'The Underwear Project - 1940s Remembered Event

[c-side]

Cancelled?  That's a shame

The beach was out of bounds to the public during the war, Tricia, so no sea bathing then.

Funny how no-one ever forgets liberty bodices 

Christine

[carol8353]

I can't imagine how uncomfortable knitted knickers must be!
But I certainly do remember knitted swimming costumes (courtesy of my gran!) as a child in the 50's.

If you went into the water you'd come out with half a ton of sand inside it and the crutch would be round your knees 

Happy Days,

Carol

[Pheno]

I don't remember the crutch going to your knees, it was more the round neck becoming sodden and the shoulder straps stretching so the round neck was 'around waist' when coming out of the water and exposing everything. Fortunately I was only very young.

I had a mustard coloured hand knitted costume - went with my Dad's burgundy woollen trunks although they were shop bought.

Pheno

[River Tyne Lass]

Oh, that is a great shame that the event has been cancelled!  After just having been advertised last week too!  Did they say why it has been cancelled and whether a new date might be scheduled?  I think this would have been very popular.

I think your suggestion that the event was so called because of unravelled knitting being used to make underwear does sound plausible, Christine.  I will still ask about this the next time I can get to the North Shields local studies.

[River Tyne Lass]

I have managed to call in at the Whitley Bay library to see if they know more.

Apparently it has been cancelled due to illness and there is no info at the moment about a reschedule. 

If things change and the event is re-booked I will let everyone know on here.

[c-side]

Please do.  It sounds like something my 'Battery' friends would like to attend - and me, of course!

Christine

[River Tyne Lass]

Hi Christine,

I have now heard back from one of the Event's organisers - unfortunately, not good news.  There was going to be a cast and it is one of their cast members who is ill apparently and they have decided not to reschedule.

So I am afraid it is a case of 'the show won't go on'.

I am very disappointed at this news but these things happen and I hope the cast member gets better soon.

[Maiden Stone]

Weren't undies made from parachute-silk?
Woollen bathing costumes were suited to paddling when weather was "bracing".
Unravelling knitted garments and making rag rugs went on in our house long after the war.

[TriciaK]

Parachute silk - if you were lucky!
Another aspect of this topic is that during WW2, and for some time after, there was a shortage of cotton fabrics. Because the cotton trade from India , and probably the USA, was stopped completely.
The year I after I went to BGS, 1947, we had sewing class. We had to buy some cotton cloth to make aprons. I remember a big event - going with my Mum to Woodcocks in Blyth where they had the first postwar imports of cotton cloth. Only beige and green. We got beige.