Yesterday, I was looking through a December, 1956 issue of "Practical Householder", an English DIY magazine. (I thought that the term DIY was sort of new, but they used it back then.). Anyway, there were a few ads in it for build your own concrete garages. One was priced at 50 pounds. Could anyone tell me what, approximately, 50 1956 GBP would be worth today?
OK, thanks. While I was looking at these ads I was thinking that it was strange to have so many for DIY garages as there really weren't that many cars around in 1956. Well that's what I remember as a kid living in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
And here, ladies and gentlemen, is a glance into the living room of the average English family gathering around the cheerful hearth on the morning of December 25th, 1956. What is that expression on the face of the little lady of the house?
Mixed emotions, I think, considering she is holding what looks to be an early knitting machine. On one hand she can produce garments more quickly, on the other she will be expected to make more!
So that's what it is: a knitting machine. And the master of the house is saying to the son that they can together make a set of drawers in which to plop these numerous knitted garments:)
in the 50's the lady of the house wore makeup and looked glamorous as she kissed farewell to the man of the house as he departed for the onerous task of working in an office.
(no-one worked in factories in those magazines)
The pinny depended on whether she was baking or cooking :-)
The 'pinny' is a 'Tea Apron' (we made them in school in needlework lessons after we had made the more practical 'bib' apron). Tea aprons were often very fancy bits of work, which showed your skill. It was Christmas in the picture, so she was wearing her best - but, yes, you were supposed to dress up for welcoming the man of the house back from work and serving his dinner. I was a little girl then - it took a long time to change the stereotype!
Should have added, re. ladders, that women did not commonly wear trousers. I remember my mum going to get a pair made by a tailor in the late '50's; she consulted earnestly with my dad before being so bold as to wear 'trews' - jodhpurs were a different thing. Me, it's rare that I wear a skirt.
See how the Dad in the advert is wearing a suit and tie even on Christmas day. That's how it was - I remember 1956 - there was no such thing as leisurewear as we know it now.