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!”
Tag Archives: everyday life
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 do you think about your hands?
Our Summer 2025 directive has launched! For this directive MO has teamed up with researchers from The Morgan Centre to collaborate of three directive topics. We hope to collaborate with the centre in the future, repeating topics around the body, objects and spaces. In this directive we’ve asked writers to respond to questions about hands,ContinueContinue reading “What do you think about your hands?”
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”
Researching MO: House and Home
In our new blog series ‘Researching MO’ we’ll be looking at different ways that MO material is used for research. Approaching the collection can sometimes be daunting, and the stories you’re looking for might not always be in the place you expect! This series will serve as a way in to the collection. Each postContinueContinue reading “Researching MO: House and Home”
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”
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”
Meet the Mass Observers
Interview with Clare, J7229 Ever since its inception Mass Observation has relied on volunteers writing down their thoughts, feelings and experiences to help record everyday life in Britain. Without our writers, our Mass Observers, Mass Observation simply doesn’t exist, especially in its current form. Yes! We are still going! In fact, there are currently 500ContinueContinue reading “Meet the Mass Observers”
Meet the Mass Observers
Interview with T5672 In this new series we’ll be sharing the stories of the people that make the Mass Observation’s project possible, our writers, also known as ‘Mass Observers’. The Mass Observers are volunteers who give their time to share their thoughts, feelings and opinions with the archive. Some writers contribute over decades and someContinueContinue reading “Meet the Mass Observers”