The Mary Berry Story - an archive view

Last night, BBC2 screened the first part of 'The Mary Berry Story', which described the life of the nation's favourite baker. Not only that, however, as it seemed as well to tell the story of a specific generation of women. These are women the we all have experience of, as they are our mothers, grandmothers and aunts.

The generation who grew up during the Second World War reached maturity in the 1950s. A world of opportunity was opening, yet they were rooted in fairly traditional roles, determined by schooling and gender. Many of the women who have come to the BSU Archive for oral history interviews have told us that they perceived limited career opportunities when they left school in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, and were directed broadly towards teaching, nursing and clerical work.

Although there must clearly have been exceptions to this, the perception was clearly prevalent. However, having trained in one field, the qualification led those women forward to make the most of their opportunities. This is exactly what 'Bezza' did, and in style!

What also struck me, watching the programme, was the range of practical skills so many people had, born of the necessity of wartime and post war restrictions. I was reminded of my mother-in-laws perfect jams, my grandmothers puff pastry (home made, and in catering quantities for the family hotel) and my mother's and aunt's needlework and knitting skills.

In the programme, Mary described her time at Bath College of Domestic Science, and we saw her viewing her student records. The college amalgamated with Newton Park Teacher Training college in the 1970s. They were joined by Bath Academy of Art in the 1980s, and became what is today Bath Spa University. Our Vice Chancellor, Professor Christina Slade, was featured in the programme. Did you also spot the lovely Main House staircase? (as featured in this blog two weeks ago!)

Mary also reminisced about some of the things she learned at the Domestic Science College, specifically the instructions for cleaning a toilet. The advice to 'Flush, brush, flush' seems to have stayed with her! I recently came across the same line in a student's workbook from twenty years before Mary's time. The instructions on cleaning go on for pages and pages.

I hope Kathleen Long also enjoyed some down time!

'No visible dirt or dust'? Is that EVER possible? Or indeed desirable?

Enjoy reading a sample, and consider whether these things are lost arts, unnecessary torture, a patriarchal standard, or something else...a lot will make you laugh - or is that just me?!

I wonder who uses these methods now? (Although the housekeeping staff at Claridges may, according to another recent BBC programme!)

Please let me know if you, or perhaps your parents' or grandparents' generation did. I remember my father telling me how to iron cuffs, which was different from the way my mother and grandmother had shown me.

And the other day, I cleaned the glass of my fireplace with damp newspaper dipped in ash, which worked better than anything else I've tried, and was totally free - I've passed the good news on to the children, too!


More about the history of the Domestic Science College next week....

The 'Flush, brush, flush' instruction. Also note that one should make a 'Careful choice of brush' when cleaning the stairs.

Four steps to dusting...

Who knew it was this complicated?

A vacuum cleaner advert from c.1959. From the Domestic Science College papers. Student houses, for the practical experience of running a home, were equipped with these. Students worked to fixed budgets as part of the course.