Working-class leisure in English towns 1945-1960 : with special reference to Coventry and Bolton
The popular perception of the years 1945 to 1960 is that they constituted a transitional period from austerity to affluence. Material gains in the post-war years gradually increased, enhanced by full-employment, the establishment of the welfare state and a growing quantity of consumer goods. At first glance, it seems that working-class people's nonmaterial life, too, greatly changed. 'Traditional' leisure such as cinema-, pub- and football-going declined, replaced by more consumption-oriented, home- and family-centred leisure, such as television watching, do-it-yourself and pleasure motoring. Critics have seen this was symptomatic of the erosion of 'traditional' working-class-life styles, underlined by more communal and solidaristic social relationships. A close examination of post-war leisure in two workingclass towns questions the above dichotomy, and shows the significant continuity and diversity of people's leisure patterns. These were often deeply divided according to gender, age, life-stage and locality. Despite the rapidly changing trends of commercial leisure, and the increased intervention of the public sector in social life, the selfdetermined nature of working-class leisure does not seem to have
Ichihashi, Hideo
DA Great Britain ; GV Recreation Leisure
Working-class leisure in English towns 1945-1960 : with special reference to Coventry and Bolton. The popular perception of the years 1945 to 1960 is that they constituted a transitional period from austerity to affluence. Material gains in the post-war years gradually increased, enhanced by full-employment, the establishment of the welfare state and a growing quantity of consumer goods. At first glance, it seems that working-class people's nonmaterial life, too, greatly changed. 'Traditional' leisure such as cinema-, pub- and football-going declined, replaced by more consumption-oriented, home- and family-centred leisure, such as television watching, do-it-yourself and pleasure motoring. Critics have seen this was symptomatic of the erosion of 'traditional' working-class-life styles, underlined by more communal and solidaristic social relationships. A close examination of post-war leisure in two workingclass towns questions the above dichotomy, and shows the significant continuity and diversity of people's leisure patterns. These were often deeply divided according to gender, age, life-stage and locality. Despite the rapidly changing trends of commercial leisure, and the increased intervention of the public sector in social life, the selfdetermined nature of working-class leisure does not seem to have
working_class leisure english town special_reference coventry popular_perception constitute transitional_period austerity affluence material gain gradually increase enhance full employment establishment welfare_state grow quantity consumer good first glance seem working_class people life greatly change traditional leisure cinema football going decline replace consumption oriented home family centred leisure television pleasure see symptomatic erosion traditional working_class life style communal social_relationship close_examination post_war leisure town question dichotomy show significant continuity diversity people leisure pattern often deeply divide_accord gender_age life stage locality despite rapidly_change trend commercial leisure increase intervention public_sector social_life nature working_class leisure seem