News 2006-7

David Pocock

It is with sadness that we have to report that David Pocock died on 25 November 2007 at the age of 79.
 
Those of you who are familiar with the Mass Observation Project will remember David Pocock. As a University of Sussex Professor of Social Anthropology, David was one of the first Trustees of the Mass Observation Archive and took over as Director in 1976 after Tom Harrisson's death. It was David who re-launched Mass Observation in 1981 with a new panel of writers. He withdrew from his role in the Archive in 1990, shortly after his retirement from the University.

We understand that there will eventually be a memorial event and will publish details as we receive them.

 

Celebrating Sandra

A fund has been set up to purchase a lsting and fitting memorial to Sandra Koa Wing, the Mass Observation Project Officer who died in May. Further details on how to contribute.

Imagining the garden

Part of a project at the University of Brighton in conjunction with the Mass Observation Archive this exhibition offers snapshots of domestic gardens all over Britain. The exhibition runs from 25-30 June 2007, 10am-5pm, at the Jubilee Library in Brighton. Further details are available at www.brighton.ac.uk/environment/gardens/

Sandra Koa Wing

It is with great sadness that we have to report the death of Sandra Koa Wing, the Mass Observation Archive Officer.

Obituary.

Celebrating 70 years of Mass Observation

May 2007 sees the 70th anniversary of the first ever Mass Observation survey which was carried out on King George VI's Coronation Day on May 12 1937.

A series of events are being held to mark the anniversary. Come and join in the celebrations and participate in the debates. Find out more.

Spring 2007 Directive

Download the latest directive.

New publications

Mass Observation Bulletin

The new look Bulletin containing news and information from the Archive is now available to download as a PDF.

Can any mother help me?

Jenna Bailey
Published by Faber 2007

The Cooperative Correspondence Club began in 1935 when a young woman, writing under the pen name Ubique, wrote a letter to the magazine Nursery World. Other mothers living all over the United Kingdom replied via Nursery World saying that they too were suffering from boredom and loneliness. The women agreed that they would start writing to each other through a correspondence magazine called the Cooperative Correspondence Club (CCC).

The collection was donated to the Mass Observation Archive in the 1990s and researched by Jenna whilst a student on the MA in Life History Research course taught at the University of Sussex.