The decades between the close of World War I and the end of the Thatcher era have changed and challenged family life in England dramatically. The Depression and World War II shifted priorities and behaviour, as did the Welfare State, the Pill and Women's Lib later on. What threatened a family's respectability in the 1920s is often commonplace today - abortion, contraception, the single parent family, or gay relationships. Family Affairs explores the secret life of English families from 1920 to 1990. Mary Abbott takes the reader into her subjects' homes and hearts and provokes readers to reflect on families past and speculate on families future. A product of intense original research of primary and secondary sources, this volume is a useful contribution to the history of the family.

About the Author
Mary Abbott teaches at the Anglia Polytechnic University in Cambridge. Her previous publications include Family Ties: English Families 1540-1920 (Routledge 1993) and Life Cycles in England 1560-1720: Cradle to Grave (1996).


Book Information
ISBN 9780415145879
Author Mary Abbott
Format Paperback
Page Count 208
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 380g