Joy for mother who gave birth on busy Tube train

12 October 2019, 18:49

The London Underground became an unlikely delivery suite after a woman went into labour on the Metropolitan line.

The as-yet unnamed mother gave birth at Baker Street Station on Friday morning.

Londoners seem to be forgiving of the cause of the delays, with one tweeting: "Congrats to the woman who gave birth on a met line train at Baker Street station this morning."

Incredibly, given over 1.3 billion journeys are made on the tube each year, only five babies have now been born on the London Underground line since it opened in 1863.

And yesterday's birth is the second one this year, after a baby boy was born at Warren Street in January.

Before that, a boy was born on the Jubilee Line in 2009 after mum Michelle Jenkins, 32, went into labour.

Her son was brought into the world by medical student Hamzah Selim, who had been on his way home from an anatomy lecture when he answered her screams.

Staff at London bridge station called an ambulance, but Ms Jenkin's bundle of joy made his entrance in their staff room before paramedics could attend.

In December 2008, Julia Kowalska welcomed her daughter Jennifer while travelling on the underground.

The first birth on the tube took place many, many years before that, with Marie Cordery being born on 13 May, 1924.

Her mum, Daisy Britannia Kate Hammond, went into labour on the Bakerloo line as she travelled through Marylebone.

Passengers were cleared on the train to allow it to speed along the line to Elephant and Castle to take mum and baby to Lambeth infirmary.

Lord Ashfield, who was the chairman of the Underground Railways at the time, consented to become the godfather of the child.