Woman to Woman 1950

Odhams Press published the "Woman Weekend Book Number Two" in 1950. I have recently acquired a copy, it is inscribed:

" To Margaret with love from Aunt Elsie, Xmas 1950".

The first section is called "Woman to Woman" and contains a series of letters on general topics. They are very telling on what it was like to be a woman at the turn of this oppressive decade:

Enjoying Bad Health

Some months ago, my husband was at home on washday, and helped with the washing and mangling. By 10.30am he was asking if it were not time for "elevenses" yet, and added thoughtfully he hadn't realised what hard work washing is. The result of his efforts was an all-electric washing machine.

Just before Christmas I was unfortunately ill (or should I say fortunately?) and though the machine did the family wash, I couldn't tackle the ironing. My husband came to the rescue, bless him, but the job took from 7.15pm till just after eleven. I was ill for three weeks, and three times he had to cope with our ironing,  staggering to bed afterwards more tired than if he had been playing football for four hours. Can you guess my Christmas present? A table model ironer! 

Naturally I am very grateful for these things, especially as I know the sacrifices my husband has made to help pay for them- but I can’t help wondering how many more "aids" women would have if only the men shared the housework regularly. 

Woman's Portion

Being a wife and mother and therefore permanent disher-up at mealtimes, I get rather weary of always giving away the best portions and keeping for myself the tail end of the haddock, the doubtful egg or the tiniest possible bit of bacon. Especially as no one ever seems to notice my self sacrifice. The other day,  however, my exasperation reached a new level.

My husband and I were on our own and I cooked two kippers for high tea. They were an ill-assorted pair, one a lovely juicy specimen, with its mate a flat ugly little thing that shouldn't have been taken from its mother. I put them on plates on the kitchen table and in self pity thought of how I should have to give up that gorgeous kipper. Then I had a plan.

"Come and get your kipper, dear" I called to my husband. Faced with the choice, surely he couldn't be so mean as to grab the fat one? But after gazing at the pair in silence, he raised innocent eyes to me and asked:"which one is yours?"

My book of short stories, Joyce to the World" is available here

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Stitchwitch Directive 1

Image
Throughout time, both men and women have participated in the art of sewing. But, as usual, when a man sews it's a professional job, something worth paying for. He is a Tailor. The sewing that women carry out has never had the same status. Making clothes for the family came under the heading of domestic duties. A woman who sewed things for others was a jobbing seamstress, earning a bit of pin money. Tapestries, samplers and embroideries dating back centuries were never recognised as an art, despite arguably requiring more skill and talent than some internationally renowned artworks produced by men. Intricate quilts were just blankets, made to use up fabric scraps. Things have changed a little...but not enough and maybe that's because we can just buy anything we want cheap as we like, instead of having to make it - not because of any great strides in feminism. More women are reclaiming the traditional activities that we like to keep alive as a form of witchcraft. Making kitchen r...
Read more

Problem Pages of the mid 20th Century

Image
 Worried Words I have been collecting vintage women’s magazines for some time now. They are an excellent historical resource, very helpful in my research around the history of sewing. The best thing is, they can be picked up on ebay for less than the price of a modern magazine – and I often find that there are more articles worth reading in the old ones! As well as the nostalgia and reminders of domestic history, there is always something that makes me laugh. It might be the corny romance story, the endless adverts for laxatives (which says a lot about the British diet of yore) or the health article that doesn’t actually refer by name to the condition it is talking about. There are all kinds of quack remedies discussed and advertised for that regular female affliction that can never be mentioned! The language used to get around this taboo is fascinating. But best of all – the page that I always turn to first – is the problem page. What a feast of entertainment this can be. Living i...
Read more

Postcards from Past Lives: From Jan to Glynis 1969

Image
Postcards can be windows into past lives - I'm interested in them as an illustration of female friendships in the 20th century. This postcard of Tower Bridge was sent from Jan in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire to Glynis in Sudbury, Suffolk. It was written on 29th January 1969. I bet Tower Bridge looked a lot greyer then than on this Photographic Greeting Card Company production. Here's the message: This pair are obviously established penfriends - a lost art. I have had many penfriends in my time but one-by-one they fall away as modern life takes over and makes too many demands. It's so easy - too easy - to send quick online messages. Factor in the price of stamps these days and the effort and cost of writing a letter is making this artform almost obsolete. Except among those of us who persevere. It's a shame because it is an art to write an engaging letter- one that makes the recipient want to reciprocate. I love to read collections of letters between well known corresponde...
Read more