University of Sussex Library Special Collections: Mass-Observation Archive

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Worktown Collection (1937-40)

Box 42: Assorted short reports (1)

42/A The Wigan slasher

Observer accounts: "Wigan Slashing. Interview with tobacconist. Bibby's, Walthew Lane", ts, 2pp, 30.11.38, GJ/GE, attack on a young woman; "Wigan Slashing. Interview with sweetshop: Harrison, Walthew Lane", ts, 1p, 30.11.38, GJ/GE; "Wigan Slashers. Interview at newsagent and sweetshop", ts, 2pp, 30.11.38, GJ/GE; "Wigan Slasheer (sic). Interviews in Wigan", ts, 1p, 30.11.38, GJ/GE; "Slasher Gossip in Bolton", ts, 1p, 30.11.38, CM; "Wigan Slashers. Interview with brother of slashed girl", ts, 30.11.38, GJ/GE; Newspaper cutting, Daily Herald, 17.11.38

42/B Miscellaneous conversations and overheards

Observer accounts: Untitled document, ms, 5pp, 30.3.36, conversation at The Naked Man cafe, Shipton; "Conversation in St. George's Rd", ms, 3pp, 14.2.[?], NC; "Dinner hour conversation at school", ms, 4pp, 14.3.37; Untitled document, ms, 2pp, 16.3.[?], overheard comment; Untitled document, ms, 8pp, 22.3.37, conversation at girls' school staff meeting; Untitled document, ms, 1p, 23.3.[37], conversation at unspecified school; Untitled document, ms, 1p, 25.3.[37], conversation on a train to Shipton; "Saturday even. Mch 27th conversation among the wash-bowls", ms, 3pp, 27.3.[37]; Untitled document, ms, 7pp, 29.3.[37], conversations at a Yorkshire Dales Guest House; "Conversation on a road", ms, 10pp, 30.3.[37]; "Conversation in a bedroom for 6", ms, 2pp, 31.3.[37]; "Report of conversation held Sat. April 3rd in our house, early morning, and with people met in town", ms, 12pp, 3.4.[37]; "Conversation in train", ms,6pp, 1.4.[37]; "Talk around Bradshawgate, Deansgate and Town Hall", ts, 3pp, 23.4.[37]; "Conversation overheard at the Annual Exhibition of "The Attic Club", the Manchester Society of Women Artists", ms 3pp, 28.4.[37]; "A dinner time conversation", ms, 14pp; "Conversation around fire of common room", ms, 7pp; Untitled document, ms, 14pp, conversation between Mrs. Duncan, from South Africa and five other people; "Bedroom conversation just before lunch time", ms, 2pp; "Around Town", ms, 3pp, 25.6.[37], WH, overheards; "Victory Hotel", ms, 1p, 7.8.37, EL, overheards; "Grouse-Shooting", ms, 1pp, 12.8.[37], WH, talk given in John Brown Street Labour Club; "Street Row", ms, 1p, 21.8.37, EL; "Conversations", ms, 2pp, 22.10.37, SPB; "Conversation in town", ms, 3pp, 22.10.37; Untitled document, 2pp, ms, 23.10.37, LT, overheard comments; "Topics of conversation", ms, 3pp, 27.10.37, PB/AB/EB; "Conversations", ms, 1p, 29.10.[37], EB, list of topics; "On top of no. 1 bus from Eskrick Street to Victoria Square", ts, 1p, 29.4.38, overheard comments and conversation; "Conversation in train Euston-Bolton", ms, 3pp, 2.7.38, DMH; "Adults and children in the streets from 11.30 to 12.45 pm", ms, 23.7.38, JLW; "Conversations", ts, 1p, 8.11.38; Untitled document, ts, 2pp, WH, conversation in a train; "Conversation", ms, 1p

Misc, ms, 1p

42/C Labour Exchange

Letter from Harry Roscoe to Mr. Jackson, ms, 1p, unemployed young man suffering from "neurosis" asking for advice

Letter from A. Barlow to THH, ms, 1p, 18.2.[?], enclosing a report "Unemployment Exchange", ms, 3pp, about a day's work there

"Official Unemployment Figures 1938", ms, 1p, LT, (no source cited)

Observer accounts: "A Brush with the Bureaucrats", ms, 11pp (lacks p11); "Labour Exchange", ms, 1p [JW]; "Labour Exchange", ms, 1p, 19.3.37, [JW]; "Labour Exchange", ms, 5pp, 31.3.37, [JW]; "Labour Exchange", ms, 2pp, 2.2.37, JW; "Exchange", ms, 11pp, 2.4.37, JW; "Labour Exchange", ms, 3pp, 7.4.37, JW; "Unemployed Concert", ms, 1p, 13.4.37, [incomplete]; Untitled document, ms, 1p, 25.4.[37], [JW], at the Labour Exchange; "Labour Exchange", ms, 9pp, 28.4.[37], THH; "Labour Exchange", ms, 3pp, 30.4.[37], [JW]; "Labour Exchange", ms, 6pp, 30.4.[37], JW; Untitled document, ms, 1p, 5.5.[37], [JW], Joe Willcock asking for an appeal form; "Labour Exchange", ms, 1p, 26.5.[37], [JW]; "Comparative Behaviour", ts, 2pp, 10.6.37, PNH, at the Labour Exchange, Flash St. Special School and Ormrod and Hardcastle's Mill; "Labour Exchange", ms, 2pp, 9.6.[37], JLW; "Employment Exchange", ms, 1p, 26.8.37, EL; Untitled document, ms, 7pp, 21.9.37, details of benefits cases to be heard at court

Ministry of Labour forms (5)

Booklet: End this colossal waste, about unemployment

Index cards (9), ms, Labour Exchange

Card "Bolton Unemployed Welfare Association", invitation to an Xmas Party

Misc, ms, 1p

42/D General follows and day surveys

Observer accounts: "Trailing", ms, index cards (4), 2.5.38; "Bolton Day Survey. Friday 22.3.38, Moss Field Hill, Vernon Street", ts, 2pp, BCP, activities and count at the mill; "Bolton Day Survey. 22.4.38, Case Histories. People going from West Ward", ts, 3pp, BCP, follows; "Bolton Day Survey. 22.4.38, Children, Step-Washing", ts, 3pp, BCP, illustrated; "People Followed", ts, 7pp, 22.4.38, JS; "Follows", ms, 3pp, 22.4.38, LT; "Follow", ts, 1p, 22.4.[38], JS; Untitled document, ms, 2pp, 2.5.38, BR, follows; "Follow", ms, 3pp, 5.5.[38], WH; "Follow", ms, 2pp, 15.5.[38], WH

42/E Pets and RSPCA

Paper folder containing: Booklet: A survey of the case against Vivisection, 1936; Booklet: Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Forty-fourth Annual Report, year ending 31.12.36

Observer accounts: Index card, ms, what people do with their pets when they go away; "Poultry", ms, 20.3.[?], THH, about poultry keeping; "RSPCA at the Civic Centre", ms, 7pp, 16.4.37; "Dog Shelter, Vernon St", ms, 3pp, 5.1.38, LT; "Vernon St. Dogs Home", ms, 3pp, 5.5.38, LT; "Interview with the RSPCA officer", ms, 1p, 6.5.38, LT; Index cards (2), ms, THH, reference to anti-vivisection

42/F Transport

Observer accounts: Index cards (9), ts/ms, about transport; "Transport", ts, 1p, 28.11.39, GT; "Transport", ts, 1p, 29.11.39, GT; "Trams", ts, 1p, count and overheard comment

"County Borough of Bolton. Transport Department, Tenders for scrap metal, February 1938", ts, 1p, index card attached

42/G Territorial Army and drill hall

Observer accounts: "Fifty Third Bolton Field Brigade R.A. (T.A.)", ts, 8pp, 15.2.[?], FHC; "Drill Hall Territorial Display", ms, 8pp, 16.2.38, APW; "Drill Hall", ms, 9pp, 16.2.38, AVW; "Conversation at Drill Hall", ms, 10pp, 16.2.38, NC

42/H Rude stories, swearing, jokes and graffiti

Observer accounts: "Tinton Heights", ms, 1p. 23.1[?], graffiti; "The Farting Contest", 26.2.[?], JS, a rhyme; "Dirty Stories", ts, 2pp, 19.4.[?], JS, cigarette card attached; Untitled document, ms, 1p, 21.5.37, THH, comment about not hearing a dirty story in a pub; "Bog Graphiti" (sic), ts, 4pp, 4.3.38, JAS; Untitled document, ts, 3pp, 7.3.38, JAS, swearing in various hotels and pubs; Untitled document, ts, 2pp, 9.3.38, JAS, swearing around town; "Bog Graphiti" (sic), ts, 1p, 9.3.38, JAS, Heaton Cemetery, Queens Park lavatory, lavatory near Rialto Cinema; Untitled document, ms, 2pp, 10.3.38, JAS, swearing in the streets; "Swearing in Pubs on Sundays", ts/ms, 4pp, 13.3.38, JAS

"Is the Bible right?", ms, 4pp, an attempt to give a scientific basis to 'piss' and 'shit', ms, 4pp

Untitled document, ts, 1p, typed notice about a play "The Emporor (sic) Jones", possibly giving offence and being unsuitable for children

Untitled document, ts, 1p, six 'rude' ditties

Letter from Peter Jackson to THH, ms, 2pp, 29.12.37, enclosing "Miss Pine's Speech in the House of Commons on the Suffrage Question", ms, 2pp, 12.37, unintentionally amusing use of language

42/I The weather

Observer accounts: "Weather", ms, 3pp, 7.11.37, LT; "Weather", ms, 12pp, 22.11.37-24.11.37, LT; "Weather", ms, 3pp, 29.11.37, LT; "Weather", ms, 3pp, 6.12.37, LT; Untitled document, ms, 2pp, 19.4.[37], WH, brief discussion in two pubs about the weather and its affect on business; "Weather", ms, 1p, 6.12.37, chart; Untitled document, ms, 2pp, 19.4.38, HH, conversation in two pubs about business and the weather; "Landlord School Hill", index card, ms, conversation about the weather and business; Index card, ts, 19.4.38, JS, questions about the weather put to landlady and landlord in two pubs; Index card, ms, 23.10.37, PB; Index cards (2), ms, 14.8.37, EL, references to the weather

42/J Ideal Homes and Happy Homes Exhibitions

Observer accounts: "Ideal Home Exhibition", ts, 1p, 2.6.[?], JS; "Happy Homes Exhibition", ms , 2pp. 25.9.[?], EB; "Happy Homes Exhibition", index card, ms, 22.9.[37], about lottery for Ford 8 car; "Trades Exhibition", ms, 5pp, 22.9.37, EL; "Visit to the Happy Homes Exhibition", ts, 1p, 29.9.37, JM-J; "Stand 43 Paul Clive, Jokes and Novelties", ts, 23.9.37, JL; "Entertainment provide at the happy homes exhibition", ts/ms, 5pp, 2.10.37, JM-J

Magazine Happy Homes, Bolton Chamber of Trade Journal

Leaflet: "Furniture at Boardman's for Modern Homes"

42/K Rag and Bones and Irish Haymaking

Observer accounts: "Rag & Bones", ms, 2pp, 9.4.[?], THH; "Queen's Rd [?? ??] St.", ms, 5pp, 11.4.[?], THH, about rag and bones trade; "Irish Haymaking", ms, 3pp, 18.7.[?], WH

42/L Happiness

"Questions to be asked of the material", ts, 8pp, questions, responses and notes on research into happiness

"Continuation of Conversation on Happiness", ms, 4pp, 13.7.[?], DMH

Untitled document, ms, 19pp, statistical charts - data analysis

42/M Life stories

Untitled document, ms/ts, 31pp, Tom Honeyford's autobiography and typed transcript, 21pp, (incomplete)

"Edgeworth Village", ms, 11pp, 13.7.[?], JLW, an account of a family called Greenwood

"Upperclass Drunk", ts, 20.6.[?], [JS], an account of an evening with the Tillotsons

Mass-Observation Archive

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