Abstract
This chapter examines Mass Observation’s study of children’s beliefs, attitudes and behaviour in 1930s Bolton. Moving forwards to the 21st century, it compares the Mass Observation study with contemporary theories and policies relating to children, particularly the areas of well-being and play. The 80 year period witnessed changes in the industrial landscape of the town; education processes; average standard of living; family and community structures, all impacting on childhood. These developments have also impacted on the way children play, and where, seeing a well-documented shift from ‘playing out’ on waste ground and parks to ‘playing in’ with the digital age offering a virtual playground. The authors conclude that it is necessary to see children in their own time, as they are, and not as adults remember or desire them to be.
References
Action for Children. (2016). Unplugged from technology. Action for children. Accessed 6 Jan 2016.
Ahmed, S. (2010). The promise of happiness. Durham and London: Duke University Press.
Allen, G. (2011). Early intervention: The next steps. http://www.dwp.gov.uk/early-intervention-next-steps.pdf.
Andrews, N. (2012). Social indicators of children’s well-being. New York and London: Plenum Press.
Aubrey, K., & Riley, A. (2016). Understanding and using educational theories. London: Sage.
Bailey, V. (1987). Delinquency and citizenship: Reclaiming the young offender, 1914–1948. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Bruce, T. (2011). Learning through play. London: Hodder and Stoughton.
Burt, C. (1925). The young delinquent. London: University of London Press.
CAMHS. (2014). Children and adolescent mental health report. www.parliament.uk.
Carey, T. (2016, January 6). What are the secrets of the worlds happiest children? The Telegraph.
Children of the New Century. (2015). www.cls.ioe.ac.uk.
Chilton, T. (2013). History of adventure playgrounds. Fair Play for All. www.fairplayforchildren.org.
Christensen P., & James, A. (2008). Research with children, perspectives and practices. London: Routledge.
Cooper, C. (2015, September 4). How controlling parents damage children for life. The Guardian.
Counterpoint Research. (2008). Childhood wellbeing: Qualitative research study. London: Department for Children, Schools and Families.
Cunningham, H. (1990). Leisure and culture. In F. M. L. Thompson (Ed.), The Cambridge social history of Britain 1750–1950. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Cunningham, H. (2006). The invention of childhood. London: BBC Books
Davin, A. (1996). Growing up poor: Home, school and street in London 1870–1914.
Drummond, M. J. (2003). Assessing children’s learning. London: David Fulton.
Else, P. (2009). Value of play. London: Continuum International Publishing Group.
Ginsberg, K. R. (2007). The importance of play in promoting children’s health and maintaining strong parent-child bonds. Paediatrics, 119(1), 182–91.
Goldson, B. (2001). The demonization of children from the symbolic to the institutional. In P. Foley, J. Roche, S. Tucker (Eds.), Children in society: Contemporary theory, policy and practice. Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Harrisson, T. (1961). Britain revisited. London: Victor Gollancz Ltd.
Harrisson, T. [1943] (1970). ‘Preface’ to the pub and the people: A worktown study by mass observation. Hertfordshire: Seven Dials Press.
Hendrick, H. (1994). Child welfare: England 1872–1989. London: Routledge.
Hendrick, H. (2008). Child as a social actor in historical sources. In P. Christensen & A. James (Eds.), Research with children: Perspectives and Practices. London: Routledge.
Holloway, S. L., & Valentine, G. (2000). Children’s geographies and the new social studies of childhood. In S. L. Holloway & G. Valentine (Eds.), Children’s geographies: playing, living, learning. London: Routledge.
IOE. (2016). Millennium cohort study. Publisher: Children of the New Century.
Isaacs, S. [1930] (1966). Intellectual growth in young children. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd.
Jenson, A. (2011). Pluralisation of family forms. In J. Qvortrup, W. Cosaro, & M. Honig (Eds.), The palgrave handbook of childhood studies. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Lady Allen of Hurtwood. (1968). Planning for play. London: Thames and Hudson.
Leonard, M. (2016). The sociology of children, childhood and generation. London: Sage.
Livingstone, T. (2014, April 23). What really makes our children happy? The Guardian.
MacBlain, S. F. (2015). How children learn. London: Sage.
Malinowski, B. (1938). A nationwide intelligence service. In C. Madge & T. Harrisson (Eds.), First year’s work 1937–1938. London: Lyndsey Drummond.
McDowall Clark, R. (2013). Childhood in society. London: Sage.
Miller, L., & Pound, L. (2012). Theories and approaches to learning in the early years. London: Sage.
MOA (Mass Observation Archive). Worktown collection, 1937–1940. Children’s Essays; Observations in Schools, Box 49.
Mulford, J. (1982/1995). Interview with Humphrey Spender. In J. Mulford (Ed.), Humphrey Spender, worktown people: Photographs from Northern England 1937–1938 (p. 16). Bristol: Falling Wall Press.
O’Donnell, M. (2013). Maria montessori: A critical introduction to key themes and debates. London: Bloomsbury.
Phillips, A. (2007). Winnicott. London: Penguin Books.
Roberts, E. (1984). A woman’s place: An oral history of working-class women 1890–1940. Oxford: Blackwell.
Rose, N. (1990). Governing the soul: The shaping of the private self. London: Routledge.
Rose, J., Gilbert, L., & Richards, V. (2016). Health and well-being in early childhood. London: Sage.
Sommer, D. (2012). A childhood psychology: Young children in changing times. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
The British Youth Council. (2006). Positive images campaign. www.byc.org.uk.
The Children’s Society. (2015). The good childhood report 2015. The Children’s Society.
The Jacobs Foundation. (2014). Children’s world survey: International survey of children’s well-being (2013/2014). Switzerland: Jacobs Foundation.
The Mail. (2014). Want your children to be happy? Try talking to them. Accessed 8 Oct 2014.
The Telegraph. (2015). Streets are alive with the sound of children playing. Accessed 2 Dec 2015.
Winnicott, D. W. [1946] (1964). What do we mean by a normal child. In D. Winnicott (Ed.), The child, the family and the outside world. London: Penguin Books.
Winnicott, D. W. [1967] (1986). Delinquency as a sign of hope. In D. W. Winnicott (Ed.), Home is where we start from: Essays by a psychoanalyst. London: Penguin Books. www.Trusseltrust.org.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Watson, M., Withey, L. (2017). Observations in a Set Situation: Children’s Experiences in Worktown/Bolton. In: McHugh, S. (eds) The Changing Nature of Happiness. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65651-9_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65651-9_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-65650-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-65651-9
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and PsychologyBehavioral Science and Psychology (R0)