The Office of National Statistics (ONS)is celebrating 70 years of social surveys by highlighting some of the more peculiar findings from its research.

These include the number of times women washed and mended their underwear during the Second World War; attitudes towards the colonies in the 1950s; and the amount of alcohol women drank in the 1980s.

A BBC article published online last week speaks to historians and social researchers to unpick the significance of these surveys.  Social historian Juliet Gardiner says it is not just the findings which can be of use to historians. “The questions are interesting because they reflect the preoccupations of the society,” she says, “These worries can be quite hard for the historian to uncover.”

The original ONS press release, including more details from the surveys, can be read here.

social research, statistics, office for national statistics

Last updated 263 days ago by Suzannah Brecknell