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1950s British view on women

There was a very conformist view towards women in the 1950s they were
encouraged to be housewives and to stay in a domesticated role even though
many women had worked during WW2.

Figure 1. A typical 50s woman pouring tea
A womans place Their place was firmly regarded as in the home something of
a shock to those who had worked during and after the war (Cosslett, Rhiannon,
2013). Women were only categorized in the role as a caregiver a wife and a
mother.
Patricia Stanley speaks about her experience as a young woman growing in the
50s she said she had to give up her job to marry I was a wife and full-time
mother to three boys under four. I wanted to be at work. (Cosslett, Rhiannon,
2013). Contraception wasnt easily available for women and Patricia explains
that her husband was in control of contraception.
For those who did work the average weekly pay for a woman was 5.
Social life
Patricia a 90 year old lady explains that going out, would have meant that my
husband would have had to stay in on his own. Theres a sense that men were
hapless creatures who should not be allowed to fend for themselves This meant
that a married woman wouldnt be able to socialize with friends as freely
compared to an unmarried woman.
( Watch the Kellogs commercial) The Keloggs cornflakes commercial is an
example of the advertising in the 50s and the fact that they blamed his wife for
him not having a good breakfast shows how the role of the wife is to take care of
the helpless husband.

Figure 2. Article from a 50s magazine
Above is an article from a magazine encouraging women that work to knit and
ride their bicycles to do their groceries.

In the 1940s women were told how useful they were and they could help during
the war but in the 50s they wanted women to return back to their associated
role as the home maker.
Below are a few poster that I found that were aimed towards women in the
1940s with the posters used this would have given women a sense of
importance and that they could make a difference the 50s stripped this away
because it wanted to return to traditional gender roles.

Women have been fighting for equality from the late 19th century with the
women who paved the way through the suffragettes who wanted the

opportunity to vote. To the second wave of feminism that is also referred to as

the Womens liberation movement this movement focused on the fight for equal
pay contraception for unmarried women and abortion . More women were going
into higher education in the 1960s which lead to women wanting to be more to
life than just becoming a wife and a mother and this lead to a boom in jobs for
single women in the 60s.

Bibliography
Cosslett, Rhiannon,( 2013). The way women were 60 years ago. At:
http://www.stylist.co.uk/life/the-way-women-were-60-years-ago#image-
rotator-1 (Accessed 10.01.14)
Figure 2. Article from a 50s magazine . At:
http://www.chronicallyvintage.com/2013/01/vintage-clothing-sizing-101.html
( Accessed 10.01.14)
BBC, (1990). Shes not a moron shes your wife. At:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/marriage/10516.shtml (Accessed 10.01.14)
BBC, (unknown). Greater freedom for women in the 1960s. At:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/greater-freedom-for-women-in-the-
1960s/3515.html (Accesses 11.01.14)