The 'Hippy Scene': Bath College of Domestic Science in the Seventies

While editing cover sheets for interviews in the Archive recently, I came across an interview that we did last year with Jane Hill. Jane studied at Bath College of Domestic Science in the early seventies, training to become a teacher of domestic science subjects. Her student accommodation was in Somerset Place; strangely to students of my generation they had a matron, who was very strict, and they had to 'smuggle' boys into their all-female flat! In contrast to what otherwise seems to have been a rather austere atmosphere- petrol was rationed at this time, for example, and foods such as pasta (which we think of as being basic) weren't readily available- all their meals were provided, and they were given sliced white bread and jam everyday. This was, in Jane's words, 'the height of luxury in those days!'

Somerset Place, Bath

Reading Jane’s interview again what comes through to me is the contrast of things that, too us, seem old fashioned- such as having a matron and ‘no boys allowed’ mottoes - alongside life-changing innovations such as the introduction of the pill, and the way that it was made widely available. Similarly, reading what Jane said about the fashions of the day really evoked the era of the early Seventies: she mentioned for example,unbleached calico, Laura Ashley floral prints, Scholl sandals, maxi dresses and long dyed hair, which she described as being “bright yellow” and “probably unwashed”.  Jane also mentioned her dad’s reaction to her clothes; “My father thought I was pregnant because I had this big smock over these loons…”. As often happens with oral history interviews, it was hearing someone talk about their personal experiences of nation-wide trends in this way that really brings the story alive:

Laura Ashley's early 1970s dresses, of the kind recalled by Jane. This image is from a recent retrospective exhibition by the Fashion Museum, held at the Assembly Rooms in Bath

" we were quite the Seventies hippy types....what happened was Laura Ashley, who I love still, opened her shop in Bath, which is still there, and she sold rolls of dress fabric material, and we used to go and buy this material, and knock something up in an afternoon... well because it was maxi dresses they were long dresses,flounces on the bottom a bit like Diana’s first wedding dress, that sort of thing, with the big puff sleeves - and they were a damn nuisance to be honest, because when you’re walking down one hill and up the other... we used to tuck them in our knickers..."

Guest Post by third year student Alice Meigh

Dances, Dates and Writing Home

As a new member of the Archive team here at Corsham Court, I was excited to see some more of the collection this week. I really enjoyed reading the letters of Vivianne Ollerearnshaw, who studied on the teacher training course at Newton Park from 1951- 53. Her interview and the letters which she kindly gave to the Archive cover her two years at the college, and provide a wonderful glimpse into life as a student at that time.

During her first year Vivianne lived on the top floor of No. 19 of the Royal Crescent, along with 8 other girls. They shared one big bathroom between them and ate in the large basement; 'our first meal was rabbit stew, which was gorgeous, and custard with banana in it which I shall never forget because we were rationed, we never had enough to eat at home.' In her second year Vivianne lived at Newton Park, in Main House. The had 'a huge breakfast, a huge dinner and a huge supper and tea' everyday in the East Wing, which today is a small cafe. I love the little openings into the details of her life as a student; among other things Vivianne writes to her parents about playing hockey and netball matches between Newton Park and The Elms (P.S. We've won the netball match!'), about going to see Wuthering Heights 'with Lawrence Olivier in' and also about holidays; 'For the Coronation we get not far off a week!'.

'Wuthering Heights will be at Bath next weekend, with Lawrence Olivier in. I've seen it once, but would love to see it again if time.' 

Many of her letters are signed with 'xxxx' and use shortenings such as 'if poss'. This is surprisingly similar to texts and informal emails today- my friends and I use them! In one of the letters, Vivianne is asking her parents for references. The language used seems quite abrupt, and as with the similarities to texts mentioned above, this reminded me that letters were the main form of communication (apart from the telephone', so in a way they did the job of what texts and emails do now. On the other hand, one of the main differences is that many were written over several days. The envelopes have very readable postmarks, unlike today, and the range of stamps is interesting.

Her handwriting is very twirly compared to how my generation were taught to write!

Another thing that surprised me is that the term 'going out' was also in use then. In Vivianne's time it often meant going to dances; she writes about the Weston in Bath ('a little dance place') and about a Valentine's Ball at Bristol University, whereas now 'dances' is clubbing! A little later she wrote about refusing to see 'a partner', meaning a male dancing partner, because she 'musn't go out this term'. I think this shows how some phrases have become outdated, while some are still very much in use amongst people my age. And now that 50s style is back in fashion, it makes me think that maybe some things about youth culture never really change!

By Alice Meigh, 2nd year student at Bath Spa University

Mrs Thatcher's Generation

Whatever your politics, you will not have been able to ignore the death of Margaret Thatcher, a woman we all know something about. Whether through direct experience, or through the stories which have been published over the past weeks, we all know something of the life, work and achievements of this country's first woman Prime Minister.

Mrs Thatcher's generation? The Class of 1949 at Newton Park

I can see many parallels between women like Margaret Thatcher and the generations of former staff and students we have interviewed. These interviewees are predominantly women, as in the past we produced mostly women teachers. And because these women trained to be teachers, they had careers, some long, some short.  Some married, some had children. Most continued to work to some degree or another. They are the generations who grew up in the shadow of war, who attained a certain standard of living, promised in the aftermath of the thirties and forties in Britain. This cultural background coloured their opinions, their upbringing and their education, in a way which we struggle to understand today. 

1948: A student attends an interview with Miss Dawson, accompanied by her parents (and younger sister?) . Newton Park was not ready for use until 1949, so may only have been visited for the interview and annual Commemoration Day in June.

It seems to me that people then got on with things in a different way. Instead of fussing about things, you put your head down and worked hard, since, by contrast to wartime conditions, life was a good deal better. The privations of their youth (wartime restrictions and so on) coloured their future lives. My generation ridiculed this tendency; we certainly didn't understand it.

During the oral history interviews, I've been ready to hear about issues of feminism, of equal rights, and of unfair treatment towards working women. Although on one hand it seems a little disappointing when these things are absent, it also makes me feel humble to know that in the 1950s and 1960s, you proved yourself by simply getting out there and getting on with it. The only 'complaint' was around the firm expectation that a woman teacher should wear a skirt!

Sue, at Wellow Station on her way to teaching practice, early 1960s.
(Photo: S.Tewson)

I myself come from a family of similarly strong women, who ran businesses with their families, and tackled any tasks which happened to need doing. I'm not sure if my feisty grandmother would have described herself as a feminist (or whatever the term would have been for her generation) but she certainly expected people to work hard and make a difference to their lives - the difference being dependent on the amount of hard work one was willing to put in. This attitude, born of a particular time and place, is perhaps now passing from our culture (discuss?!)

Famous people like Margaret Thatcher will have their stories told many times. The history books will be filled with details, opinions and analysis of the part they played in the nation's story. Not so the thousands who got on with the job every day, and lived through the same years. 

Oral History is a way to counteract this. By talking to the people who experienced life here, we hope to bring the nuanced details of history to the archival record.

Commemoration Day choir performance, 1964 (Photo: S. Tewson)

We continue to welcome a host of fascinating people to interview. Next month will be the turn of a former Newton Park student from the 1950s and a music lecturer who saw several decades of change in the same setting. Its always a pleasure to hear their words, and we look forward to sharing their stories.

Digitisation Doctor Conference

Starting off a series of 'guest' blog entries, the Archive (or at least half of it) had an away day today, and attended a digitisation information event in London. Being from London myself, it's always great to get to go back, particularly for educational/academic visits. I've had the pleasure in the last year of being able to visit the British Library for an Oral History Workshop, for example.

Kate and I went to the Wellcome Trust at Euston, a building which I have passed many times on my travels around town but never had the privilege to visit before. It was a great venue and I must say I loved the modern style of the architecture, a great juxtaposition to the great St Pancras Hotel - or St Pancras Station if you believe the Harry Potter franchise - a few hundred yards away.


The Wellcome Trust was a great venue

I think it's fair to say that we were treated to an outstanding day, my first proper conference of sorts, having attended a number of workshops with my secondary school. The papers were varied but all highly applicable to the developments at the Archive.

I could easily highlight any of the presentations but I want to mention specifically William Kilbride (follow him on Twitter @WilliamKilbride) from the Digital Preservation Coalition. His 'Preservation Planning in 12 Questions' was particularly brilliant and I can definitely see myself incorporating this into my MA in the coming two years. On a personal note I am thrilled to have been accepted on that course and look forward immensely to continuing my studies here at Corsham Court.

These are some great questions that preservation projects would do well to keep in mind... 

I also particularly enjoyed Christy Henshaw (@Chenshaw) who spoke about workflows in digitisation projects. Her flow diagrams certainly took me back to the project modules I did on my ICT A-Level. Memories! Finally, I wish to mention Simon Tanner (@SimonTanner) and his talk on Optical Character Recognition (OCR). It has certainly led me to appreciate the systems available via Bath Spa University's Electronic Services. I cannot help but feel a lecture on this to undergraduates would help them to appreciate the enormity of the scope of putting such resources online, and why currently they cannot hope to be 100% accurate.

All of the talks had some resonance with our project, though, and elements of them all will no doubt feature on our work as it progresses in the next couple of years. It really is an exciting time for anyone associated with the BSU Archive!

There was also time for discussion with the rest of the group, and we were fortunate enough to be able to chat with some representatives of the Collections Trust, based at the Natural History Museum, South Kensington. They opened our eyes to some fantastic funding opportunities available through the European Commission, particularly the Europeana project. This looks like it could have the makings of a fantastic portal for materials across Europe. I highly recommend it to any fellow students or those interested in European history in general. Who knows what one might find there?

The day was made even better with the use of Twitter, allowing members of the group to communicate with the speakers once they had finished. They were also able to post up their slides before they spoke so that we could follow on our connected devices as well as on the projector. For those interested, you can have a look through the tweets using the hashtag #digidoctor. For someone involved with IT, it was an excellent use of social media to help add to an already excellent event. In my opinion it really showcased the power of social media.

Today has certainly got my creative juices going and I can already think of directions to take the digitisation of the project forward, particularly in relation to OCR systems, funding, planning and development of a cataloging and online digitisation system. I have really enjoyed today and once again look forward to helping the project to develop in the future. I could write so much more but I think I leave more detailed specifics (for now!) to my own private reflective blog for the project. Good things come to those who wait...

There was even some time to stop by one of my favourite watering holes in the area before heading back to Paddington for the train to the West Country. As I write we are being delayed by signalling problems, some things really never change! Had a beautiful sunset to bid me a fond farewell from the capital, so it's not all bad news.

From the train coming out of London

I would once again like to point a friendly finger towards our own Twitter presence, @BSUArchive. Please do give us a follow to keep up with our latest news.

Richard

Oh...the weather

While we shiver and wait for the spring to arrive, here at the archive office Oral History interviews have continued. We always have to apologise for the coolness of the office itself - but it is an archive after all!

Over the past two years, we have heard from around fifty people, who have either told us, or written down their memories. The majority of these people are former students, and about a quarter were staff members.

Visiting schoolchildren investigate the chicks at Corsham Court. A 1950s  spring scene.

So many people have strong memories associated with the weather, and again and again we have been struck by the way that extremes of weather affect people. Consider our recent experience, and the way that this long, cold winter and late spring has affected those around you. At Bath Spa University, it has certainly played its part, and the third year dissertation students seem to be even more stressed than usual. Normally, by now, they would have been able to shed a few layers of clothes, and perhaps enjoyed that freer feeling that comes alongside spring flowers and birdsong. They are, however, still bundled up, struggling against a bitter wind as they trudge up and down the Newton Park driveway. But the life of the student now is a cold one on the whole; by the time the really good weather arrives, term will have finished and the long summer vacation will have begun.

Outdoor sketching at Monk's Park, Corsham, 1950s

For the former students of Newton Park, or Corsham Court, Sion Hill, or any of the other college venues, there are many memories of long summers, of Commemoration performances in the hot June sun, and of sunlit bicycle journeys along country lanes. This puzzled us at first. Was this the rosy glow of youthful pleasure, seen through the lens of reminiscence?

Then we recalled that in the days of teacher training, before university status, terms were similar to school terms, rather like the PGCE course now. So, happy memories of long warm evenings are very real.

Commemoration Day preparations c 1960s

A staff meeting, on the lawn beside Main House, Newton Park 1960s

It seems that the weather in June was always to be good enough for Commemoration Day at Newton Park  to be held outdoors.  At least this is what the photographic evidence tells us. For the first twenty years of the teacher training college, photographs show the women students dancing in short tunics in the Italian Garden.

Commemoration Day 1958. Local schoolchildren playing in the Primary Garden (which was situated next to Castle at Newton Park)

Dancing display at Newton Park, 1957

Details of Commemoration Day at Newton Park, 1960

That's all for now. I hope the weather improves wherever you are. Here at the BSU Archive office in Corsham, the peacocks are getting extremely noisy, which is a good sign that the warmer weather - and the mating season - is approaching. I interviewed a lady last week, who learned to make a peahen call while she was a student here. She could make the peacocks display their glorious feathers whenever she wanted! What a skill! 

More next week...watch this space!

Kate the Archivist

x

Heritage, Popes, Bones and stay-at-homes

Last week, the archive had a week off, as two of us were involved in a history field trip to Rome. Of course, the trip was arranged long before anyone knew about the papal elections, but what a time to be there...

The view towards the Vatican, from the Capitoline Hill, Rome

The main purpose of the trip was research: into aspects of heritage, the practical application of history and the history and landscape of the Grand Tour. All of these things are relevant to the cross section of students and staff who joined the field trip. And of course, we enjoyed the good food, wine and chatting that took place as well!

St Peter's, 11.03.13. Preparations for the pre-Conclave service.

Italy, and Rome in particular, houses a vast array of heritage from every era. Whether your interest lies in Roman, religious, Renaissance or Risorgimento history, there is a seemingly limitless supply of things to see, to experience and to wonder at.

Your archivist communes with Socrates!

We were struck by one site in particular, as a highly individual use of artefacts. This was the Capuchin Crypt, where an explanatory museum has been built over several small crypt rooms. These rooms contain thousands of bones, artistically and bizarrely arranged into pictures, images, altars, archways, chandeliers and ceiling displays. Complete skeletons in monk's habits stand and lie amidst the bones, overlooking the graves of real monks of the Capuchin Order.

The Capuchin Crypt

The whole thing is strange and intriguing, and a fascinating way to tell a story with archival resources. We pondered long and hard about the interpretation, and considered the way we look after archives today.

Meanwhile, following news of 'fumata nera' and 'fumata bianca' Pope Francis was elected and made his balcony appearance. Those studying the Grand Tour could identify with their 18th century counterparts, who travelled to Rome and witnessed the full grandeur of Catholicism for themselves, and were either impressed or distrustful, as the tourists from two hundred years ago had been.

A Nun celebrates Pope Francis' election with a selection of delicious  cakes! 

Back at home, the other half of the archive team carried on transcribing our most recent set of oral history interviews. We've had a batch of former Bath Academy of Art students visit the archive office recently, and we've enjoyed meeting them and finding out more about this fascinating aspect of our corporate history. As the office is based at Corsham Court, we have loved hearing about student life here in the 1950s - 1980s. It seems the peacocks have always been here, calling, screeching and chasing one another, just as they are today!

Hayley, still transcribing...

Scanning, scanning and more scanning

One of the great truths of the BSU Archive is that two of our main tasks are repetitive and time consuming. Scanning documents and transcribing oral history interviews take a very long time.

Yet for those of us involved, these tasks mean that you spend concentrated time with the real words of the past, with the pieces of paper and the recorded voices.

Here in the archive office, scanning occurs in a little corner of the corridor, which at this time of year is rather cold. We are beginning to suspect that in summer, it will be too hot. As is usual with forms of technology, the scanning process is simple, except when it isn't....knowledge of which button to press, in which order, is naturally important. But additionally useful is knowing which tone of voice to use to cajole the machine into cooperating. Or perhaps this is just paranoia...

Our relationship with the scanner is clearly getting too personal.

Documents come in all shapes and sizes, and making sure that the scans don't miss anything, is important. When looking at scanned papers online, I love to see the edges, and although you're a big step away from the real thing, a complete image gives a sense of it. Well-thumbed corners, damaged pages, finger prints and broken spines all add to the sensory experience of archives, even when witnessed remotely. A Historian friend recently posted a twitter image of a medieval manuscript, complete with the inky paw prints of the chronicler's cat - very atmospheric!

Next time you engage with a digital archive, spare a thought for the process which got it online. As well as time, funding, IT support and great documents, it has also been someone's task to stand by the machine, carefully feeding the papers one by one. Maybe their corner is chilly, too.

The opportunities for archive engagement have grown massively in the digital age. The ability to make so much more available online has opened a world of possibility. Especially for those researchers, who can access so much from their own homes. And once you're hooked on digital resources, stepping into a real one is another level of experience altogether.

But more of that, in another blog...

Hayley and Richard make friends with the scanner!

Meet the Archive Team

This week we thought an introduction to the team would be a good idea, so that our readers further afield* (see note at the end!) could get a better idea of who writes this stuff and who's been lurking in the archive office!

Our Glorious Leader is Dr Roberta Anderson, senior lecturer in History at Bath Spa University. It was Bobby's idea in 2011, to try to build a project based on the first haul of archive documents, and to fully explore oral history opportunities. Bobby advises, encourages and oversees the work here. We now have a suite of three work placement modules which provide the students with an excellent opportunity to learn about the workings of an archive through hands on experience.

Kate James is lead archivist, researcher and student mentor. Coming to BSU as a mature (only in years!) student in 2008, Kate has immersed herself in the world of history, dusty primary sources and oral history interviewing, and likes nothing better than a day of research and the waft of old paper. Gaining a BA in 2011 and an MA in 2012, a PhD is her next target. Her research will cover the history of Newton Park as an educational establishment and the oral history of place. Kate writes the blog each week, and occasionally goes home to cook meals.

Adam King, History and Heritage 2nd year, came on board last October, is interested in 18th and 19th century history. He is an avid reader of history books by authors such as Simon Schama and Norman Davies. He has an enthusiasm for researching the history of Newton Park.

Hayley Crymble is a 2nd year Historian, who has also been with the archive for 5 months. She has enjoyed discovering the pleasures of oral history interviewing, and getting to know the interviewees. She's not quite so entranced with scanning (its cold in that corridor!)

Richard Carpenter is the techno wizard. Let him tell you about his part in the work:

"My main role has been working on the transcription of interviews. Using some helpful software and my apparently legendary speed of typing acquired during my A level days, I have been able to almost half the time it takes to do them whilst still ensuring accuracy. Additionally, I have helped supervise the scanning process and set up our social media presence, including @BSUArchive  on Twitter, do give us a follow! At postgraduate level I am hoping to work on the digitisation of the archive for our website."

And by the way,  other 'Humanities at Work' students have been involved along the way: Rachel carried out the first interview and scanning tasks, back in the summer of 2011, and Chris continued with more scanning and research the following summer.

So that's the team. Although the current module ends in May, we hope we can continue to work together on future modules, and keep up the great momentum we've gained this year. With current developments, such as the move to the Corsham Court office, the exhibition and contribution to the book about our university, who knows what the future holds?

It's very exciting, and we look forward to sharing it with you, too!

(* According to the Blog stats, we have readers in UK, US, Germany, Netherlands and Denmark.)

Warm greetings to everyone. We hope you're liking the archive news so far. 

Let us know what you think! 

Best Wishes from the Archive Team

 xxx

A morning with Professor Michael Pennie

One of the privileges of working on the BSU Archive is meeting a wide range of people, and hearing their stories and memories. Everyone we meet during our research has had a long, interesting and varied life, despite sometimes believing that the opposite is true. And everyone we talk to can illuminate the past for us, in a way that a historical document can never do.

Professor Michael Pennie

This week I have had the honour of meeting Professor Michael Pennie, who has observed artistic life here for half a century. First at Corsham Court in the 1960s, and then at Sion Hill in the 80s and 90s, and more recently back at Corsham Court, he has been teaching and practising the art of sculpture over five decades of change and development.

Michael talked to me about his work and about life at the Court during the Bath Academy of Art days. We also discussed his personal memoir of a life in art, which he is currently writing, and the possibility of adding this memoir to the BSU Archive when it is completed.

Michael's memoir, in preparation

This work, entitled 'Michael Pennie: Sculpture - Making and Teaching' takes the form of a treasure box of individual memories, written about his work, his exhibitions, former students and colleagues, all of which are gathered alongside rich images of artists and their work. Digital technologies also offer the potential for wider audience engagement, and this also formed part of our discussion today.

I was then taken to see Michael's studio in the basement of Corsham Court, where he described the discipline of daily creativity; even at the weekend he spends every morning in the studio, surrounded by his work and tools, drawings and sculptures. In fact his work is dotted all over Corsham Court, in public rooms, in the gallery, and in the grounds. I have walked past them many times, appreciating the art, without realising that the artist was in our midst.

The Basement Gallery, inside Michael's studio and an example of his sculpture

It was a fascinating morning, and yet another reminder of the rich seam of creativity which exists at our university.
I hope to continue mining this seam for some time - who knows what will be discovered next?

The Official Opening and Cake Event!

On Friday 8th February, the BSU Archive office hosted its official opening ceremony.

We might not have had the spectacle of choreographed dancers, Kenneth Branagh as Brunel and an audience of millions, but oh boy, we have the history.

On the guest list:

Professor Christina Slade, Vice Chancellor of Bath Spa University
Dr Steve May, Dean of School, Humanities and Cultural Industries
Dr Alan Marshall, Head of History
Dr Alison Hems, Course Leader, Postgraduate Studies in Heritage and Applied History
Mr Terry Bracher, Archives and Local Studies Manager, Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre

Adam, the VC and Richard considering more cake, perhaps?

And greeting them, the BSU Archive team:

Dr Roberta Anderson, Senior Lecturer in History
Kate James, Archives Manager, BA History, MA Heritage Management
Richard Carpenter, Archives assistant, 3rd Year History undergraduate
Hayley Crymble, Archives assistant, 2nd Year History undergraduate
Adam King, Archives assistant, 2nd Year History undergraduate

Bobby, Alan, Alison, Steve and Hayley enjoy tea, cakes and  the discussion

And on the desks and tables:
Personal papers and photographs from the first principal of Newton Park Teacher Training College, 1946 - 1968
Original plans for Sion Hill campus, 1959
Guest book used at the opening of the new Domestic Science College at Sion Hill, signed by Her Majesty, the Queen Mother
Auction booklet for the sale of family possessions from the Newton Park Estate, 1941
Photographs of Rural Studies students, 1980s
Photographs of Newton Park campus, tennis court and orchard, 1980s
Exhibition materials for the forthcoming exhibition at Newton Park, (March 2013)

And not forgetting the triple chocolate layer bars, chocolate and caramel fingers, almond slices and caramel shortbreads, and lashings of tea!

The archive assistants showed their knowledge and enthusiasm, and enjoyed meeting and spending time with our Vice Chancellor. We were able to discuss ways of using the archive for wider public and institutional engagement, through publications, online resources and social media like this, so that our story can be told.

In fact our institution, our archive, holds many stories. The history we have to tell has many facets and many layers, and is growing. What started as corporate documents is being added to through the nuances of people's voices, experiences and life memories. The archive is a living and growing resource with amazing potential.

Just this week, we have provided a music student with the history of the Garden Temple, for a piece she is preparing. We have retrieved information about the School of Art prior to its move to Corsham in 1946. Exhibition preparation has been ongoing, and another oral history interview has taken place. We have transcribed and proof read several other interviews, and contacted past and previous oral history interviewees. And of course, we prepared for the opening ceremony!





It was a great afternoon, but in the excitement we forgot to take enough photographs. So sadly you'll just have to imagine the sight of our Vice Chancellor, Professor Slade with the 1902 Peer's coronet, ermine trim, red velvet and all. But she did look splendid!







(you'll just have to use your imagination!)

Bath Technical Schools

Following last week's blog about Mary Berry and her training at the Bath School of Domestic Science, this week at the BSU Archive office I decided to delve into the box marked 'Bath College of Domestic Science, Old Prospectuses'. What a treat!

Bath Technical Schools main building, at the Guildhall

The prospectuses are A5 booklets, usually no more than 6 or 8 pages in length. They date from the establishment of the Domestic Science department of Bath Technical School, in 1893. Technical Schools were part of the nineteenth century expansion of education, and provided practical classes with the aim of increasing the skills level of a community.

Technical Schools prospectus, 1913-14

Local Authorities set up these schools, which included secondary, evening and adult classes, according to the skills required in the area. A sample of the learning supplied by the City of Bath Council in 1913 includes commerce, languages, maths, book keeping and clerical skills. A large department fulfilled the city's need for engineering knowledge and there is provision to learn engineering drawing, design, and technical skills as well as coach building, carpentry and plumbing. A combination of skills to suit a city concerned about its economy, perhaps?

Since its 18th century heyday, Bath had struggled with the image it displayed to the world and the reality of the life in its streets. In the later 19th century, the city fathers continued to emphasise its gentility, yet industry did thrive here, in the form of engineering works, and car manufacture grew out of the coach building businesses. The technical schools' prospectuses give a fuller picture of a city looking to the future.

Two of Bath Spa University's founding colleges have their origins in this move towards increased public education and training; the School of Art, and the Domestic Science College. These early prospectuses demonstrate the way that 19th century thinking, democratisation and a more diverse economy laid our foundation stones.

The Domestic Science school altered its course when an early student, Adela Heygate, asked to be trained as a teacher of Domestic subjects. She went on to become the Principal of the College, and later, a school inspector.

Cookery and Domestic Sciences prospectus 1914-15

Early classes feature in illustrations in the prospectuses, as well as course descriptions. The courses are very practical, as indicated by early lessons in 'range building', and early student memoirs attest to the resourcefulness they learned. Such skills stood them in good stead when they entered the teaching profession  between the wars, when many school premises were still quite basic.

Range building?

'Care of the Drains' and 'The Danger of Flies' - crucial in an era long before domestic refrigeration! 

Domestic Science students in 1900 wore a uniform consisting of  'a long black serge skirt, ankle length. A scarlet cashmere shirt and black tie for winter, white blouse and red tie for summer, worn with stiff white collar and cuffs. White linen aprons, skirt length with bibs and shoulder straps. A white muslin cap with scarlet ribbon'. (Memoir of student M. S. Toller, written in 1953)

The uniform made them very conspicuous, and earned them the local nick-name of 'Scarlet Runners'.

An anonymous student, also reminiscing in 1953 (the College's Jubilee) recalled that 

'In 1911, the militant suffragette movement was at its height, and Annie Kenney came to Bath and hurled a brick through the GPO window to arouse attention and interest - we students all there in the seething crowd - but alas the scarlet blouses were noticed and we were reported to the head'.

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.

Sweeping down the stairs

Several recent oral history interviewees and former students at Newton Park have mentioned the Main House staircase.

Main House staircase (photograph K. James, 2013)

It appears today much as it did when the house was built in the mid 18th century. Architect Stiff Leadbetter included this grand sweep of pretty wrought iron, set beneath a central dome. The dome gives the first floor landing a bright and airy feel, showing off the cantilevered staircase as it descends to the ground floor below.

First floor landing and Principal's room, c 1950 (from Miss Dawson's collection)

In the 1760s, when the house was new, guests of Joseph Langton will have paraded up these stairs, and in a circuit around the principal rooms through the connecting doors. As they did so, Mr Langton's fine collection of furniture, paintings, silver and porcelain, the best which the nation's manufactories could produce, were on display for all to see and envy. In pride of place, either side of the drawing room doors, hung a pair of full length portraits, of Joseph and his wife, painted by the famous Mr Gainsborough, Bath society's favourite artist, then resident in the fashionably bustling city.

We have to imagine all of this however, since none of these things remain. During the Second World War, the valuable objects in the house were transferred to a storage warehouse in Milsom Street, Bath, for safety. Ironically, it was completely destroyed in the Bath Blitz of April 1942. The remaining contents were sold around the time of the Estate sale shortly afterwards.

When students moved into Newton Park, they were not permitted to use the stairs, despite several being in residence in a room just beside it. They had to use the back stairs, except on one day a year. (from the memoir by Joyce Day, student 1948-1950)

Students on the stairs, c 1950. As the college was then women only, the men had to be 'imported ' for the evening

On the day of the annual ball, dressed in their finery, they were permitted to sweep down the stairs. Sheila (1949-1951) recalls being in awe of the grandeur of it all, and particularly enjoyed parading down the stairs in a 'turquoise satin gown, off the shoulder, quite daring for those days.'

Wrought iron and cantilevering (photograph K James 2012)

Today, staff pass up and down the Main House staircase throughout the day. Is it just a route to an office, or do they too imagine a glamourous and glittering past?