Now I am fully aware that there will be some who mutter darkly about a story on Women’s Magazines.
But however unPC some think they are, these magazines have a long history stretching back into the early 19th century coming into their own with the advent of cheap mass circulation publications in the following century.
And of course they are a wonderful social history, offering up not only a comment on the prevailing outlook on the role of women before and after the two great world wars but present insights into mass consumerism as well as the changing nature of child care.
I suppose my favourites are those from the late 1940s through the following decade and into the '60s. Partly this is because this was when I was growing up and the fragile slightly browning pages remind me of that time.
Flicking through the pages you quickly get a sense of the optimism of those decades.
The end of the last world war in 1945 had not meant an end to rationing and with many of our cities still bearing the scars of the German aerial bombing it is easy to see the late ‘40s and ‘50s as a grim grey time, but not so.
We were on the cusp of that “you have never had it so good” era when the growing economy and the political determination not to return to the Hungry ‘30s, ushered in the Welfare State, full employment and growing expectations.
And over the next two decades and into the early 1970s everything seemed possible.
A serious start was made on the slums, it was possible to leave one job on a Friday and walk into another on Monday and on the surface at least many from working class backgrounds were making it good.
All of which is reflected on those magazines and that inturn allows me announce that tomorrow
Margaret Beetham will be talking at Chorlton’ Good Neighbours on “The Recipe, the Corset and Agony Uncle”.
The event starts at 1.30pm in St Ninian’s Church Hall, which is on corner of Egerton Road South and Wilbraham Road, Chorlton M21 OXJ
There is a small admission charge of £2 which helps towards the cost of the room and refreshments.
A small price for what will be a fascinating piece of our social History.
Location; Chorlton
Pictures; from Woman's Own, January 12 1956 and the Souvenir edition of Woman’s Weekly 1911, from the collection of Andrew Simpson
*Chorlton Good Neighbours, https://chorltongoodneighbours.org/ Tel: 0161 881 2925
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| Woman's Own, 1956 |
And of course they are a wonderful social history, offering up not only a comment on the prevailing outlook on the role of women before and after the two great world wars but present insights into mass consumerism as well as the changing nature of child care.
I suppose my favourites are those from the late 1940s through the following decade and into the '60s. Partly this is because this was when I was growing up and the fragile slightly browning pages remind me of that time.
Flicking through the pages you quickly get a sense of the optimism of those decades.
The end of the last world war in 1945 had not meant an end to rationing and with many of our cities still bearing the scars of the German aerial bombing it is easy to see the late ‘40s and ‘50s as a grim grey time, but not so.
 |
| Woman's Weekly, 1911 |
And over the next two decades and into the early 1970s everything seemed possible.
A serious start was made on the slums, it was possible to leave one job on a Friday and walk into another on Monday and on the surface at least many from working class backgrounds were making it good.
All of which is reflected on those magazines and that inturn allows me announce that tomorrow
Margaret Beetham will be talking at Chorlton’ Good Neighbours on “The Recipe, the Corset and Agony Uncle”.
The event starts at 1.30pm in St Ninian’s Church Hall, which is on corner of Egerton Road South and Wilbraham Road, Chorlton M21 OXJ
 |
| Adverts from 1911 |
A small price for what will be a fascinating piece of our social History.
Location; Chorlton
Pictures; from Woman's Own, January 12 1956 and the Souvenir edition of Woman’s Weekly 1911, from the collection of Andrew Simpson
*Chorlton Good Neighbours, https://chorltongoodneighbours.org/ Tel: 0161 881 2925
Well there isn't much that makes me burst into song, but, to quote from my namesake, "Beat me on the bum with the Woman's Weekly" - I'm sure that both my mum (formerly a regular attendee at Cho Gd Neighbours) and Victoria, would have appreciated this event.
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