Yes, the couple with the newborn were far too old to be portraying characters aged about 40.
And the husband would have been devastated. The normal reaction would have been either anger and shock, or maybe, “I love you but I need some time to come to terms with this”. Unless we are supposed to think that he’d had an awareness all along but was waiting for her to feel ready to divulge…. I suppose that as Sister MJ was present at the birth, we can assume it happened in Poplar, so gossip may have spread and reached his ears at the time or shortly after.
I too like all the characters. But I agree that the writers put a right-on, 21st century spin on things. If I were a black or Asian person who’d lived in 1960s UK, or a single mother from that era, I think I’d feel a bit resentful about my true experiences being denied.
The thing they get really right in this show, is the middle-class white men hectoring people and generally running things. Those fellas from the health board being perfect examples.
But it’s good to see Violet on the council, and that female cardiologist recently, and the female police sergeant in the last series. Because women were starting to emerge professionally at that time.