It has not been a very good start – much to my surprise, for I am an admirer. Things may change, but I suddenly find myself going all feminist outraged.
The first chapter ‘The British new deal and the essentials of life’ is mostly about food & clothes. It was the food part especially which set me going – the main impetus to change being seen as coming from Italy via espresso & pasta. There is a nod to the fact that most food was still cooked at home, but little that anybody I know would recognise. But then the quotes are from Richard Hoggart's Uses of Literacy, based on Leeds, & we all know that there is nowt so queer as Yorkshire folk
Now I realise that Hennessy is mainly talking about the big cities, & mine was mainly a rural childhood. But to the extent that foreign influences were apparent in towns, large & small, they were Chinese, or, increasingly, Indian. Italians did run many snack bars or milk bars, but the menus consisted mainly of the familiar English staples with maybe a spaghetti bolognese or napolitana for the more adventurous. Coffee bars were the province of dangerous boys - or jazz musicians. There were even rumours of drugs in the back room - benzedrine to keep you going
And most food was still provided in the home, cooked by mother. Elizabeth David gets a mention – as usual – but Marguerite Patten’s influence was much greater. Though not as great as that of the women’s magazines – especially the weeklies. These magazines sold in the millions & were full of advice on nutrition, new foods to try, & feeding a family on a budget.
I checked Hennessy's index to see if any of them were there.
Not only does the index not mention them, there is only a grand total of 2 entries under ‘women’: ‘role of’ (1 page cited), & ‘university education’
I will reserve final judgement, in the hope that things can only get better
