Misconception of the Fifties in the Famous Five Books

[Anita Bensoussane]

I'm sorry you had to go through that, Boodi.

In the 1950's, the average household spent 33% of its income on food. Pre-covid, it was down to 8%. Now perhaps 9-10%. Food prices (or perhaps food prices relative to wages) are one of the areas where we are vastly better off now than then.

True, though the cost of accommodation (rent or mortgage) relative to wages is far higher now than it was then.

[Katharine]

On the subject of food, I think one big difference between now and the 1950s, which in my opinion is a change for the worse, is food waste. Obviously I don't know the statistics, but the overall impression I get is that food was rarely wasted in the 1950s, I have a feeling it was actually considered an offence during the war years, but I may be wrong on that.

Two things I read recently reinforced the modern trend, the first was on the BBC about a single parent who according to the headline, couldn't afford o eat and was living off their children's leftovers. My immediate thought was that if their children were regularly leaving food on their plates, then obviously the parent was giving them more than they need, so why not just put less on the children's plates, and put the rest on the parent's? Same amount of food, just distributed a bit more sensibly! Obviously not news worthy though.

The second was a suggestion for using up uneaten Christmas pudding on Boxing Day 'rather than throwing it out'. The suggestion of a trifle did sound rather nice, but I was horrified at the idea that people would even consider throwing it out - Christmas puddings are usually made months in advance, so will survive at least a couple of days over the festive period. I'm really hoping it was just a marketing gimmick by the company who made the suggestion, and not based on fact.

[Anita Bensoussane]

I can certainly confirm that not a morsel of food is wasted in my family - we all enjoy our food and finish every scrap!

I was brought up not to be wasteful and was very surprised recently to hear of people saying they were no longer leaving their TV and microwave on standby and were being more careful about turning lights off when they weren't needed (because of rising energy costs). Surely that advice is not new - I've been following it all my life!

[Katharine]

I can certainly confirm that not a morsel of food is wasted in my family - we all enjoy our food and finish every scrap!

Spoken like a true Blytonian.

I agree with your other comment about saving power, most of which I've always done anyway. I must admit though the only thing I can't bring myself to do is turning the thermostat down. If the room is below 20/21 I feel really cold. The other evening, even at that temperature my nose was cold!

[Moonraker]

I can certainly confirm that not a morsel of food is wasted in my family - we all enjoy our food and finish every scrap!

I was ... very surprised recently to hear of people saying they were no longer leaving their TV and microwave on standby and were being more careful about turning lights off when they weren't needed (because of rising energy costs). Surely that advice is not new - I've been following it all my life!

Leaving a TV on standby (our LG doesn't switch completely off, it is always in standby - unless you unplug it), but the cost of a tv on standby is about 3p a day. Yes, it adds up to less than £11 in a year, but I'm sure greater savings can be made elsewhere!

My wife says coming downstairs in the night is a bit like landing at an airport! A blue BT light, a red light on an extension lead socket, nightlight on the landing and the doorbell speaker is blue!

Back to Katharine's idyllic 1950s scene, I can imagine her still sitting in her chair in front of a blazing log fire, listening to a mahogany valve-wireless set whilst crocheting or knitting - or even darning socks; her children at her feet.

[Katharine]

Back to Katharine's idyllic 1950s scene, I can imagine her still sitting in her chair in front of a blazing log fire, listening to a mahogany valve-wireless set whilst crocheting or knitting - or even darning socks; her children at her feet.

You obviously know me very well.

The radio is absolutely gorgeous and I would love something like that in my house.

Obviously the reality of 1950s life isn't quote so cosy - I grew up in a house with an open fire, and remember how cold it was first thing in the morning until Mum had got it lit and of her having to empty the ash pan, and the dust an open fire creates.

I used to knit, but have got out of the habit, and not sure I'd call it 'darning' as it certainly wouldn't pass inspection by any of Enid's school matrons, but I have definitely mended socks, tights, ironed on patches on the knees of trousers, etc etc.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Leaving a TV on standby (our LG doesn't switch completely off, it is always in standby - unless you unplug it), but the cost of a tv on standby is about 3p a day. Yes, it adds up to less than £11 in a year, but I'm sure greater savings can be made elsewhere!

£11 is worth saving though - and if people leave a lot of devices on needlessly it'll be costing them multiple lots of £11 (or thereabouts). I've just been to the supermarket and bought my usual 800g loaf of wholemeal bread, costing 40p. £11 would buy 27.5 of those loaves. As I get through about one loaf per week (and that's with having relatives to stay regularly), £11 provides me with bread for more than half the year.

That radio looks lovely!

[Boatbuilder]

I agree with your other comment about saving power, most of which I've always done anyway. I must admit though the only thing I can't bring myself to do is turning the thermostat down. If the room is below 20/21 I feel really cold. The other evening, even at that temperature my nose was cold!

Katharine, your comment about the temperature reminded me of the recent cold spell we had. Now there is only myself in the house, unless I have visitors, I've noticed that the temperature in my lounge, where the thermostat is, seemed to take a lot longer to reach the temperature I have it set at, despite the radiators being hot. However, I noticed on Christmas Day when there were four additional people n the house all day, that the daily gas usage on my smart meter for that day was lower than any other days in December so far, so the heating mustn't have been kicking in as often to keep the room at the set temperarure, and more gas would have been used for cooking on the hob that day than normal. However, my electricity for that day was about 70% higher than the average because the electric oven was on for a long time. You can't win 'em all, as they say.

[Moonraker]

The radio is absolutely gorgeous and I would love something like that in my house.

This Bush model can still be found, there are a few on eBay. Mind you, £120 might be a bit steep! Especially as it only has Long and Medium waves!

[Katharine]

Very tempting, but unfortunately I have no room for that radio - well, not unless I sold several books to make space, and that's not happening any time soon.

[Boatbuilder]

Add the P&P and it's even more expensive. However, it is open to bids.

Of course, if you bought something like that, I think you would need to have it checked out for electrical safety, just to err on the safe side.

[Moonraker]

Of course, if you bought something like that, I think you would need to have it checked out for electrical safety, just to err on the safe side.

I'm sure it would be no more dangerous than the candles, oil lamps and blazing log fires that Katharine enjoys.

[Katharine]

Ha ha - only in books and my imagination.

Although my parents still have an open fire which gives off a lovely warmth. The only candles I have are on birthday cakes, although I do have a couple of oil lamps for decoration, but never lit them.

[Chrissie777]

I don't remember a time in my life when I didn't want children, it was something I'd looked forward to from my childhood, motherhood for me certainly wasn't something to try and avoid.

Katharine, I grew up in a dysfunctional small family without siblings. I wouldn't want to go through my childhood/adolescence again. Blyton books and CFF films were my biggest comfort. As I never had a positive role model, I was convinced that I would turn out to be a lousy mother just like my mother was who only thought of realizing her dreams instead of taking care of her husband and only child.
Plus I simply knew that full-time job, chores, husband AND children would overwhelm me.

[Katharine]

Chrissie, I'm sorry your experience of family life wasn't a positive one.

I agree that working full-time while bringing up children can be challenging for some people, although many seem to manage perfectly well. I know I would have struggled to work full-time and count myself as being very lucky that I was able to be at home full-time while my children were little and any jobs I had as they got older fitted around school etc. If I had gone back to work full-time then I would have expected my husband to do 50% of all the housework/childcare etc. In some ways I suppose I'm not a typical mother either, as I believe in children helping out when they are capable, so as my children got older, they would put meals on etc which helped when I did start to go back to work.

I've been giving some more thought to your original comment about not understanding why some women "still get 3 or 4 children", and have drawn the conclusion that there are many different reasons, such as coming from large families themselves, so it just felt 'normal' to have that many, or maybe just feeling their family wasn't complete after 2 children so decided to have just one (or two) more.

In the same way as deciding not to have any children, it really is down to the individual, and can't be assumed that just because some women have a certain number of children it is because they "didn't take advantage of the pill".