Our most recent Directive was sent out to writers in November. The three themes that make up this directive are: Update on the Cost of Living Crisis Writers have been asked to provide an update about how the Cost of Living crisis is impacting them and those around them, following on from when they wereContinueContinue reading “The Autumn 2024 Directive”
Author Archives: Mass Observation Archive
Celebrating Family Histories with Mass Observation
Last week Mass Observation shared the words of Carl and Bobbie in a moving festive event. Carl Ward was an American Quartermaster who found himself stationed in Dunmow, Essex during WWII. Whilst there he bet Halcyon Elliott (although she was known as Bobbie by friends and family). Mass Observation is lucky enough to be theContinueContinue reading “Celebrating Family Histories with Mass Observation”
Opportunity: We’re looking for two Trustees!
Are you passionate about history, society, and making a difference? The Mass Observation Archive is looking for two dynamic, innovative, and dedicated younger trustees to join us! What is a trustee?‘Trustees are the volunteers who lead charities and decide how they are run. You may have heard them called board members or the board. TrusteeshipContinueContinue reading “Opportunity: We’re looking for two Trustees!”
Upcoming Event: The Carl and Bobbie Letters
“Hope that these letters do outdo the ones to Miss Elliott ‘cause after marrying her, I find her even finer and lovelier than I had imagined, so with so much more inspiration I should do better.” – Carl, 4 October 1944 We are delighted to announce our upcoming event, The Carl and Bobbie Love LettersContinueContinue reading “Upcoming Event: The Carl and Bobbie Letters”
The Joyce Spurr Collection
Since 1981, in parallel with the Mass Observation Project, MO has collected personal papers donated by individuals, including diaries, letters, photograph albums, scrap books, autobiographies and other personal and family documentation. Joyce photographed in Egypt (SxMOA99/168/1/3) One such collection is the Joyce Spurr collection. Joyce (b.1921) lived in Sheffield before and after the Second WorldContinueContinue reading “The Joyce Spurr Collection”
Transcribing Covid-19
By Emily Warwick As a University of Brighton Masters student I have been volunteering with the Mass Observation Archives at The Keep as part of my course. The team have been incredibly welcoming and are really helpful if I have any enquiries on something I haven’t encountered it before. As part of my time spentContinueContinue reading “Transcribing Covid-19”
Remembering our Mass Observers
In the past few months the Mass Observation team have been saddened to hear of the passing of three long-serving members of our writing panel. Writer C3603 began writing for the archive in 2005, and sent in his last Directive in August 2023. In that time he provided insight into his views on the NHS,ContinueContinue reading “Remembering our Mass Observers”
‘I collected a friend at 1pm […] to enter her beautiful painting of my now deceased pet goose into the Visual Arts event.’
What did we do on the 12th May 2024? As the Mass Observation Team, and a handful of trusty volunteers and placement students, reach the end of cataloguing the diaries we received as part of our annual diary day, we ask how did we spend it? In total Mass Observation received over 600 hundred diariesContinueContinue reading “‘I collected a friend at 1pm […] to enter her beautiful painting of my now deceased pet goose into the Visual Arts event.’”
The Summer 2024 Directive
Summer 2024 Directive Part One – Everyday Oral Health The theme for Part.1 is a subject Mass Observation explored in the early 1940’s, dentists and dentistry. This has been a joint commission by Professor Paul Kingston and Professor Andrew Dickenson, (Chief Dental Officer for Wales), University of Chester. They are keen to hear about MassContinueContinue reading “The Summer 2024 Directive”
Class of 1937 and 2023
On 13th June 2024, Bolton Museum launched its new Worktown exhibition – Class of 1937 and 2023. The exhibition puts Humphrey Spender’s 1930s photographs in direct conversation with new images taken by pupils from Essa Primary and St Peter and St Paul’s RC Primary Schools, working with community video production company, The Videobox. These imagesContinueContinue reading “Class of 1937 and 2023 “