In the Walsall Lives calendar for 2004 the year began with the page shown. It illustrated the introduction, as from 13th January 1913, of the Maternity Benefit under the National Health Insurance Act, reforms of this act began in 1911.

The whole idea of the National Insurance Act was an attempt to slowly eradicate poverty and whilst it was welcomed by families across the nation it wasn’t perfect as further research has proven. On birth of a child the family received 30 shillings (£1.50 today) maternity benefit providing you had paid into the scheme. Workers who earned under £160 per year had to pay 4 old pence, the employer 3 old pence and the state 2 old pence. The downside to this was if the worker was incapacitated for more than 26 weeks all benefits were lost. Secondly there was no provision for the worker’s family and third, many families found themselves worse off as because of the contributions they were paid less.

The Act came into force nationwide at 1 minute past 12 on the 13th January 1913. The first to be born in Walsall at 12.30am was Eric Lloyd George Burgess whose parents lived at 110 Kingsley Street, Pleck. David Lloyd George was instrumental in the welfare reforms, hence little Eric’s middle names. A larger picture of the proud mothers is shown above.

The first “Insurance” baby to be born in the country was a girl who was born to a woman from London at one minute past midnight.

The thirteen children born in Walsall were:-

Eric Lloyd George Burgess, born at 12.30am

Ethel V. Scott, 319 Pleck Road, born at 3.30am

Victor G. Farnell, 229 Bloxwich Road, born at 8.00am

Twins George David and Miss Jones, 195 Green Lane, born at 8.30 and 8.40am respectively

George (or Edward) Handley, (back of) Binn’s Yard, Bloxwich, born at 9.30am

Gertrude Rollinson, 22 Goscote, born at 11.00am

Joseph F. Hayward, 27 Ford Street, Pleck, born at 11.55am

Miss Wilkes, 44 Penkridge Street, born at 4.50pm

George V. Southey, 32 Hill Street, born at 6.15pm

Victor Winston, Walsall Workhouse Infirmary, born at 7.00pm

Florence C. Ross, 23 Rosamund Street, Palfrey, born at 7.20pm

Edna Miller, 22 Wolverhampton Street, born at 11.45pm

The Walsall Advertiser of the 18th January 1913 summed up the momentous day with the following snippet, “If all of the babies are alive and kicking on the 13th February each will be the recipient of a silver mug.” The mugs, which were given by Joseph Leckie, can be seen in front of the mothers on the photograph above. 

It must be pointed that Mr and Mrs Jones, proud parents of twins, would only receive one payment of £1.50 and not as one would expect, two payments!

Finally, another baby was born on the first day to a Mr and Mrs Dunn of 44 Green Lane, as the husband, who was a master blacksmith, was not insured they were not entitled to any payment under this scheme. 

It appears that not only were the babies alive and kicking, red tape was too!