Mass-Observation Archive: Topic Collections

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FAMILY PLANNING 1944-49

TC 3: 4 boxes

BOX 1 : FAMILY SURVEY 1944

Each file contains replies from women (and men in 3/1/H) on questions of family size. The questionnaire covers work, future hopes and plans, hoped for and actual number of children, hopes for marriage (if single), attitudes to career, what life will be like after the war. Questions also include housing, age, family size, reasons for having children, religion, birth control (1,000 interviews)

3/1/A:

QQ replies : Bethnal Green; Poplar; Shoreditch

3/1/B:

QQ replies : North Circular Road; Harlesden; Neasden; Paddington; Hampstead

3/1/C:

QQ replies : Marylebone; Hammersmith

3/1/D:

QQ replies : pilot questionnaire and Bermondsey

3/1/E:

QQ replies : Chelsea; Fulham; West Kensington; North Kensington; Kensington Gardens

3/1/F:

QQ replies : Gloucester; Swansea

3/1/G:

QQ replies and letters : from women workers at Osram Ltd

3/1/H:

QQ replies : men and family size

3/1/I:

QQ replies : Kent and Oxford women

3/1/J:

The questionnaire (various drafts plus final)

Appendices I-III for Britain and her Birthrate (typed)

BOX 2 : FAMILY SURVEY 1944

3/2/A: Observations and overheard comments

Material additional to 1944 qq including

• interviews with mothers in Marylebone clinic (July 1944)
• overheard comments
• attitudes to small families (Chelsea)
• 'indirects'
• interviews with older women
• observations of family behaviour

3/2/B: Summary of directive replies and bulletin 1943

Based on responses to M-O national Panel to questionnaire on marriage

3/2/C: Miscellaneous notes and personal accounts 1944, including letters to M-O

Jokes and humour

3/2/D: Letters to Birth Control Clinic (Marie Stopes) 1944

17 personal letters requesting advice

3/2/E: Birth control leaflets and booklets

What birth control is. FPA. January 1944

"Families in the Future" by Kathleen Bliss in The Christian Newsletter, 23.2.44

Married Women's Association Questionnaire

Since the War. Mothers' Clinic. Lists of caps, diaphragms etc

What Birth Control Means. FPA

"Psychosomatic Medicine and the Declining Birth Rate" by James L Halliday in The Lancet, 12.5.45

Quarterly Leaflet of the Church of England Moral Welfare Council

"Birthrate and Housework". Letter in The Spectator, 1.9.44

Family Planning. FPA

The Mothers' Clinic. Handout

The Voice of Experience. Birth Control Advisory Bureau

Of Special Interest to Married Women. BCAB handout

Duplicated standard FPA letter

3/2/F:

Pamphlets on home and family

3/2/G:

Newspaper cuttings 1944 on family life, birthrate, contraception

3/2/H, I:

"Why women don't have more children". 1945. JG Ferraby. M-O, article from 'The Reluctant Stork' draft

"Sex, Morality and the Birthrate". 1945. JG Ferraby. M-O . Article

3/2/J:

"Birthrate : Symptoms and Causes". 1945. Article

3/2/K:

Empty Quivers. Family Book 1944

Galley proof copies. Probably the basis for M-O publication Britain and her Birthrate

3/2/L:

Draft of Empty Quivers. Draft typescript

3/2/M:

Tabulations of Family Survey 1944

3/2/N:

Miscellaneous material relating to preparation and interpretation of 1944 survey

3/2/O:

Handwritten ms on population decline. Unsigned. Undated

Pamphlet "International Union for the Scientific Investigation of Population Problems"

BOX 3 : FAMILY 1947-49: Matrimony Questionnaire 1947

3/3/A: Interviews with single, married, divorced or widowed women in London boroughs. March 1947

Attitudes to weddings, family size, early sexual behaviour, parental control, engagements, sex education, divorce, single/double beds, going out with men and lovers, control of money etc. Approx. 100

3/3/B:

Interviews with men. As above

3/3/C:

Questionnaire and notes on matrimony survey. Typed extracts from replies

3/3/D:

Matrimony Survey : analysis sheets

3/3/E: :

Family 1947. Cuttings etc. on child neglect and juvenile delinquency

3/3/F:

Family 1947. Material about marriage bureaux. Printed papers

Analysis of adverts for partners in Matrimonial Post.

3/3/G: Family 1947. Organisations and events

Material from Marriage Guidance Council

Material from Family Planning Association

Material from Sex Brains Trust

Material from The National Council for the Unmarried Mother and her Child

Material from The Society for Sex Education and Guidance

3/3/H:

Births, marriages and divorces. Figures

3/3/I:

Abortion, suicide and illegitimacy. Personal notes (no sources indicated)

3/3/J:

Family 1947. Engagements

Weddings (1939 account)

3/3/K:

Family 1947. Notes on research paper (?) "Marriage" by Hamilton 1924-28

BOX 4: IDEAL FAMILY SURVEY 1949

3/4/A-D:

Family 1949. Replies to questionnaire on ideal family from women (drawn from M-O Panel and also doctors)

Family 1949. Replies to questionnaire on ideal family from men (drawn from M-O Panel and also doctors)

3/4/E:

Family 1948. 8 interviews from Survey of Housewives, from Eva Hubback (not M-O)

3/4/F:

Family 1949. Ideal Family questionnaire and notes and tabulations