Why is Patrick an Only Child?

[geebengrrl.livejournal.com]

Pam and Geoff Marlow are remarkably fecund; but Helena and Anthony Merrick only have one child. Anthony Merrick seems to be a fairly strict Catholic, so why is it that Patrick is their only child?

I wonder whether Helena Merrick, being a rather pragmatic Catholic (see Patrick's remark about fish on fridays in Attic Term, for example), was secretly using some form of contraception. Or perhaps they were playing Vatican Roulette and were just lucky...

I guess from AF's point of view, Patrick needs to be an only to contrast with the Marlows; and maybe he also represents her: she was also an only child.

Comments

What did you do in the War, Daddy?

[charverz.livejournal.com]

One possible explanation is that Anthony Merrick spent 4-5 years in a prisoner of war camp. If captured 1n France in 1940, that would account for 5 years; if Singapore in 1941 possibly more, given travel time. The health effects might have aggravated the issue of children.