Singled Out

[sjustice]

Here's an interesting addition.

Virginia Nicholson is, in fact, the great niece of Virginia Woolf.

Also, Katherine Holden, who wrote a terrific article in 2005 entitled, "Imaginary Widows : Spinsters, Marriage, and The "Lost Generation" In Britain after the Great War", did a joint interview with Ms. Nicholson on Radio 4's 'Woman's Hour' recently, to discuss the issue and their respective books out this year.

It's worth noting that in the 1995 article Dr. Holden cites the story of the teacher woefully addressing her sixth-formers; it's from the autobiography of Rosamund Essex, Woman in a Man's World.

The interview is useful and has been archived by the BBC, you can hear it here.

Note the correct quote of total British deaths from the war. Also the oversight of the N.H.S. not being formed until 1947

Katherine Polden's book, "The Shadow of Marriage - Singleness in England, 1914-1960", is launched on 3rd November. I'm pre-ordering that one on the basis that, if it's extending the research she did for the above article (and her thesis), then it's well worth it.

Kind Regards,

SMJ

P.S. Apparently the stats ARE from the book

[centurion]

Doc 2 Your point re widows is somewhat misleading - the reason why so many couples die with a year or so of each other is nothing to do with broken hearts etc but overwhelmingly because outside of war time the majority of people die when they are old and the life expectancy of the survivor of a couple is likely to be short in any case. The loss of a partner may well reduce 'the will to live' and further shorten this but is unlikely to have any major statistical impact.

[Sue Light]

I'm with Doc on this one - there have been many pieces of research which show that the mortality rates of the surviving partner after death of spouse/partner is substantially higher than in a control group of similar age and status for up to three years after bereavement. An internet search using terms such as 'mortality rate', 'spouse', 'bereavement' etc., will throw up a whole range of results. Certainly there are reasons other than 'broken hearts', but it does happen.

Sue

[Joan and Terry]

In my experience working with the elderly,I have know the surving partner live for many years,my Granfather lived for over ten years after his Wife died,my Mother-in-Law lived a further 17 years after her Husband passed away,you can turn statics anywhich way you want,just like opinion polls,it all depends on how deep you search and who you ask.

As for the book,it has been ordered from Amazon,as soon as I have read it I will post my thoughts.I would like to thank everyone for their input.

Joan

[Greyhound]

If, as the review mentions, it's "stories about individual lives", it may be a very interesting read, even if its inspiration is based on a misconception.

Simon - the author's name suggested she might be a scion of the "Bloomsbury group", so I did a little searching and found my guess was right! Probably didn't have much difficulty getting a publishing deal ...

As for surviving spouses: of all the people I've known in my life, I can think of hardly any who have died less than two years apart. Most of the survivors have gone on for years. Hardly a scientific study, but there you go.

[Joan and Terry]

Have just finished reading the book,I found it interesting in parts,found that the author kept repeating the same facts and figures over and over,also I thought there were too many quotes from other sources,so in my humble opinion as a non-writer,some will like it,some may get bored,more a book to interest Women maybe?

Joan

[JOSTURM]

Am reading a great book on the impact of the war on young women unable to find suitable husbands in the post-war period.

It started me thinking about my family and I'm sure we all had similar experiences of a maiden aunt who didn't marry but became self-sufficient and independent.

In my case, it was my Mum's aunt, Great Auntie Irene Gladys Walton - 1902-1990 born Catford, died Seaford.

Worked for the Pru, served with the Red Cross, looked after my great grandfather single handedly, had strong christian faith, but, unlike here brother (Frank) and two sisters (Dorothy and Vera), never married.

Auntie Rene was perhaps, in Virginia Nicholson's term..'singled out'.

I recommend the book.

What are your experiences ?

Regards Josturm

[Rob B]

In my case it was Great Aunt Winnie who served from 1909 1935 as a Staff Nurse and laterly as a Matron on the Western Front winning the MBE,ARRC and an MID she was one of the first nurses over and died in 1967, what a wonderful and formidable lady.

Rob

[JOSTURM]

I think it was a middle/upper class issue.

Apart from G Auntie Rene, my other G Aunties - Vera, Lil, Ethel, all found working class husbands.

Josturm

[Guest MORANS]

My Great Auntie never had the chance to marry after The Great War. She was killed in a friendly-fire incident while sailing to England. She was an American Army Red Cross nurse who had a piece of brass shrapnel from an American shell pierce her heart during an antisubmarine drill.

Thank you.

[Heid the Ba]

I only had one great aunt who didn't marry, but as she was a lesbian I doubt the availability of men had much to do with it.

[Jim Strawbridge]

My Great Auntie never had the chance to marry after The Great War. She was killed in a friendly-fire incident while sailing to England. She was an American Army Red Cross nurse who had a piece of brass shrapnel from an American shell pierce her heart during an antisubmarine drill.

Thank you.

I assume that your relation was Helen Burnet Wood. A terrible case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.