187-460: Mary Toft (née Denyer ; baptised 21 February 1703 – January 1763), also spelled Tofts , was an English woman from Godalming , Surrey, who in 1726 became the subject of considerable controversy when she tricked doctors into believing that she had given birth to rabbits . In 1726, Toft became pregnant , but following her reported fascination with the sighting of a rabbit, she miscarried. Her claim to have given birth to various animal parts prompted
374-455: A generator driven by two Poncelet waterwheels at Westbrook Mill. The electricity was used to power three 250 V arc lights at the mill and overhead cables were run above Mill Street to the town centre, where a further four arc lights were installed. A second, 40 V circuit supplied 34 incandescent lamps (of which seven were at the mill and the remainder were in the town centre). The scheme met with mixed success and there were criticisms that
561-418: A "vile cheat and impostor". In her earlier, unpublished confessions, she blamed the entire affair on a range of other participants, from her mother-in-law to John Howard. She also claimed that a travelling woman told her how to insert the rabbits into her body, and how such a scheme would ensure that she would "never want as long as I liv'd". The British Journal reported that on 7 January 1727 she appeared at
748-585: A Longing to it, that she (being with Child) was taken ill and miscarried, and from that Time she hath not been able to avoid thinking of Rabbits. People after all, differ much in their Opinion about this Matter, some looking upon them as great Curiosities, fit to be presented to the Royal Society, etc. others are angry at the Account, and say, that if it be a Fact, a Veil should be drawn over it, as an Imperfection in human Nature. The 'poor Woman', Mary Toft,
935-426: A cesarean section is the safest delivery method. The WHO recommends a C-section rate of between 10 and 15% because C-sections rates higher than 10% are not associated with a decrease in morbidity and mortality. In 2018, a group of medical professionals called the rates of increase around the world "alarming". In a Lancet report, C-sections were found to have more than tripled from about 6% of all births to 21%. In
1122-535: A colleague were ordered back to Guildford. Upon their arrival they met Howard, who told St. André that Toft had given birth to two more rabbits. She delivered several portions of what was presumed to be a placenta but she was by then quite ill, and suffering from a constant pain in the right side of her abdomen. In a pre-emptive move against Ahlers, St. André collected affidavits from several witnesses, which in effect cast doubt on Ahlers' honesty, and on 26 November gave an anatomical demonstration before
1309-456: A contemporary account of 9 November, over the next few days he delivered "three legs of a Cat of a Tabby Colour, and one leg of a Rabbet: the guts were as a Cat's and in them were three pieces of the Back-Bone of an Eel ... The cat's feet supposed were formed in her imagination from a cat she was fond of that slept on the bed at night." Toft seemingly became ill once more and over
1496-468: A creature he named a sooterkin . He was a proponent of maternal impression , a widely held belief that conception and pregnancy could be influenced by what the mother dreamt, or saw, and warned pregnant women that over-familiarity with household pets could cause their children to resemble those pets. He was reportedly happy to attend Toft, pleased that her case appeared to vindicate his theories, but man-midwife James Douglas , like Manningham, presumed that
1683-509: A daughter, Elizabeth, noted in the Godalming parish register as her "first child after her pretended Rabett-breeding." Little is known of Toft's later life. She briefly reappeared in 1740 when she was imprisoned for receiving stolen goods. She died in 1763, and her obituary ran in London newspapers alongside those of aristocrats. She was buried in Godalming on 13 January 1763. Following
1870-452: A delivery team which includes a support person who will advocate to assure that: It has long been known that a mother's level of the hormone oxytocin elevates in a mother when she interacts with her infant. In 2019, a large review of the effects of oxytocin found that the oxytocin level in fathers that engage in SSC is increased as well. Two studies found that "when the infant is clothed only in
2057-483: A diaper and placed in between the mother or father's breasts, chest-to-chest [elevated paternal oxytocin levels were] shown to reduce stress and anxiety in parents after interaction." For births that occur in hospitals the WHO recommends a hospital stay of at least 24 hours following an uncomplicated vaginal delivery and 96 hours for a Cesarean section. Looking at length of stay (in 2016) for an uncomplicated delivery around
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#17327806435752244-576: A document entitled "Ordinances and constitutions made and established for the better and government of the Town of Godalming in the County of Surry", which specified that the administration of the town should be the responsibility of the warden and eight assistants. It also provided for the appointment of a bailiff and restricted the amount of time that townspeople could spend in local inns and hostelries. The modern system of local government began to emerge in
2431-526: A few minutes later by a rabbit's head. Both men inspected the egested pieces of flesh, noting that some resembled the body parts of a cat. Fascinated, the king then sent surgeon Cyriacus Ahlers to Guildford. Ahlers arrived on 20 November and found Toft exhibiting no signs of pregnancy. He may have already suspected the affair was a hoax and observed that Toft seemed to press her knees and thighs together, as if to prevent something from "dropping down". He thought Howard's behaviour just as suspicious, as
2618-410: A field, she had been startled by a rabbit, and had since become obsessed with rabbits. For later parturitions , animal parts had been inserted into her vagina. Pressured again by Manningham and Douglas (it was the latter who took her confession), she made a further admission on 8 December and another on 9 December, before being sent to Tothill Fields Bridewell , charged on a statute of Edward III as
2805-401: A fluid-filled sac. Usually the sac ruptures at the beginning of or during labour. It may cause a gush of fluid or leak in an intermittent or constant flow of small amounts from a woman's vagina. The fluid is clear or pale yellow. If the amniotic sac has not yet broken during labour the health care provider may break it in a technique called an amniotomy . In an amniotomy a thin plastic hook
2992-667: A further 32 new homes on Cliffe Road in 1935. After the Second World War, the Aaron's Hill development was built on the site of the former Ockford House. The Binscombe estate was constructed in the 1950s, to the northwest of Farncombe. During the First World War, soldiers were billeted at nearby Witley Camp . A canteen was set up in Croft Road for those arriving via Godalming station. Allotments were planted at
3179-599: A great Satisfaction to the Curious: If she had been with Child, she has but ten Days more to go, so I do not know how many Rabbets may be behind; I have brought the Woman to Guildford for better Convenience. I am , SIR, Your humble Servant , JOHN HOWARD. By the middle of November the British Royal Family were so interested in the story that they sent St. André and Samuel Molyneux , secretary to
3366-404: A man-made instrument, and noted pieces of straw and grain in their droppings. On 21 November Ahlers reported his findings to the king and later to "several Persons of Note and Distinction". Howard wrote to Ahlers the next day, asking for the return of his specimens. Ahlers' suspicions began to worry both Howard and St. André, and apparently the king, as two days later St. André and
3553-407: A medical examination on Toft, and concluded that the rabbits were bred in her fallopian tubes . In the doctors' absence, Toft later that day reportedly delivered the torso of another rabbit, which the two also examined. They again returned that evening to find Toft again displaying violent contractions . A further medical examination followed, and St. André delivered some rabbit skin, followed
3740-455: A medication to delay delivery. There is currently no definitive scientific explanation for why labour is painful. According to studies, during pregnancy, the myometrium (the muscle part of the uterus) is greatly denervated. Stretch receptors in the uterus disappear during pregnancy, and stretch receptors in the cervix disappear at the onset of labour. Consequently, the reason for labour pain has only been theorised, not ascertained. One theory
3927-544: A night watch and several special constables. In 1889, the borough force became part of the Surrey Constabulary, under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1888. A new police station, built on the site of the former gasworks, opened in 1969 and closed in 2012. In 2022, policing in the civil parish is the responsibility of Surrey Police and the nearest police station run by the force
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#17327806435754114-421: A painful operation on her, and on 7 December, in the presence of Manningham, Douglas, John Montagu and Frederick Calvert , Toft finally confessed. Following her miscarriage and while her cervix permitted access, an accomplice had inserted into her womb the claws and body of a cat, and the head of a rabbit. They had also invented a story in which Toft claimed that during her pregnancy and while working in
4301-530: A scheduled cesarean section must be planned for a successful delivery and recovery of the mother. An emergency cesarean section may be recommended if unexpected complications occur or little to no progression through the birthing canal is observed in a vaginal delivery. Each year, complications from pregnancy and childbirth result in about 500,000 birthing deaths , seven million women have serious long-term problems, and 50 million women giving birth have negative health outcomes following delivery, most of which occur in
4488-529: A statement by the maternal and child health organisation, the March of Dimes , the increase is largely due to an increase of elective C-sections rather than when it is really necessary or indicated. Looking at the C-section rates between 1976 and 1996, one large study done in the U.S. found that the proportion of pregnancies delivered by C section increased from 6.7% in 1976 to 14.2% in 1996, with maternal choice
4675-418: A steep decline in the middle of the century. Woollen cloth production ended at Guildford in the 1710s, but continued on a small scale in Godalming for around another 100 years. As cloth manufacture declined in Godalming, it was replaced by the production of knitted and woven textiles. A cottage industry developed in the town in the 17th century, producing woollen, silk and later cotton garments. Hosiery
4862-463: A uniformed town watchman was employed with an annual salary of £10 and a "constable of Godalming" is first recorded in 1817. The borough police force was formed in 1836 and briefly became part of the county force from 1851 to 1857. By 1868, the police station was in Moss Lane and had three cells capable of holding a total of nine people. The force was led by a superintendent, assisted by a constable,
5049-501: Is a technique of newborn care where babies are kept chest-to-chest and skin-to-skin with a parent, typically their mother or possibly the father. This means without the shirt or undergarments on the chest of both the baby and parent. A 2011 medical review found that early skin-to-skin contact resulted in a decrease in infant crying, improved cardio-respiratory stability and blood glucose levels, and improved breastfeeding duration. A 2016 Cochrane review also found that SSC at birth promotes
5236-558: Is about to begin may include what is known as lightening , which is the process of the baby moving down from the rib cage with the head of the baby engaging deep in the pelvis. The pregnant woman may then find breathing easier, since her lungs have more room for expansion, but pressure on her bladder may cause more frequent need to void (urinate). Lightening may occur a few weeks or a few hours before labour begins, or even not until labour has begun. Some women also experience an increase in vaginal discharge several days before labour begins when
5423-443: Is achieved through labour induction or caesarean section , also called a C-section. Labour induction is the process or treatment that stimulates childbirth and delivery. Inducing labour can be accomplished with pharmaceutical or non-pharmaceutical methods. Inductions are most often performed either with prostaglandin drug treatment alone, or with a combination of prostaglandin and intravenous oxytocin treatment. Caesarean section
5610-413: Is advised that the newborn be placed skin-to-skin with the mother following vaginal birth, or as soon as the mother is alert and responsive after a Caesarean section, postponing any routine procedures for at least one to two hours. The baby's father or other support person may also choose to hold the baby SSC until the mother recovers from the anaesthetic. The WHO suggests that any initial observations of
5797-488: Is also considered for logistical reasons, such as the distance from hospital or psychosocial conditions, but in these instances gestational age confirmation must be done, and the maturity of the fetal lung must be confirmed by testing. The ACOG also note that contraindications for induced labour are the same as for spontaneous vaginal delivery, including vasa previa , complete placenta praevia , umbilical cord prolapse or active genital herpes simplex infection, in which cases
Mary Toft - Misplaced Pages Continue
5984-426: Is an empty stomach or that its contents are not as acidic. They therefore conclude that "women should be free to eat and drink in labour, or not, as they wish." At one time shaving of the area around the vagina , was common practice due to the belief that hair removal reduced the risk of infection, made an episiotomy (a surgical cut to enlarge the vaginal entrance) easier, and helped with instrumental deliveries. It
6171-504: Is at Guildford. Childbirth Childbirth , also known as labour , parturition and delivery , is the completion of pregnancy where one or more babies exits the internal environment of the mother via vaginal delivery or caesarean section . In 2019, there were about 140.11 million human births globally. In developed countries , most deliveries occur in hospitals , while in developing countries most are home births . The most common childbirth method worldwide
6358-436: Is currently less common, though it is still a routine procedure in some countries even though a systematic review found no evidence to recommend shaving. Side effects appear later, including irritation, redness, and multiple superficial scratches from the razor. Another effort to prevent infection has been the use of the antiseptic chlorhexidine or providone-iodine solution in the vagina. Evidence of benefit with chlorhexidine
6545-465: Is difficult labour or abnormally slow progress of labour, involving progressive cervical dilatation or lack of descent of the fetus. Friedman's Curve, developed in 1955, was for many years used to determine labour dystocia. However, more recent medical research suggests that the Friedman curve may not be currently applicable. The expulsion stage begins when the cervix is fully dilated, and ends when
6732-474: Is elected every four years. Each year, one councillor is chosen as the Mayor, who represents the town on civic occasions and who is recognised as the principal citizen of Godalming. Godalming is twinned with Mayen , Germany (April 1982) and Joigny , France (May 1985). The town retains strong friendship links with the state of Georgia , USA, and with the cities of Savannah and Augusta in particular, through
6919-411: Is elected every four years. Godalming is represented by two councillors. Ward The town is divided into four wards; Binscombe and Charterhouse, Central and Ockford, Farncombe and Catteshall, and Holloway. Godalming is represented by nine councillors, elected to Waverley Borough Council: Ward Godalming Town Council is the lowest tier of local government in the civil parish. A total of 20 councillors
7106-433: Is expelled until just after the placenta is expelled is called the third stage of labour or the involution stage . Placental expulsion begins as a physiological separation from the wall of the uterus. The average time from delivery of the baby until complete expulsion of the placenta is estimated to be 10–12 minutes dependent on whether active or expectant management is employed. In as many as 3% of all vaginal deliveries,
7293-482: Is generally recommended as a first option. Cesarean section can lead to increased risk of complications and a significantly slower recovery. There are also many natural benefits of a vaginal delivery in both mother and baby. Various methods may help with pain, such as relaxation techniques , opioids , and spinal blocks . It is best practice to limit the amount of interventions that occur during labour and delivery such as an elective cesarean section, however in some cases
7480-590: Is in the Borough of Waverley , at the confluence of the Rivers Wey and Ock . The civil parish covers 3.74 sq mi (9.7 km ) and includes the settlements of Farncombe , Binscombe and Aaron's Hill . Much of the area lies on the strata of the Lower Greensand Group and Bargate stone was quarried locally until the Second World War. The earliest evidence of human activity is from
7667-453: Is known to evoke feelings of contentment, reductions in anxiety, and feelings of calmness and security around the mate. Oxytocin is further released during labour when the fetus stimulates the cervix and vagina, and it is believed that it plays a major role in the bonding of a mother to her infant and in the establishment of maternal behaviour. Studies show that the father of the child also has an increase in oxytocin levels following contact with
Mary Toft - Misplaced Pages Continue
7854-561: Is lacking. A decreased risk is found with providone-iodine when a cesarean section is to be performed. An assisted delivery is used in about 1 in 8 births, and may be needed if either mother or infant appears to be at risk during a vaginal delivery. The methods used are termed obstetrical forceps extraction and vacuum extraction , also called ventouse extraction. Done properly, they are both safe with some preference for forceps rather than vacuum, and both are seen as preferable to an unexpected C-section. While considered safe, some risks for
8041-404: Is not willing to disclose what she knows; for nothing can be got from her; so that her resolution shocks others." On 7 January 1727 John Howard and Mary Toft appeared before the bench , where Howard was fined £800 (£150,302 today). He returned to Surrey and continued his practice, and died in 1755. Crowds reportedly mobbed Tothill Fields Bridewell for months, hoping to catch a glimpse of
8228-444: Is portrayed sympathetically as a desperate woman dealing with hardship. A writer for The Spectator described these books as demonstrating that "Toft's grotesque story still captivates us". Notes Bibliography Godalming Godalming ( / ˈ ɡ ɒ d əl m ɪ ŋ / GOD -əl-ming ) is a market town and civil parish in southwest Surrey , England, around 30 miles (49 km) southwest of central London. It
8415-436: Is referred to as "delivery en caul ". Complete expulsion of the baby signals the successful completion of the second stage of labour. Some babies, especially preterm infants, are born covered with a waxy or cheese-like white substance called vernix . It is thought to have some protective roles during fetal development and for a few hours after birth. The second stage varies from one woman to another. In first labours, birth
8602-428: Is some other indication, mothers can attempt a trial of labour and most are able to have a vaginal birth after C-section (VBAC). Induced births and elective cesarean before 39 weeks can be harmful to the neonate as well as harmful or without benefit to the mother. Therefore, many guidelines recommend against non-medically required induced births and elective cesarean before 39 weeks. The 2012 rate of labour induction in
8789-407: Is that the pain results from the buildup of chemicals released during physical exertion. The second leading theory is that the pain results from the vasoconstriction of uterine blood vessels in the myometrium; each contraction squeezes the blood vessels, reducing blood flow and causing some hypoxia . During the later stages of gestation, there is an increase in abundance of oxytocin , a hormone that
8976-519: Is the removal of the neonate through a surgical incision in the abdomen, rather than through vaginal birth. During the procedure the patient is usually numbed with an epidural or a spinal block, but general anaesthesia can be used as well. A cut is made in the patient's abdomen and then in the uterus to remove the baby. Before the 1970s, once a patient delivered one baby via C-section, it was recommended that all of her future babies be delivered by C-section, but that recommendation has changed. Unless there
9163-447: Is thought to have continued into the early Roman period . There is thought to have been a small farmstead on the site in the late first century C.E. and there was also a villa at Binscombe. The Anglo-Saxon settlement at Godalming is thought to have been founded in the 6th or early 7th centuries, in the area surrounding the parish church . The oldest stonework in the church dates from c. 820 – c. 840 and
9350-416: Is used to make a small opening in the sac, causing the water to break. If the sac breaks before labour starts, it's called a prelabour rupture of membranes . Contractions will typically start within 24 hours after the water breaks. If not, the care provider will generally begin labour induction within 24 to 48 hours. If the baby is preterm (less than 37 weeks of pregnancy), the healthcare provider may use
9537-404: Is usually completed within three hours whereas in subsequent labours, birth is usually completed within two hours. Second-stage labours longer than three hours are associated with declining rates of spontaneous vaginal delivery and increasing rates of infection, perineal tears , and obstetric haemorrhage, as well as the need for intensive care of the neonate. The period from just after the fetus
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#17327806435759724-410: Is vaginal delivery. It involves four stages of labour : the shortening and opening of the cervix during the first stage, descent and birth of the baby during the second, the delivery of the placenta during the third, and the recovery of the mother and infant during the fourth stage, which is referred to as the postpartum . The first stage is characterised by abdominal cramping or also back pain in
9911-460: The Mist's Weekly Journal , on 19 November 1726: From Guildford comes a strange but well-attested Piece of News. That a poor Woman who lives at Godalmin [ sic ], near that Town, was about a Month past delivered by Mr John Howard, an Eminent Surgeon and Man-Midwife, of a creature resembling a Rabbit but whose Heart and Lungs grew without [outside] its Belly, about 14 Days since she
10098-466: The Courts of Quarter Sessions at Westminster , charged "for being an abominable cheat and imposter in pretending to be delivered of several monstrous births". Margaret Toft had remained staunch, and refused to comment further. Mist's Weekly Journal of 24 December 1726 reported that "the nurse has been examined as to the person's concerned with her, but either was kept in the dark as to the imposition, or
10285-597: The Feast of Saints Peter and Paul in late June. The right to hold a market was confirmed by Elizabeth I in 1563 and, in January 1575, she issued a Charter of Incorporation, enabling Godalming to become a self-governing borough . The charter specified that a "warden" (effectively a mayor ) should be elected by the town each year at Michaelmas . In 1620, Francis Bacon , the Lord Chancellor under James I , issued
10472-516: The Godalming Navigation in 1764. Expansion of the settlement began in the mid-19th century, stimulated by the opening of the first railway station in 1849 and the relocation of Charterhouse School from London in 1872. The town has a claim to be the first place in the world to have a combined public and private electricity supply . Several buildings in the town centre date from the 16th and 17th centuries. The distinctive Pepperpot
10659-619: The Middle English frith , meaning "woodland". Godalming is a town in the Borough of Waverley in southwest Surrey , around 30 mi (49 km) from central London and 4 mi (6.4 km) from Guildford . The town is in the valley of the River Wey , which flows northwards through Guildford to join the River Thames at Weybridge . Godalming High Street runs roughly east to west, linking an ancient crossing point of
10846-576: The National Trust in 1968. The first railway station in Godalming opened in 1849 on the north side of the Wey. It was the southern terminus of the line built by the London and South Western Railway (LSWR) from Guildford . A decade later, the line to Havant was constructed speculatively by the engineer, Thomas Brassey . This 32.75 mi (52.71 km) line was initially single track and joined
11033-539: The Paleolithic and land above the Wey floodplain at Charterhouse was first settled in the middle Iron Age . The modern town is believed to have its origins in the 6th or early 7th centuries and its name is thought to derive from that of a Saxon landowner. Kersey , a woollen cloth, dyed blue, was produced at Godalming for much of the Middle Ages , but the industry declined in the early modern period . In
11220-453: The Prince of Wales , to investigate. Apparently, they were not disappointed; arriving on 15 November they were taken by Howard to see Toft, who within hours delivered a rabbit's torso. St. André's account details his examination of the rabbit. To check if it had breathed air, he placed a piece of its lung in water to see if it would float—which it did. St. André then performed
11407-401: The cervix , and cervical dilation occur during the closing weeks of pregnancy . Effacement is usually complete or near-complete and dilation is about 5 cm by the end of the latent phase. The degree of cervical effacement and dilation may be felt during a vaginal examination. The active phase of labour has geographically differing definitions. The World Health Organization describes
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#173278064357511594-771: The developing world . Complications in the mother include obstructed labour , postpartum bleeding , eclampsia , and postpartum infection . Complications in the baby include lack of oxygen at birth (birth asphyxia), birth trauma , and prematurity . The most prominent sign of labour is strong repetitive uterine contractions . Pain in contractions has been described as feeling similar to very strong menstrual cramps . Crowning may be experienced as an intense stretching and burning. The Lamaze method of childbirth teaches that making noises such as moaning, groaning, grunting, repeating words over and over, and any sound that one's body may wish to naturally make may help to relieve pain and help labour to progress. According to Lamaze, "While
11781-406: The early modern period , although the oldest surviving buildings in the centre date from the 16th century. The settlement at Binscombe village grew up in the medieval period around Binscombe Farm. Much of the hamlet, including the original farmhouse, is designated a Conservation Area. Godalming began to grow in the mid-19th century, catalysed by the opening of the first railway station in 1849 and
11968-494: The shortening and opening of the cervix during the first stage, descent and birth of the baby during the second, the delivery of the placenta during the third, and the 4th stage of recovery which lasts until two hours after the delivery. The first stage is characterised by abdominal cramping or back pain that typically lasts around half a minute and occurs every 10 to 30 minutes. The contractions (and pain) gradually becomes stronger and closer together. The second stage ends when
12155-584: The umbilical cord for at least one minute or until it ceases to pulsate, which may take several minutes, improves outcomes as long as there is the ability to treat jaundice if it occurs. For many years it was believed that late cord cutting led to a mother's risk of experiencing significant bleeding after giving birth, called postpartum bleeding . However a recent review found that delayed cord cutting in healthy full-term infants resulted in early haemoglobin concentration and higher birthweight and increased iron reserves up to six months after birth with no change in
12342-411: The vaginal opening . This is assisted by the additional maternal efforts of pushing, or bearing down, similar to defecation . The appearance of the fetal head at the vaginal opening is termed crowning . At this point, the mother will feel an intense burning or stinging sensation. When the amniotic sac has not ruptured during labour or pushing, the infant can be born with the membranes intact. This
12529-435: The "mucus plug", a thick plug of mucus that blocks the opening to the uterus, is pushed out into the vagina. The mucus plug may become dislodged days before labour begins or not until the start of labour. While inside the uterus the baby is enclosed in a fluid-filled membrane called the amniotic sac . Shortly before, at the beginning of, or during labour the sac ruptures . Once the sac ruptures, termed "the water breaks",
12716-542: The 13th century, when they appear as Budenscombe and Bursbrige respectively. Their names are thought to derive from individuals called Byden and Beohrtsige , names both found in Old English. Catteshall may mean "hill of the wild cat" or "hill belonging to a person called Catt ". Farncombe appears in Domesday Book as Fearnecombe and is thought to mean "valley of the ferns ". Frith Hill may derive from
12903-415: The 17th century, the town began to specialise in the production of knitted textiles and in the manufacture of hosiery in particular. Throughout its history, Godalming has benefitted from its location on the main route from London to Portsmouth Dockyard . Local transport links were improved from the early 18th century with the opening of the turnpike road through the town in 1749 and the construction of
13090-409: The 18th and 19th centuries. The municipal tip was opened next to the sewage works in the early 1900s. The Godalming Gas and Coke Company was established in 1825 and purchased part of Godalming Wharf for the site of its gasworks. Gas was provided for street lighting between 1836 and 1881, and again from 1884 to 1900. The coal required initially arrived by barge, but was delivered by train after
13277-459: The 1960s, is credited with the invention of a machine to produce the cable stitch . Leather production was a significant part of the local economy from the mid-15th to mid-20th centuries. Tanneries are recorded at several sites in the town, including at Ockford Road, Meadrow and Catteshall Lock. In 1808, a "bark house" was erected in Mill Street for grinding bark and chamois leather
13464-482: The Bargate Wood estate was built in the 1980s. Farncombe began to grow in the early Victorian era , with terraced housing , semi-detached houses and larger villas being built along new streets branching from existing roads such as Hare Lane, Summers Road and Farncombe Street. Until the mid-19th century, Charterhouse and Furze Hill were part of Deanery Farm, although much of the latter was woodland. In 1865,
13651-578: The County Surveyor, George Gwilt. The road south from the town centre through Busbridge to Hascombe was turnpiked in 1826. The Wey has been used for navigation since ancient times and it is likely that wool, cloth and timber were transported via the unimproved river during the medieval period. The River Wey Navigation , between the River Thames and Guildford was authorised by Act of Parliament in 1651. Although its southern terminus
13838-555: The Godalming area is from the Stone Age . At least two Paleolithic hand axes as well as Mesolithic flint blades and flakes have been found in the civil parish. In 2017, a local schoolboy discovered a Bronze Age barbed and tanged arrowhead , which he subsequently donated to Godalming Museum . The higher ground above the River Wey floodplain at Charterhouse was occupied during the middle Iron Age and human habitation
14025-420: The Godalming area, including the bivalves Ostrea macroptera and Exogyra sinuata , and the brachiopods Rhynchonella parvirostris and Waldheimia tamarindus . Frith Hill and Charterhouse are on the iron-rich Bargate Beds, a part of the more widespread lower Sandgate Formation that is only found in the Godalming area. This layer contains Bargate stone , a dark honey-coloured calcerous sandstone that
14212-666: The High Street. The basic layout of Church Street, the High Street and Bridge Street are thought to have been established by the 13th century and may be pre- conquest in origin. The Saxon settlement was concentrated in the Church Street area and Godalming expanded along the modern High Street in the 11th and 12th centuries. The first houses may have been constructed in The Mint in the late 13th or early 14th centuries. The town does not appear to have expanded significantly in
14399-689: The Holloway Hill Recreation Ground and villagers in Busbridge were employed to manufacture baskets for 18 lb high-explosive shells . In October 1914, the Red Cross opened a hospital for wounded soldiers at Charterhouse School. During the Second World War, the defence of Godalming was the responsibility of the 4th Battalion of the Surrey Home Guard, part of South East Command. A total of 213 bombs fell on
14586-501: The Imposture as they requir'd. Under constant supervision, Toft went into labour several times, to no avail. The hoax was uncovered less than a week later on 4 December. Thomas Onslow, 2nd Baron Onslow , had begun an investigation of his own and discovered that for the past month Toft's husband, Joshua, had been buying young rabbits. Convinced he had enough evidence to proceed, in a letter to physician Sir Hans Sloane he wrote that
14773-650: The Prince of Wales's mistress, suggested the story was a political portent of the approaching death of the prince's father. On 7 January 1727 Mist's Weekly Journal satirised the matter, making several allusions to political change, and comparing the affair to the events of 1641 when Parliament began its revolution against King Charles I . The scandal provided the writers of Grub Street with enough material to produce pamphlets, squibs , broadsides and ballads for several months. With publications such as St. André's Miscarriage (1727) and The anatomist dissected: or
14960-551: The River Ock, which rises at Witley , to the south. The main urban areas of Godalming and Farncombe are separated from the Wey by the floodplain , which includes the water meadows known as the Lammas Lands. Serious flooding events occurred in the local area in 1968, 1990, 2000, 2013 and 2020; new defences , including the construction of a 525 m (1,722 ft) flood wall and two pumping stations , were installed in
15147-732: The U.S. state and the cities of Savannah and Augusta in particular. The oldest surviving record of Godalming is from a c. 1000 copy of the c. 880 – c. 885 will of Alfred the Great , in which the settlement appears as Godelmingum . The name is written as Godelminge in the Domesday Book of 1086, and later as Godelminges ( c. 1150 – c. 1200 ), Godhelming ( c. 1170 – c. 1230 ), Godalminges ( c. 1220 – c. 1265 ) and Godalmyn ( c. 1485 – c. 1625 ). The second part of
15334-545: The United States was 23.3%, and had more than doubled from 1990 to 2010. By 2022 it had climbed to 32%. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) guidelines recommend a full evaluation of the maternal-fetal status, the status of the cervix, and at least a 39 completed weeks (full term) of gestation for optimal health of the newborn when considering elective induction of labour. Per these guidelines, indications for induction may include: Induction
15521-509: The Wey at the site of the current Town Bridge was established by the 12th century. In the late-medieval period, there was also a bridge owned by the Lord of the Manor at this location, but the ford was used by townspeople except in times of flood. The road through Godalming between Kingston upon Thames and Petersfield was turnpiked in 1749 and the present Town Bridge was constructed in 1782 by
15708-480: The Wey provided a source of both water and power for fulling mills . Like Guildford, to the north, the town specialised in the manufacture of kersey , a coarse cloth, dyed blue. Fulling took place at Catteshall Mill between 1300 and 1660, and at the Westbrook Mills in the 17th and early 18th centuries. Dyers are known to have been active in the town in the 17th century, but the kersey industry went into
15895-586: The Wey to the road leading south over Holloway Hill. The town is almost completely surrounded by the Metropolitan Green Belt and the Surrey Hills National Landscape is to the north and west. Godalming Civil Parish has a total area of 3.74 sq mi (9.7 km ). It includes the settlements of Binscombe, Frith Hill and Charterhouse (north of the river) and Aaron's Hill , Ockford Ridge and Crownpits (to
16082-552: The active first stage as "a period of time characterised by regular painful uterine contractions, a substantial degree of cervical effacement and more rapid cervical dilatation from 5 cm until full dilatation for first and subsequent labours”. In the US, the definition of active labour was changed from 3 to 4 cm, to 5 cm of cervical dilation for multiparous women, mothers who had given birth previously, and at 6 cm for nulliparous women, those who had not given birth before. This
16269-506: The affair had "almost alarmed England" and that he would soon publish his findings. The same day, Thomas Howard, a porter at the bagnio, confessed to Justice of the Peace Sir Thomas Clarges that he had been bribed by Toft's sister-in-law, Margaret, to sneak a rabbit into Toft's chamber. When arrested and questioned Mary denied the accusation, while Margaret, under Douglas's interrogation, claimed that she had obtained
16456-417: The affair was a hoax and despite St. André's repeated invitations, kept his distance. Douglas was one of the country's most respected anatomists and a well-known man-midwife, whereas St. André was often considered to be a member of the court only because of his ability to speak the king's native German. St. André therefore desperately wanted the two to attend Toft; after George I 's accession to
16643-403: The arrival of Charterhouse School in 1872. The first cottages were constructed at Crownpits in the 1880s and farmland to the south of the town centre was sold for development in the same decade. Summerhouse, Busbridge and Oakdene Roads had been laid out by the mid-1890s and most of the houses had been built by the end of the century. The area north of Home Farm Road was developed in the 1970s and
16830-501: The arrival of John Howard, a local surgeon, who investigated the matter. He delivered several pieces of animal flesh and duly notified other prominent physicians, which brought the case to the attention of Nathaniel St. André , surgeon to the Royal Household of King George I . St. André concluded that Toft's case was genuine but the king also sent surgeon Cyriacus Ahlers, who remained sceptical. By then quite famous, Toft
17017-470: The author concludes that figure "G" is Mary Toft's sister-in-law, Margaret Toft. Toft's confession of 7 December demonstrates her insistence that her sister-in-law played no part in the hoax, but Manningham's 1726 An Exact Diary of what was observ'd during a Close Attendance upon Mary Toft, the pretended Rabbet-Breeder of Godalming in Surrey offers eyewitness testimony of her complicity. Hogarth's print
17204-405: The baby is at risk for infection and the mother's medical team will assess the need to induce labour if it has not started within the time they believe to be safe for the infant. The first stage of labour is divided into latent and active phases, where the latent phase is sometimes included in the definition of labour, and sometimes not. The latent phase is generally defined as beginning at
17391-401: The baby is born. As pressure on the cervix increases, a sensation of pelvic pressure is experienced, and, with it, an urge to begin pushing. At the beginning of the normal second stage, the head is fully engaged in the pelvis; the widest diameter of the head has passed below the level of the pelvic inlet . The fetal head then continues descent into the pelvis, below the pubic arch and out through
17578-554: The base of the west wall of the tower is of Anglo-Saxon origin. The earliest documentary evidence for Godalming, is from the will of Alfred the Great in 880, in which the settlement and surrounding land is left to his nephew, Æthelwold ætheling . By the end of the Anglo-Saxon period, the town was the administrative centre of the Godalming Hundred , which stretched from Puttenham in the northwest to Chiddingfold in
17765-405: The birth canal. This change in the shape of the fetal head is called molding and is much more prominent in women having their first vaginal delivery. Cervical ripening is the physical and chemical changes in the cervix to prepare it for the stretching that will take place as the fetus moves out of the uterus and into the birth canal. A scoring system called a Bishop score can be used to judge
17952-487: The borough to the newly formed Surrey County Council . Farncombe was originally a separate civil parish, but became part of Godalming borough in 1892. The most recent change in local government took place in 1974, when the municipal boroughs of Godalming and Haslemere were merged with the Farnham Urban District and Hambledon Rural District to form Waverley District. At the same time, Godalming Town Council
18139-401: The branch from Guildford to the north of the first railway station. Although construction was completed in 1858, the first passenger trains south of Godalming did not run until January of the following year. Initially there were four services in each direction per day between Guildford and Havant, which had increased to seven (with a single short working to Petersfield ) by 1890. The opening of
18326-429: The case of back labour, that typically lasts half a minute and occurs every 10 to 30 minutes. Contractions gradually become stronger and closer together. Since the pain of childbirth correlates with contractions, the pain becomes more frequent and strong as the labour progresses. The second stage ends when the infant is fully expelled. The third stage is the delivery of the placenta . The fourth stage of labour involves
18513-409: The confession of 'Merry Tuft', "... in her own Stile and Spelling". Poking fun at her illiteracy, it makes a number of obscene suggestions hinting at her promiscuity—"I wos a Wuman as had grate nattural parts, and a large Capassiti, and kapible of being kunserned in depe Kuntrivansis." The document also ridicules several of the physicians involved in the affair, and reflects the general view portrayed by
18700-516: The construction of Borough Road and Borough Bridge to link the newly opened Charterhouse School to the town centre. The 9.1 mi (14.6 km) Guildford and Godalming bypass (now the A3) was opened in July 1934. In the 1990s, Flambard Way was built to divert through traffic around the town centre. Its construction divided Queen Street in two and severed the connections from Mill Lane and Holloway Hill to
18887-567: The country, where St. André died in 1776, aged 96. Manningham, desperate to exculpate himself, published a diary of his observations of Mary Toft, together with an account of her confession of the fraud, on 12 December. In it he suggested that Douglas had been fooled by Toft, and concerned with his image Douglas replied by publishing his own account. Using the pseudonym 'Lover of Truth and Learning', in 1727 Douglas also published The Sooterkin Dissected . A letter to Maubray, Douglas
19074-459: The death of Samuel Molyneux, he married Molyneux's widow, Elizabeth. This did little to impress his peers. Molyneux's cousin accused him of the poisoning, a charge that St. André defended by suing for defamation , but the careers of St. André and his wife were permanently damaged. Elizabeth lost her attendance on Queen Caroline , and St. André was publicly humiliated at court. Living on Elizabeth's considerable wealth, they retired to
19261-444: The degree of cervical ripening to predict the timing of labour and delivery of the infant or for women at risk for preterm labour. It is also used to judge when a woman will respond to induction of labour for a postdate pregnancy or other medical reasons. There are several methods of inducing cervical ripening which will allow the uterine contractions to effectively dilate the cervix. Vaginal delivery involves four stages of labour:
19448-428: The duration of the third stage is longer than 30 minutes and raises concern for retained placenta . Placental expulsion can be managed actively or it can be managed expectantly, allowing the placenta to be expelled without medical assistance. Active management is the administration of a uterotonic drug within one minute of fetal delivery, controlled traction of the umbilical cord and fundal massage after delivery of
19635-475: The early 19th century, a hand-operated pump was installed next to the Pepperpot in the High Street. A 45 m deep (148 ft) well was dug at Charterhouse to supply the school with water. In around 1880, water mains were installed in Godalming and Farncombe, fed from a water tower on Frith Hill. In 1899, the borough council purchased the water tower, becoming responsible for the drinking water supply to
19822-556: The early days of newspapers, the story became a national sensation, although some publications were sceptical, the Norwich Gazette viewing the affair simply as female gossip. Rabbit stew and jugged hare disappeared from the dinner table, while as unlikely as the story sounded, many physicians felt compelled to see Toft for themselves. The political writer John Hervey later told his friend Henry Fox that: Every creature in town, both men and women, have been to see and feel her:
20009-669: The first half of the 19th century. Under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 , the town became a borough corporation under the control of a mayor and elected councillors. The following year, the Guildford Poor Law Union was formed, with responsibility for a total area of 12 sq mi (31 km ) stretching from Godalming to Woking . As a result of the Local Government Act 1888 , several responsibilities were transferred from
20196-421: The first railway station opened in 1849. The gasworks closed in 1957, when the town supply was linked to that of Guildford. Godalming has a claim to be the first town in the world to have a combined public and private electricity supply. The price of gas had risen during the 1870s and the borough sought an alternative method of providing street lighting. In 1881, the London firm of Calder and Barrett installed
20383-494: The flesh to John Howard, a Guildford -based man-midwife of thirty years' experience. Initially, Howard dismissed the notion that Toft had given birth to animal parts, but the next day, despite his reservations, he went to see her. Ann Toft showed him more pieces of the previous night's exertions, but on examining Mary, he found nothing. When Mary again went into labour, appearing to give birth to several more animal parts, Howard returned to continue his investigations. According to
20570-596: The following verse: Most true it is, I dare to say, E'er since the Days of Eve , The weakest Woman sometimes may The wisest Man deceive. In 2019, Mary Toft; or the Rabbit Queen was written by Dexter Palmer. In the novel, Toft is abused by her husband. Another novel, Mary and the Rabbit Dream by Noémi Kiss-Deáki, was published in 2024. This book also features a fictionalized account of Toft's life. Toft
20757-569: The hoax, the medical profession's gullibility became the target of a great deal of public mockery. William Hogarth published Cunicularii, or The Wise Men of Godliman in Consultation (1726), which portrays Toft in the throes of labour , surrounded by the tale's chief participants. Figure "F" is Toft, "E" is her husband. "A" is St. André, and "D" is Howard. In Dennis Todd's Three Characters in Hogarth's Cunicularii and Some Implications
20944-630: The hospital shortly after birth and her midwife will continue her care at her home. In the U.S. the average length of stay has gradually dropped from 4.1 days in 1970 to a current stay of 2 days. The CDC attributed the drop to the rise in health care costs, saying people could not afford to stay in the hospital any longer. To keep it from dropping any lower, in 1996 congress passed the Newborns' and Mothers' Health Protection Act that requires insurers to cover at least 48 hours for uncomplicated delivery. In many cases and with increasing frequency, childbirth
21131-409: The infant and parents with higher oxytocin levels showed more responsiveness and synchrony in their interactions with their infant. The act of nursing a child also causes a release of oxytocin to help the baby get milk more easily from the nipple. Station refers to the relationship of the fetal presenting part to the level of the ischial spines . When the presenting part is at the ischial spines
21318-409: The infant be placed on the mother's chest, termed skin-to-skin contact , and delaying routine procedures for at least one to two hours or until the baby has had its first breastfeeding. Definitions of the onset of labour include: Many women are known to experience what has been termed the "nesting instinct". Women report a spurt of energy shortly before going into labour. Common signs that labour
21505-399: The infant can be done while the infant remains close to the mother, saying that even a brief separation before the baby has had its first feed can disturb the bonding process. They further advise frequent skin-to-skin contact as much as possible during the first days after delivery, especially if it were interrupted for some reason after the delivery. La Leche League advises women to have
21692-408: The infant is fully expelled. In the third stage, the delivery of the placenta. The fourth stage of labour involves recovery, the uterus beginning to contract to pre-pregnancy state, delayed clamping of the umbilical cord , and monitoring of the neonatal tone and vitals. As of 2014, all major health organisations advise that immediately following a live birth , regardless of the delivery method, that
21879-525: The ire of the satirists, who concentrated mainly on sexual innuendo . Some took advantage of a common 18th-century word for a rabbit track—prick—and others were scatological in nature. However, Much Ado about Nothing; or, A Plain Refutation of All that Has Been Written or Said Concerning the Rabbit-Woman of Godalming (1727) is one of the more cutting satires on Toft. The document supposes to be
22066-477: The king to support Toft's story. According to his pamphlet, neither St. André nor Molyneux suspected any fraudulent activity. St. André was ordered by the king to travel back to Guildford and to bring Toft to London, so that further investigations could be carried out. He was accompanied by Richard Manningham , a well-known obstetrician who was knighted in 1721, and the second son of Thomas Manningham , Bishop of Chichester . He examined Toft and found
22253-468: The land was sold in lots, with 70 acres (28 ha) being acquired for the site of Charterhouse School. Houses in Deanery and Peperharrow Roads were built in the early 1870s, but in the mid-20th century many were either divided into flats or demolished, and higher-density housing was constructed on their former gardens. In the 1960s, the school vacated its properties on Frith Hill Road and on Markenholm, and
22440-577: The late 11th century, the Manor of Godalming was divided into two parts. The King's Manor was held by the Crown through the 12th century. There is evidence to suggest that it was held by Stephen de Turnham in 1206, but in 1221 it was granted to the Bishop of Salisbury by Henry III . It was held by the Bishop until 1541, when it was conveyed to Thomas Paston , who returned it to the Crown the following year. It
22627-429: The latent first stage has not been established and can vary widely from one woman to another. However, the duration of active first stage (from 5 cm until full cervical dilatation) usually does not extend beyond 12 hours in the first labour("primiparae"), and usually does not extend beyond 10 hours in subsequent labours ("multiparae"). Dystocia of labour , also called "dysfunctional labour" or "failure to progress",
22814-400: The letters he wrote to Davenant to notify him of any progress in the case came to the attention of Nathaniel St. André , since 1723 a Swiss surgeon to the Royal Household . St. André would ultimately detail the contents of one of these letters in his pamphlet, A short narrative of an extraordinary delivery of rabbets (1727): SIR, Since I wrote to you, I have taken or deliver'd
23001-561: The lights in the town centre were too dim, while those at the mill were too bright. By the end of 1881, the generator had been moved to the rear of the White Hart pub, where it was driven by a steam engine and, in April 1882, Siemens took over the operation. The electricity supply continued until 1884, when Siemens refused to bid for the renewal of its contract and the town reverted to gas lighting. The second power station in Godalming
23188-465: The likelihood and effectiveness of breastfeeding. As of 2014, early postpartum SSC is endorsed by all major organisations that are responsible for the well-being of infants, including the American Academy of Pediatrics . The World Health Organization (WHO) states that "the process of childbirth is not finished until the baby has safely transferred from placental to mammary nutrition." It
23375-402: The line necessitated the building of the current railway station , although the original station was retained until 1969 for freight. Farncombe railway station , the only intermediate station between Guildford and Godalming, opened on 1 May 1897. The line south of Godalming was doubled in 1871 and was electrified in 1937. Late 19th century improvements in the local road network included
23562-415: The lower segment of the uterus. During a contraction, uterine muscles contract causing shortening of the upper segment and drawing upwards of the lower segment, in a gradual expulsive motion. The presenting fetal part then is permitted to descend. Full dilation is reached when the cervix has widened enough to allow passage of the baby's head, around 10 cm dilation for a term baby. A standard duration of
23749-541: The man-midwife finely brought to bed (1727) satirists scorned the objectivity of men-midwives, and critics of Toft's attendants questioned their integrity, undermining their profession with sexual puns and allusions. The case raised questions about England's status as an "enlightened" nation— Voltaire used the case in his brief essay Singularités de la nature to describe how the Protestant English were still influenced by an ignorant Church. Toft did not escape
23936-440: The man-midwife would not let him help deliver the rabbits—although Ahlers was not a man-midwife and in an earlier attempt had apparently put Toft through considerable pain. Convinced the affair was a hoax, he lied, telling those involved that he believed Toft's story, before making his excuses and returning to London, taking specimens of the rabbits with him. Upon closer study, he reportedly found evidence of them having been cut with
24123-675: The manor was leased to the Castillion family, but was held by the Ogelthorpe family in the 18th century. In 1846, the Rectory Manor was transferred to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners , who began to break up and sell off the estate in the early 1860s. The first charter to be granted to Godalming was issued by Edward I on 7 June 1300. In it, he authorised a weekly market and a three-day annual fair on
24310-425: The market should be held every Wednesday. In 1674, the day was changed to Friday, but had reverted to Wednesday by the start of the 19th century. The market ceased in around 1879. The right to hold a fair each July was also granted in the charter of 1300 and continued to be held until 1870. A second annual fair, which originally took place over three days around Candlemas each February, was granted by Elizabeth I. By
24497-468: The matter: To be able to determine, to the Satisfaction and Conviction of all sorts of Persons, other Arguments were necessary, than Anatomy, or any other Branch of Physick [sic], could furnish. Of these the greatest Number are not Judges. It was therefore undoubtedly very natural for me to desire that People would suspend any farther Judgement for a little Time, till such Proofs could be brought of
24684-401: The media would have you believe that all birthing women scream, in reality, it's not the most common noise." They say that screaming may be a sign that the labouring woman is beginning to panic and the support team should help her back to regulated breathing. Back labour is a complication that occurs during childbirth when a fetus exhibits posterior presentation (i.e. when the fetus is facing
24871-444: The most frequent reason given. By 2018 the rate had climbed to one-third of all births. Obstetric care frequently subjects women to institutional routines, which may have adverse effects on the progress of labour. Supportive care during labour may involve emotional support, comfort measures, and information and advocacy which may promote the physical process of labour as well as women's feelings of control and competence, thus reducing
25058-491: The mother include vaginal tearing, including a higher chance of having a more major vaginal tear that involves the muscle or wall of the anus or rectum. For women undergoing operative vaginal delivery with vacuum extraction or forceps, there is strong evidence that prophylactic antibiotics help to reduce the risk of infection. There is a higher risk of blood clots forming in the legs or pelvis – anti-clot stockings or medication may be ordered to avoid clots. Urinary incontinence
25245-399: The mother's navel), instead of the typical anterior presentation. This leads to more intense contractions, and causes pain in the lower back that persists between contractions as the fetus’ occiput exerts pressure on the mother's sacrum. Another prominent sign of labour is the rupture of membranes , commonly known as "water breaking". During pregnancy, a baby is surrounded and cushioned by
25432-632: The name is thought to derive from the Old English —ingas and means "people of" or "family of" and the first part may refer to an Anglo-Saxon individual called Godhelm . Thomas William Shore (1840–1905) suggested that Godhelm may be of Gothic origin and Robert Eugen Zachrisson (1880–1937) proposed that it may have been an early name for the River Ock or another local stream. Residents of Godalming are sometimes called "Godhelmians". The first records of Binscombe and Busbridge are from
25619-738: The need for obstetric intervention. The continuous support may be provided either by hospital staff such as nurses or midwives, doulas , or by companions of the woman's choice from her social network. There is increasing evidence to show that the participation of the child's father in the birth leads to a better birth and also post-birth outcomes, providing the father does not exhibit excessive anxiety. Continuous labour support may help women to give birth spontaneously, that is, without caesarean or vacuum or forceps, with slightly shorter labours, and to have more positive feelings regarding their experience of giving birth. Continuous labour support may also reduce women's use of pain medication during labour and reduce
25806-439: The next few days delivered more pieces of rabbit. As the story became more widely known, on 4 November Henry Davenant, a member of the court of King George I , went to see for himself what was happening. He examined the samples Howard had collected and returned to London, ostensibly a believer. Howard had Toft moved to Guildford , where he offered to deliver rabbits in the presence of anyone who doubted her story. Some of
25993-532: The northeast of the town centre, is first recorded in 1300 and was used for milling corn from c. 1660 until 1836. The two Westbrook Mills, also on the Wey, are around 100 m (110 yd) apart and are not clearly distinguished in historical records until the mid-19th century, when the upper mill became known as Salgasson Mill. Godalming's medieval prosperity was founded on the wool trade. The North Downs provided good grazing land for sheep, there were local deposits of Fuller's earth in Surrey and
26180-401: The now infamous Toft. By this time she had become quite ill, and while incarcerated had her portrait drawn by John Laguerre. She was ultimately discharged on 8 April 1727, as it was unclear as to what charge should have been made against her. The Toft family made no profit from the affair, and Mary Toft returned to Surrey. In February 1728 (recorded as 1727 Old Style ), she gave birth to
26367-440: The nursery and that the separation would offer the mothers more time to rest. As attitudes began to change, some hospitals offered a "rooming in" option wherein after a period of routine hospital procedures and observation, the infant could be allowed to share the mother's room. As of 2020, rooming-in has increasingly become standard practice in maternity wards. Skin-to-skin contact (SSC), sometimes also called kangaroo care ,
26554-412: The oesophagus in pregnancy, upward pressure of the uterus on the stomach, and the possibility of general anaesthetic in the event of an emergency cesarean. A 2013 Cochrane review found that with good obstetrical anaesthesia there is no change in harms from allowing eating and drinking during labour in those who are unlikely to need surgery. They additionally acknowledge that not eating does not mean there
26741-522: The organisation, the Friends of Oglethorpe. Since 2011, the town council has held the power to confer the titles of "Honorary Freeman" and "Honorary Freewoman" on residents who have demonstrated outstanding service to or made a significant contribution to the community. As of 2022, two people (Zadie Caudle and John Young) have been recognised in this way. For much of the town's history, residents obtained drinking water from local rivers or from wells . In
26928-406: The perpetual emotions, noises and rumblings in her Belly are something prodigious; all the eminent physicians, surgeons and man-midwives in London are there Day and Night to watch her next production. Under St. André's strict control, Toft was studied by a number of eminent physicians and surgeons, including John Maubray . In The Female Physician Maubray had proposed women could give birth to
27115-421: The pieces to her mother and to her mother-in-law, Ann Toft, who in contemporary accounts of the affair is named as a local midwife despite not being officially listed as one in the parish register or the list of women who received a Bishop’s license It is possible that Ann, who had twelve children, unofficially assisted local poorer women with childbirth on the basis of her knowledge and experiences. Ann Toft sent
27302-565: The placenta, followed by performance of uterine massage every 15 minutes for two hours. In a joint statement, World Health Organization , the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics and the International Confederation of Midwives recommend active management of the third stage of labour in all vaginal deliveries to help to prevent postpartum haemorrhage . Delaying the clamping of
27489-428: The point at which the woman perceives regular uterine contractions . In contrast, Braxton Hicks contractions , which are contractions that may start around 26 weeks gestation and are sometimes called "false labour", are infrequent, irregular, and involve only mild cramping. Braxton Hicks contractions are the uterine muscles preparing to deliver the infant. Cervical effacement , which is the thinning and stretching of
27676-461: The poor Woman of three more Rabbets, all three half grown, one of them a dunn Rabbet; the last leap'd twenty three Hours in the Uterus before it dy'd. As soon as the eleventh Rabbet was taken away, up leap'd the twelfth Rabbet, which is now leaping. If you have any curious Person that is pleased to come Post, may see another leap in her Uterus , and shall take it from her if he pleases; which will be
27863-484: The postnatal period as the most critical and yet the most neglected phase in the lives of mothers and babies; most deaths occur during the postnatal period. Following the birth, if the mother had an episiotomy or a tearing of the perineum , it is stitched. This is also an optimal time for uptake of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), such as the contraceptive implant or intrauterine device (IUD), both of which can be inserted immediately after delivery while
28050-411: The pregnancy and in early August egested several pieces of flesh, one "as big as my arm". This may have been the result of an abnormality of the developing placenta , which would have caused the embryo to stop developing and blood clots and flesh to be ejected. Toft went into labour on 27 September. Her neighbour was called and watched as she produced several animal parts. This neighbour then showed
28237-554: The rabbit for eating only. I told my sister of my having sent for a rabbit and I desire[d] her to give it to the porter to be carryed away which my sister did saying she would not have it known for 1000 p[oun]d[s]. Manningham examined Toft and thought something remained in the cavity of her uterus, and so he successfully persuaded Clarges to allow her to remain at the bagnio. Douglas, who had by then visited Toft, questioned her on three or four occasions, each time for several hours. After several days of this Manningham threatened to perform
28424-423: The rate of postpartum bleeding. The fourth stage of labour is the period beginning immediately after childbirth, and extends for about six weeks. The terms postpartum and postnatal are often used for this period. The woman's body, including hormone levels and uterus size, return to a non-pregnant state and the newborn adjusts to life outside the mother's body. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes
28611-451: The recovery of the mother, delayed clamping of the umbilical cord , and monitoring of the neonate . As of 2014, all major health organisations advise that immediately following a live birth , regardless of the delivery method, that the infant be placed on the mother's chest (termed skin-to-skin contact ), and to delay neonate procedures for at least one to two hours or until the baby has had its first breastfeeding . Vaginal delivery
28798-528: The right side of her abdomen slightly enlarged. Manningham also delivered what he thought was a hog's bladder—although St. André and Howard disagreed with his identification—but became suspicious as it smelled of urine . Nevertheless, those involved agreed to say nothing in public and on their return to London on 29 November lodged Toft in Lacey's Bagnio , in Leicester Fields. Printed in
28985-540: The ring was connected to the Wimbledon -Woking main via a 132 kV substation at West Byfleet . By the time of its closure in 1949, the Borough Road power station had an installed capacity of 600 kW. From the early part of the 17th century, the borough appears to have employed a "bedle" or "bellman" to apprehend troublemakers and, in 1747, there is a reference to a "cage prison" in Godalming. By 1762,
29172-401: The risk of babies having low five-minute Apgar scores. Eating or drinking during labour is an area of ongoing debate. While some have argued that eating in labour has no harmful effects on outcomes, others continue to have concern regarding the increased possibility of an aspiration event (choking on recently eaten foods) in the event of an emergency delivery due to the increased relaxation of
29359-569: The satirists that Toft was a weak woman and the least complicit of "the offenders" (regardless of her guilt). The notion contrasts with that expressed of her before the hoax was revealed and may indicate an overall strategy to disempower Toft completely. This is reflected in one of the most notable satires of the affair, Alexander Pope and William Pulteney 's anonymous satirical ballad The Discovery; or, The Squire Turn'd Ferret . Published in 1726 and aimed at Samuel Molyneux, it rhymes "hare" with "hair", and "money" with "conney". The ballad opens with
29546-574: The sites were sold for residential development. Housing on The Brambles was constructed in the mid-1980s. The most recent major developments in Farncombe took place in the early 21st century off Furze Lane. The first council housing in the civil parish was constructed in 1920 around The Oval and Broadwater Lane in Farncombe. The first 168 houses on the Ockford Ridge estate, west of the town centre, were completed in 1931 and were followed by
29733-478: The south). The majority of the built-up area of Busbridge is also in Godalming Civil Parish. Farncombe, to the north of the town, has a strong village identity and incorporates a small cluster of local shops on Farncombe and St John's Streets. Godalming has good transport links to London and Portsmouth via the railway line and A3 road . At the west end of the town, the River Wey is joined by
29920-437: The southeast. The town appears as Godelminge in Domesday Book; in 1086 it was held by Ranulf Flambard , who also held Tuesley and parts of Guildford. The manor had sufficient land for 25 plough teams. It included 40 acres of meadow, woodland for 103 swine, three mills, two churches, and generated an annual income of £34. Farncombe appears in Domesday Book as Fernecome and was held by Odo of Bayeux . At some point in
30107-439: The start of the 19th century, the fair had been reduced to a single day and is last recorded in 1910. Three watermills are recorded in the entry for Godalming in Domesday Book. Although their identities are uncertain, the present day Catteshall, Hatch and Westbrook Mills on the River Wey are thought to be the likely locations. Hatch Mill, close to the parish church, may be the oldest mill site in Godalming. Catteshall Mill, to
30294-481: The station is 0 (synonymous with engagement). If the presenting fetal part is above the spines, the distance is measured and described as minus stations, which range from −1 to −4 cm . If the presenting part is below the ischial spines, the distance is stated as plus stations ( +1 to +4 cm). At +3 and +4 the presenting part is at the perineum and can be seen. The fetal head may temporarily change shape (becoming more elongated or cone shaped) as it moves through
30481-550: The surgeon had staked his reputation, and although it offers a more empirical account of the Toft case than earlier more fanciful publications about reproduction in general, ultimately it was derided. Ahlers, his scepticism justified, published Some observations concerning the woman of Godlyman in Surrey , which details his account of events and his suspicion of the complicity of both St. André and Howard. St. André recanted his views on 9 December 1726. In 1729, following
30668-534: The throne the Whigs had become the dominant political faction, and Manningham and Douglas's Whig affiliations and medical knowledge might have elevated his status as both doctor and philosopher. Douglas thought that a woman giving birth to rabbits was as likely as a rabbit giving birth to a human child, but despite his scepticism he went to see her. When Manningham informed him of the suspected hog's bladder, and after he examined Toft, he refused to engage St. André on
30855-405: The town centre. The busiest period for the navigation was during the 1810s, when timber, flour, and goods made of iron were shipped from Godalming, but after the arrival of the railway in 1849, it went into sharp decline. After 1918, there were only two commercial barges working the river south of Guildford and the final shipments from Godalming took place in 1925. The Godalming Navigation passed to
31042-441: The town until 1974. In that year, the water tower was decommissioned and a new covered reservoir was opened at Sandy Lane. The town sewerage system was constructed in 1894 and included a sewage works at Unstead Farm, to the north of Farncombe. Until this point, waste water had been disposed of in cesspits , resulting in the contamination of drinking water wells; outbreaks of cholera and typhoid are recorded in Godalming in
31229-528: The town, including two V-1 flying bombs , although no civilians were killed. In September 1939, around 40 children were evacuated to Busbridge from Wandsworth and several houses in Godalming were requisitioned to provide accommodation for soldiers. St Thomas's Hospital Medical School was also evacuated to Godalming and used the Charterhouse School science laboratories to teach in. Many students joined local home guard. A British Restaurant
31416-451: The uterus to prevent excessive blood flow, continue for several days. Vaginal discharge, termed "lochia", can be expected to continue for several weeks; initially bright red, it gradually becomes pink, changing to brown, and finally to yellow or white. At one time babies born in hospitals were removed from their mothers shortly after birth and brought to the mother only at feeding times. Mothers were told that their newborns would be safer in
31603-652: The winter of 2018–19. Godalming lies on the northwestern side of the Weald and primarily sits on the strata of the Lower Greensand Group , laid down in the early Cretaceous . Atherfield Clay is found in the extreme north of the civil parish at Binscombe, where there was a former brickworks. Holloway Hill and much of the town centre are on the Hythe Beds, a loamy, fine-grained sandy layer that also includes some sandstone and chert . Although rare elsewhere in these strata, fossils of mollusc species occur in these beds in
31790-463: The woman is still in the delivery room. The mother has regular assessments for uterine contraction and fundal height , vaginal bleeding, heart rate and blood pressure, and temperature, for the first 24 hours after birth. Some women may experience an uncontrolled episode of shivering or postpartum chills following the birth. The first passing of urine should be documented within six hours. Afterpains (pains similar to menstrual cramps), contractions of
31977-529: The world shows an average of less than 1 day in Egypt to 6 days in (pre-war) Ukraine. Averages for Australia are 2.8 days and 1.5 days in the UK. While this number is low, two-thirds of women in the UK have midwife-assisted births and in some cases the mother may choose a hospital setting for birth to be closer to the wide range of assistance available for an emergency situation. However, women with midwife care may leave
32164-428: Was brought to London where she was studied in detail; under intense scrutiny and producing no more rabbits she confessed to the hoax, and was subsequently imprisoned as a fraud. The resultant public mockery created panic within the medical profession and ruined the careers of several prominent surgeons. The affair was satirised on many occasions, not least by the pictorial satirist and social critic William Hogarth , who
32351-507: Was built in 1814 to replace the medieval market house and to house the council chamber . Among the notable former residents of the civil parish were Jack Phillips , the senior wireless operator on the RMS ; Titanic , and the mountaineer George Mallory . James Oglethorpe , the founder of the Colony of Georgia , was born in Godalming in 1696 and the town maintains a friendship with
32538-435: Was constituted as the lowest tier of local government in the civil parish. The district became a borough on 21 February 1984, following the grant of a royal charter by Elizabeth II . The right to hold a market was granted to Godalming in 1300 by Edward I. It probably took place each week at the junction of Church Street and the High Street. The right was confirmed in the 1563 charter of Elizabeth I, which stipulated that
32725-477: Was delivered by the same Person, of a perfect Rabbit: and in a few Days after of 4 more; and on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, the 4th, 5th, and 6th instant, of one in each day: in all nine, they died all in bringing into the World. The woman hath made Oath, that two Months ago, being working in a Field with other Women, they put up a Rabbit, who running from them, they pursued it, but to no Purpose: This created in her such
32912-416: Was done in an effort to increase the rates of vaginal delivery. Health care providers may assess the mother's progress in labour by performing a cervical exam to evaluate the cervical dilation, effacement, and station. These factors form the Bishop score . The Bishop score can also be used as a means to predict the success of an induction of labour . During effacement, the cervix becomes incorporated into
33099-472: Was four miles north of the town, the opening of the new waterway had a positive impact on the economy of Godalming. The Wey Navigation Act 1760 authorised the construction of the Godalming Navigation. The waterway, which opened in 1764 with four locks , extended the navigable stretch of river southwards. A 10-acre (4.0 ha) wharf was constructed on the south side of the Wey, close to
33286-454: Was held by the monarch through the Tudor period until 1601, when Elizabeth I sold it to George More of Loseley Park . The second part of the Manor of Godalming, known as the Rectory Manor or Deanshold, was granted to Salisbury Cathedral by Henry I in the early 12th century. It remained in the custodianship of the dean and chapter until the mid-19th century. For much of its history,
33473-499: Was knitted using a stocking frame invented by William Lee in the 1580s. Until the 18th century, most garments were produced by families working at home, but thereafter the industry became increasingly centralised. George Holland set up a factory in around 1790 for the manufacture of "Fleecy and Segovia Hosiery", using specially prepared wool. The Pitchers company was established in the town in 1885 and produced "Charterhouse sweaters", among other woollen items. The firm, which closed in
33660-598: Was not the only image that ridiculed the affair— George Vertue published The Surrey-Wonder , and The Doctors in Labour, or a New Wim-Wam in Guildford (12 plates) , a broadsheet published in 1727 which satirises St. André, was also popular at the time. The timing of Toft's confession proved awkward (and unfortunate) for St. André, who on 3 December had published his forty-page pamphlet A Short Narrative of an Extraordinary Delivery of Rabbets . On this document
33847-427: Was notably critical of the medical profession's gullibility. Toft was eventually released without charge and returned home. The scandal left a lasting impact on public trust in the medical field, contributing to widespread scepticism about the competence and ethics of physicians during that era. The story first came to the public's attention in late October 1726, when reports began to reach London. An account appeared in
34034-703: Was opened in Angel Yard and Branksome House, in Filmer Grove, served as a district control centre. The manufacturer, RFD, set up a factory in Catteshall Lane to produce barrage balloons , inflatable boats and life jackets and, by the end of the war, was employing over 1000 local people. The entirety of Godalming Civil Parish is in the revised (2024) parliamentary constituency of Godalming and Ash Surrey County Council, headquartered in Reigate ,
34221-555: Was opened in Borough Road in 1902. By the end of the following year, two 90 kW and one 200 kW steam-powered generators had been installed, which were replaced in 1928 by a 200 kW diesel-driven generator. Under the Electricity (Supply) Act 1926 , Godalming was connected to the National Grid , initially to a 33 kV supply ring , which linked the town to Guildford, Hindhead , Woking and Aldershot . In 1932,
34408-440: Was produced at the Westbrook Mills in the 19th century. The final leather producer in Godalming closed in 1952. The Godalming area was an important centre for papermaking and, in the early 17th century, several mills in the town produced coarse sheets of "whited brown paper". Papermaking took place at the Westbrook Mills in the 17th and early 18th centuries, and at Catteshall Mill from the 1660s until 1928. A ford across
34595-522: Was quarried until the Second World War at several sites in the civil parish. There are also small exposures of the sandy Folkestone Beds at Busbridge and to the northwest of Charterhouse. River gravels are found in the valleys of the Wey and Ock to the west and south of the town centre, and as a terrace at Farncombe. Alluvial deposits of sand and silt are found in the floodplain of the Wey, especially between Bridge Street and Catteshall. {{{annotations}}} The earliest evidence of human activity in
34782-436: Was scathingly critical of his sooterkin theory, calling it "a mere fiction of your [Maubray's] brain". The damage done to the medical profession was such that several doctors not connected with the tale felt compelled to print statements that they had not believed Toft's story. The case was cited by Robert Walpole 's opponents as symbolising the age, which they perceived as greedy, corrupt and deceitful. One author, writing to
34969-445: Was twenty-four or twenty-five years old. She was baptised Mary Denyer on 21 February 1703, the daughter of John and Jane Denyer. In 1720 she married Joshua Toft, a journeyman clothier and together the couple had three children, Mary, Anne and James. As an 18th-century English peasant, circumstances dictated that when in 1726 Toft again became pregnant, she continued working in the fields. She complained of painful complications early in
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