Margo Wicks (nee Pollock) recently shared a little bit of interesting medical history relating to her birth, which is permitted to be posted here.
Margo and her identical twin were born in Bellshill Maternity Hospital on 1st April 1960. Margo Pollock weighed 8lbs 11oz and her twin sister Mari Pollock weighed in at 7lbs 13oz. Being a twin through isn’t the remarkable part of this story…..read on.
The hospital had a “no publicity” policy so the following information was never divulged but Margo’s birth was far from normal and was medically documented with lots of photographs. You see, the Blantyre twins were born with albinism, with the unusual appearance of having silver hair!
The condition was initially a worry as their parents were told they would be handicapped all their lives.
Margo told me, “My mum stayed in Birdsfield Drive for a few weeks after our births to recover, where many a local would gaze into our pram and throw a penny inside it for luck, an old tradition. Strangely our mother became very ill and paid privately to see a gynaecologist in Blackburn England and he recognised her name and said are you the twins mum? My mum nearly keeled over as he knew all about us, small world! Our dad worked for the parks dept he was deputy parks manager.”
Margo’s mother Marie Pollock (nee Cornfield) is pictured with the pram. Also pictured are the twins in July 1960.
Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors said:
Christine Forrest funny thing about blantyre twins seem to be abundant. there was over six pairs of twins in my class in secondary school all born either 1959 or 1960 these two i never heard of. Even the only relative in blantyre my aunt had twins too born in 55 i am sure there were loads in both upper years and lower years.
Mari Pollock Thompson Christine Forrest our start in life was at High Blantyre but we were raised in East Kilbride, Stirling, Greenock, Gourock, Daldowie (crematorium) and Blackburn in Lancashire. Blantyre was our second home, spending every weekend and school holidays with our maternal grandmother…..happy days
Mari Pollock Thompson Christine Forrest interesting about the twins. There was six sets of twins born and living on Quebec Drive, Westwood, EK, including us in 1960!
Margaret Hill Mari Pollock Thompson are you related to my family who are only cornfields in Blantyre
Mari Pollock Thompson In 1997 l was on a gynaecology ward at Queens Park Hospital, Blackburn, Lancashire. The registrar under my consultant was taking my medical history. I told him about my birth at Bellshill and it transpired he’d been working at the hospital and had seen the photographs of Margo and me. To say he was delighted was an understatement. It caused quite a stir within the medical team caring for me because it was my eyesight that drew their attention as much as my gynae problems. I felt famous for all of a day
Marianne Stark Aitken John Cornfield relation ?
John Cornfield Marianne Stark Aitken without looking it up I think l recall my dad mentioning the name Pollock. As for Cornfield we are the only Cornfields in the area so definitely related I say ill need to have a look.
Alison Carrington Marianne Stark Aitken interesting information
Mari Pollock Thompson John Cornfield yes we are related through my late grandfather Peter Cornfield, he was married to Agnes Burnett known as Nessie. They had My mum Marie, Peter and Roy. In 1955 my mum married Allan Pollock. You have relatives near to my uncle Peter in High Blantyre.
John Cornfield Mari Pollock Thompson aye my sister knows them I myself haven’t met them
Margo Wicks John Cornfield is your sister Theresa? I’m Mari’s twin sister.
Margo Wicks John Cornfield Our Cornfield family are in High Blantyre and yes we are related.
Mari Pollock Thompson John Cornfield l was being interviewed on BBC Radio Lancashire (long time ago) about unusual surnames and we were discussing Cornfield. When l came off air a chap in a lorry phoned the station. He couldn’t believe his ears as he’d come down from Scotland and was listening during his break. It turned out he knew James Cornfield a serving fire fighter from Blantyre. It’s such a long time ago l cannot remember the connection, is James your son?
Alison Carrington Hi Christine we should catch up ASAP xx
John Cornfield I wish the Auld man was still alive he would’ve loved this
Marian Maguire Beautiful babies.
Louise Ashworth Love this mum. Now, are you the first baby or the 2nd? I’m going for the first x