery and nursing in the district of Poplar, London. The nuns in the show are involved in midwifery and nursing, with Sister Julienne leading the medical team at Nonnatus House. Sister Frances, for example, joined the Mother House, working in the orphanage before becoming a midwife at Nonnatus House. She is described as "timid and naive" but with "a passion for marmalade." Cynthia, another nun, is described as "quiet and sensitive," and although she is still learning, she is "very conscientious and really wants to do well." These nuns and their fellow sisters are involved in bringing "the miracle of life to the grimy streets of London's East End."
The real-life Nonnatus House is now in Birmingham, and the seven remaining nuns of this small Anglican order are enjoying their newfound fame from the show.
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The nuns are based in Nonnatus House
The nuns in 'Call the Midwife' are based in Nonnatus House, the headquarters for their work in midwifery and nursing in the district of Poplar, London. The house has a spacious garden and allotment at the front, where Fred Buckle can be seen working in several episodes. The original Nonnatus House was located in a different building and housed the nuns from 1899 until it was demolished in 1958 due to bomb damage. The new Nonnatus House, which the nuns moved into in Series Three, is located on Wick St, Poplar. The building used to be a training school for parish workers and includes bedrooms, bathrooms, a guest room, storage facilities, a kitchen, larder, parlour, dining room, clinical room, chapel, telephone room, and entrance hall.
Nonnatus House is home to the Nuns of the Order of St. Raymond Nonnatus, named after the physician Raymond Nonnatus who lived in the 13th century. The nuns are based on sisters from the Anglican Community of St John the Divine, a religious order within the Church of England. The community was founded in London in 1848 as a nursing sisterhood and continues to be involved in health and pastoral care. The real-life Nonnatus House is now in Birmingham, where the Community of St. John the Divine has been based since 1976.
The nuns in 'Call the Midwife' are not Catholic; they are part of the Church of England, a form of Protestantism. However, the Church of England incorporates a broad spectrum of approaches to faith and religious observation, and the Nonnatus nuns incorporate many Catholic rituals such as candles, incense, and Latin singing. Their Anglican faith allows them to have more contact with non-religious midwives, nurses, and Poplar residents than Catholic nuns might have.
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Frequently asked questions
No, they are Anglican and part of the Church of England. They are based on the real-life Community of St John the Divine, a religious order of nuns founded in London in 1848.
The nuns are from the Order of St. Raymond Nonnatus, also known as the Sisters of St. Raymond Nonnatus.
Although the nuns are Anglican, they incorporate many Catholic rituals, such as the use of candles, incense, and Latin singing. The Anglican Church has a broad spectrum of approaches to faith and religious observation.
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