Spinoff: Another This Was A Thing

People forget what it was like for women in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. My father would give my mother a housekeeping allowance every week, putting money in a teapot in the cupboard. She'd use that for groceries, gas, the dry cleaning, household stuff, etc., putting the receipts back in the teapot. I don't know what happened if there was "leftover" money, but she knew if she ran out of cash, that was it until next payday (and my dad had a good white-collar job for the time, branch manager for a Boston bank). I don't believe he'd have spanked her, but he certainly was of a generation of men who would have approved if he had. My mom vacuumed daily, had supper on the table at 6pm, dusted twice a week, had a dishwasher, and ironed everything, including sheets and my father's underwear. My father died in 1970 and left my mom with 4 kids. She didn't know who held the mortgage or how to write a check. Women's lives were very different, not all that long ago.
 


Ut oh. Looks like a few prior posts were removed.

That newspaper reminds me of a Honeymooners episode. Ralph boasted to a newspaper that he was King of His Castle. When Alice saw it she put him in his place. I have a feeling none of those cretins quoted were married because if they were, they'd be scared of their wives finding out.
 


Please excuse me while I go vomit.

Agree with PP that those creeps were probably not married. I never saw either of my grandfathers be anything but loving to my grandmothers.

But articles like this really make you appreciate the sacrifice suffragettes and feminists made in the name of equality.
 
People forget what it was like for women in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. My father would give my mother a housekeeping allowance every week, putting money in a teapot in the cupboard. She'd use that for groceries, gas, the dry cleaning, household stuff, etc., putting the receipts back in the teapot. I don't know what happened if there was "leftover" money, but she knew if she ran out of cash, that was it until next payday (and my dad had a good white-collar job for the time, branch manager for a Boston bank). I don't believe he'd have spanked her, but he certainly was of a generation of men who would have approved if he had. My mom vacuumed daily, had supper on the table at 6pm, dusted twice a week, had a dishwasher, and ironed everything, including sheets and my father's underwear. My father died in 1970 and left my mom with 4 kids. She didn't know who held the mortgage or how to write a check. Women's lives were very different, not all that long ago.

My paternal grandfather died when my dad was about 10 (early 1960s) and my grandmother never considered remarrying because she found she really liked not having anyone around to try to tell her what to do. She also liked to tell my sisters and I to never get married.
 
I remember watching an I Love Lucy episode where Lucy and Ethel were trying to come up with a scheme to cover something up. I remember Lucy saying something to the effect of “If we do this Ricky won’t hit me.” My jaw dropped to the floor even though I knew it was fairly common in those days to “discipline” your wife. Wish I could remember what episode, it was after they moved to Hollywood.

I do not know if my paternal grandfather ever hit my grandmother. She always struck me as someone who wouldn’t put up with that. I do know he hit my dad and his brothers and that he would go on “fishing trips.” As Grandma put it, “You don’t put on cologne and your good shoes to go fishing.” Listening to her and my great aunts talk it just sounded like something they put up with back then. Still she never failed to talk about what a good man he was and I have no doubt it was love match.

My maternal grandparents I couldn’t imagine any of that behavior but who knows what went on behind closed doors. Grandpa was definitely “the boss” though. It made me kind of nuts.
My paternal grandfather died when my dad was about 10 (early 1960s) and my grandmother never considered remarrying because she found she really liked not having anyone around to try to tell her what to do. She also liked to tell my sisters and I to never get married.
Neither of my grandmothers remarried or even considered it. My paternal grandma told me if divorce had been acceptable back then she probably would have divorced my grandfather.
 
Last edited:

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!





Top