Women and Girls in the 1950s

In the 1950s, most women stayed at home after having children, and did not go out to work. Being a wife and mother was, however, a full-time job. Women did all the housework, cooking and childcare. There were no washing machines – laundry was often done in an outside washhouse. With no fridge for fresh food, food shopping was done every day. Children mostly went home from school for their lunch.

Girls played with dolls and boys played with cars! At school, subjects and sports were gender specific – with girls learning cooking and sewing and playing netball and hockey. On leaving school, expectations were that girls went to work in offices, retail, nursing or teach.

Yvonne - Memories of girlhood