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Back in Time for the Weekend -50s misrepresented?

(55 Posts)
gettingonabit Sun 07-Feb-16 17:38:08

I think this programme did seem to overgeneralise, yes. According to my mother, all women would've worked until they had children, and afterwards too, Housework would've been MUCH harder for those who didn't work outside the home.

I think the woman was too concerned about her "personal freedom" and it wore a bit thin after a while.

And as for the Church situation: yes, of course she should have stayed and generally entered into the spirit of things.

I thought the daughter came across as spoilt, but the boy was the most sensible of them! He really got it, didn't he?

POGS Sun 07-Feb-16 17:18:42

I decided 3/4 of the way through to abandon ship. I too struggled with some of the content and my experience of the 50's. I don't think much of what was shown resembled my family set up to be honest.

I did however enjoy the other series of a similar theme and I think that's because I really liked the family chosen for that series. They were generous spirited and seemed to enjoy the whole process. This family didn't appeal to me in the same way. For example they may not have liked the thought of going to church or singing God Save The Queen, not things we did as a family might I add, but why did they have to give each other looks of condescension or be so patronising to those who do/did. The other family would have respectfully made their view known but in a more subtle manner.

Flowerofthewest Sun 07-Feb-16 16:51:00

Sunday dad did the big fry up. Mum cooked Sunday lunch but dad often made Yorkshire and always mint sauce. We would go to the 'orange juice park' (pub) then have ' cosy tea ' - toast and jam toasted on the fire. Dan Dare on radio. 1955 mum started work at local paper shop. I did go to Sunday school. My family weren't religious at all so probably just to get us out of the house. I did love the beautiful stamps we received. I was free to roam up to a point. Never expected to learn wifely things. I had a wonderful father who adored my mother and definitely did his bit around the house.

Granarchist Sun 07-Feb-16 16:40:19

I totally agree. My mother worked as a tennis professional. My father farmed and us two girls behaved just like the little boy on the programme. Staying in the kitchen - you must be joking. We did go to church however, but always were taken out before the sermon so that my mother could 'put the joint on' I think - also we were dressed just like that little boy too. shorts and Aertex shirts.

trisher Sun 07-Feb-16 15:47:54

Has anyone watched this? I find some of the sweeping statements being made a bit unreal. For example- "Everyone went to church on a Sunday". Was I the only little heathen who only went occasionally, dropped out of Sunday school (realise now Mum and dad so wanted us out the house for a bit) and usually went to visit gran who was a lapsed Catholic and wouldn't go near a priest. And "Women didn't work outside the home" Middle class women maybe, my mum and both grans had part-time jobs. As for "Shops didn't open on Sundays", sorry, from 1958 we had a corner shop and we opened on Sundays . Not all day and we were restricted in what we were allowed to sell, but we opened!