You may not have come across Mass Observation, or may indeed think it sounds rather ‘big brotherish’! If either of these things apply to you then let me tell you a little more.
Every year on the 12th May, Mass Observation calls on the general public from all corners of the UK to write a diary of their day, recording detail, feelings, thoughts and emotions from the moment they get up to the moment they go to bed. This originally began on 12th May 1937, George VI’s Coronation day.
This day forms part of The Mass Observation Archive whose original aim was to ‘create anthropology of ourselves’. From 1937-1950, a team of observers and volunteer writers recorded the lives of ordinary people in Britain. Today a group of volunteers write for them regularly, by responding 3 times a year to open ended questions that cover political and social and personal issues and events.
All of this information and written diaries are stored in the Archive at The Keep to be used for research, teaching and learning. Academics and students, schools, writers, producers, artists, community and special interest groups and the general public will access the diaries.
I first came across The Mass Observation Archive after reading the wonderfully detailed diaries of Nella Last in ‘Nella Last’s War: The Second World War Diaries of Housewife 49’.
Nella Last kept diaries throughout the Second World War for the Mass Observation Archive. Her writing is full of wonderfully specific detail about the practical and emotional challenges of everyday life. She gives fascinating insight into the remarkable role of women at that time. If like me you are fascinated by the nuances of other people’s lives (or are just a bit nosey) then I would highly recommend you read this.
I wrote recently about my habit of journal keeping and my recent re-reading of teenage diaries. What at the time probably seemed very mundane, suddenly had an interest for me, not because it was about me and my family and friends but because it was an insight into another time, a different time. My own little social history if you like! Mass Observation is this but on a much larger scale.
Today our lives are recorded all over the place for all to see via face book, twitter, Instagram, Instagram stories, youtube and so many other places. There are so many snap shots of life to day for all to see. I wonder what future generations will make of it all?
So this weekend even if you are not going to take part in Mass Observation day, why not make a particular effort to note down the things you do, the places you go, who you were with, how you were feeling. You could even put it in an envelope addressed to yourself and leave it in a place where you will find it in a year or a few years from now. It could just help remind you of a particular time or place or it could provide a fascinating insight into the person you were and the person you have become.
If you would like to take part on in Mass Observation Day on Saturday 12th May visit the Mass Observation website here.
I also recommend following Mass Observation on Twitter. They tweet some fascinating snippets of social history. You can find them here.
And finally, Mass Observation keep a collection of letters and personal papers. Enjoy Benedict Cumberbatch reading from a series of love letters written during the Second World War between Chris Baker, a solider in North Africa, and Bessie Moore, a Morse code interpreter at the Foreign Office in London. You can listen here. Fascinating!
Ohhh I didn’t know about it, that’s so interesting. What a wonderful and informative post you have here Angela. I don’t keep diaries, have some notebooks but…I hardly write. But, I do write travel journals and write every day while travelling, love it.
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Hi Margarida, its such a fascinating thing isn’t it. I love to keep journals so it really appeals to me. I also love travel journals, they are so good to look back on aren’t they.