By Alice I had the oppotunity to take part in work experience between the 6th-10th of July at The Keep in the Mass Observation archive. During the week I was able to gain an insight into how a purpose built archival centre works, and especially how it is used for public reasearch. Before working atContinueContinue reading “Work Experience with MO”
Tag Archives: archive
Mass Observing the Pandemic, Five Years On
By Henry Parish May 2025 saw the Mass Observation Project gather information about how British everyday life had been impacted by Covid-19. Its panel of life writers were prompted to reflect on how aspects of their lives, from work, homelife and health, to attitudes towards technology and socialisation, had changed five years on from Covid.ContinueContinue reading “Mass Observing the Pandemic, Five Years On”
What was the big fashion controversy of 1947?
By Amy, placement student at Mass Observation In 1947, as Europe was recovering from the Second World War, there was uproar on both sides of the Atlantic. Was this a reaction to a political scandal? Was this caused by the economic fallout of the war? The answer may surprise you. Read on to find out how a post-war fashion controversy capturedContinueContinue reading “What was the big fashion controversy of 1947?”
Artist in residence: My placement with the Mass Observation Archive
By Keira Grant In 2024 I took an elective module during my undergraduate degree with the University of Sussex which hosted a session at The Keep with the Mass Observation Archive. This was my first introduction to archives, and it reignited an interest in history and culture I had not experience since my gruelling A-LevelContinueContinue reading “Artist in residence: My placement with the Mass Observation Archive”
Get Ready for Our National Diary Day!
Every year on the 12th May, MO asks people across the country to record their day. This might include what they did at work, what they ate, what they heard or watched, and whatever else they got up to. Anyone based in the UK can send us their diary, and we accept submissions both onlineContinueContinue reading “Get Ready for Our National Diary Day!”
The Spring 2026 Directive
For our most recent directive we have a combination of in-house topics and collaborations, covering a range of topics. Part 1: Seeking Asylum This is a commission by Dr Ellen Pilsworth and a research team at the University of Reading. Their 4-year research and public engagement project, Nation of Refuge, aims to understand and reimagine Britain’s relationship with refugees. ContinueContinue reading “The Spring 2026 Directive”
What does it mean to be queer every day?
Since 1937 Mass Observation has been recording the everyday thoughts, feelings and opinions of people in the UK. In 1982 the National Lesbian and Gay survey began, inspired by the work of MO, it sought to capture what everyday life was like for queer people living in the UK. This LGBTQ+ History Month, MO isContinueContinue reading “What does it mean to be queer every day?”
Find us on Bookshop.org!
Mass Observation is now a Bookshop.org affiliate! That means that you can now easily shop for books about Mass Observation whilst also supporting local, independent bookstores. We often get asked what books have been written either about Mass Observation, or using Mass Observation material. Now you’ll be able to easily see and buy the latestContinueContinue reading “Find us on Bookshop.org!”
‘Ooh, the rumours!’: Mass Observation and VE Day
In the lead up to the 80th anniversary of VE, Khaleda Brophy-Harmer (PhD Candidate at the University of Southampton), has gone through the archive’s collection of VE day materials to provide insight into how people experienced and wrote about VE day. – On the evening of May 7th, Prime Minister Winston Churchill interrupted radio broadcasting toContinueContinue reading “‘Ooh, the rumours!’: Mass Observation and VE Day”
The Spring 2025 Directive
Spring 2025 Directive Spring Directive 2025 This directive we’re asking our writers to respond to three timely topics. Part 1: COVID-19 Pandemic Reflections Mass Observation has been reflecting back on March 2020. It was the 17th March when we contacted Observers to say we were leaving the office and if we weren’t in touch, toContinueContinue reading “The Spring 2025 Directive”