Missing Lucille from "Call The Midwife"? A Look Back at Great Times

Whether you’ve been a “Call The Midwife” fan since day one or are just getting caught up on 12 fantastic seasons, you’ve no doubt met the lovely Lucille Anderson. Later known as Mrs. Robinson, this kind, hardworking and highly skilled nurse leaves an unforgettable impression on Nonnatus House and everyone who’s passed through its doors.

Let’s take a look back at Lucille’s journey and the moments that defined her.

Meet Lucille

The star of today’s story was born in Mandeville, Jamaica, in 1940. She spent several years working as a librarian — and if she hadn’t decided to head to England in 1960, she may never have ended up at Nonnatus House. Fortunately for her future friends and patients — and for us! — Lucille trained as a nurse and settled in Poplar, East London.

That’s where her adventures really begin — and where we get to see her become a strong, compassionate and loving part of the “Call The Midwife” family.

A (Mostly) Warm Welcome

Lucille makes her debut in Season 7. Unfortunately, it seems the whole world is working against her: Bad weather, a fall on the stone street and a nasty bladder infection make her first days at Nonnatus House a challenge. Of course, in true Lucille fashion, she sticks it out. Along the way, she meets some of the people who will become her close friends — Phyllis Crane, Valerie Dyer, Trixie Franklin, Sister Monica Joan and Dr. Patrick Turner.

Although most folks give Lucille the warm welcome we all know she deserves, not everyone is quite so kind. As she settles into her new position, Lucille discovers that some Poplar residents — including a few of her patients — doubt her skills based on her West Indian background. While the bullying, discrimination and racism don’t stop Lucille from doing her duty, she still feels the sting.

(Don’t give up, Lucille! We’re rooting for you!)

A Growing Love Story

It’s not all conflict and chaos in Poplar. In Season 8, Lucille meets a kind, compassionate man named Cyril Robinson — a mechanic, pastor and her future husband. Love is in the air, and we’re here for it.

Lucille and Cyril build a relationship that grows stronger every day. They find that they see eye to eye on everything from faith and family to work and determination, making them a serious contender for the title of cutest couple in “Call The Midwife.”

That’s why no one is surprised when Cyril proposes in Season 10 — except maybe Lucille herself. The pair just had a brief argument, and when Lucille arrives at Cyril’s apartment to patch things up, she’s treated to some of the most romantic lines in the show’s history. Her soon-to-be fiance says he’s unable to imagine a future without her in it and offers a ring, saying that this is where he puts his heart.

And, of course, she says yes!

Lucille officially becomes Mrs. Robinson in the show’s 2021 Christmas Special. There’s no shortage of excitement leading up to the big day — including some unexpected assistance from medicinal leeches — but every moment is well worth the wait. Lucille is overjoyed to see that some of the babies she delivered, now grown and happy, are serving as attendants for the event. She even takes part in a Jamaican wedding tradition that acts as a poignant reminder of home.

Just look at those smiles.

After the wedding, Lucille and Cyril settle into their life as newlyweds. They dream of owning a home and save money to reach this goal — and then one little surprise changes everything. Lucille discovers she’s pregnant. This definitely isn’t how they planned it, but the couple are overjoyed.

Tragically, Lucille suffers a miscarriage, and everything changes once again. There may not be a way to reach through the screen and comfort her, but that’s surely what every viewer wants to do when Lucille tells Cyril that she’d thought she would be better at carrying a baby after all her training as a nurse and midwife.

Her work and church friends rally around her as soon as they hear the news, but Lucille seems to feel uniquely isolated. More failed attempts to start a family leave her thinking about home. As discrimination and bullying show their ugly faces once again, it becomes clear that our intrepid Lucille is hurting.

A Bittersweet Farewell

Although she puts on a brave face — especially for Cyril — Lucille can’t help but feel a little homesick when she sees her sister’s wedding pictures. Things get even harder to handle when that same sister announces a pregnancy.

Lucille’s struggles reach a crescendo when she and Cyril overhear part of what has become a historical moment in British history. Enoch Powell, a Wolverhampton Member of Parliament in 1968, gives his “Rivers of Blood” speech criticizing immigration and complicating race relations.

It’s not too long after that Dr. Turner diagnoses Lucille with a nervous breakdown. Like the wonderful husband he is, Cyril surprises her with a ticket to Jamaica, thinking a brief trip home might set things right. And maybe it does — or maybe it doesn’t.

As Lucille settles in, reconnects with family and takes a longer-term job at a maternity ward, Cyril realizes that what was meant to be a quick visit has become an indefinite stay. He goes to Jamaica to check on his wife.

He comes back without her.

Cyril says Poplar is still his home. We’re left with the assurance that Lucille is just fine and that her husband will keep living a life forever changed by her love.

Will Lucille Be Back?

While our beloved Lucille won’t be returning to “Call The Midwife,” she had an enormously important part to play in the story. Her experiences with miscarriage and discrimination make her a powerful, complex character — but her moments of joy, love and success remind us that we’ll always find the sun again.

Thank you for everything, Lucille Robinson.