1960's Britain

I have done some research into the time period in which the novel is set.

The 1960's was a decade which changed the world. With so many technological, political and social advances, it is hard to ignore the 60's!

There were significant political changes in Britain. The Conservative Party was voted out for Labour in 1964 after 13 years in office. This was a significant change in the political structure of Britain and one that is evident in Winterson's novel. The novel is set after 1964, yet Jess' mother is a Conservative through and through, even though she is living in a typical, Northern Labour orientated village.

'She was in the white corner and that was that. She hung out the largest sheets on the windiest days. She wanted the Mormons to knock on the door. At election time in a Labour mill town she put a picture of the Conservative candidate in the window. She had never heard of mixed feelings.'

There were advancements in the NHS during the sixties. The first heart transplant was achieved in 1967 which was absolutely cutting edge for the health industry.

Prior to this, 1961 saw the introduction of the Combined Oral Contraceptive Pill in the United Kingdom.Before the pill, women met men and married at an early age, had children and stayed home raising the family. The introduction of the oral contraceptive pill freed the everyday woman. Before this magnificent medical intervention, 1950s Britain was still trying to lose the somewhat Victorian attitudes to sex. Unmarried pregnant women were often ostracised from society or made to give their babies up for adoption. The contraceptive pill was a godsend to British women.  However, the NHS weren’t quite ready to welcome ‘free love’ with open arms. When the pill first arrived, it was only available to married women. It wasn’t until 1967 when the pill was open to other women.

In the 1970's an advertising campaign was sent out showing a man with a rounded, pregnant stomach. The slogan read 'Would you be more careful if it was you that got pregnant?' The contraceptive pill allowed independence on a level that women had never before experience. Ultimately, the pill offered women the empowerment of choice.

Was it this new found freedom in women that could have led to a rebellious generation, and could this be attributed to Jess' straying from her otherwise Victorian lifestyle?

There were other events throughout the sixties which had the world in shock and awe. 1969 saw Neil Armstrong become the first man to walk on the moon. Although a highly disputed topic, at the time this gave the impression that anything was possible. It allowed people to dream. Could this discovery of endless possibilities have effected the decisions which Jess made throughout the novel?

1966 saw one of the most patriotic events in English history when England won the world cup. This was a time of universal mirth and festivities across England and saw a 'coming together' of all classes.

As well as all of this, there were significant technological advancements during the 1960's. The audio cassette was introduced, along with the boost in numbers of Televisions in the home. This saw the introduction of popular shows and channels such as 'BBC2' (1964) and 'Coronation Street' (1960).