It's the first anniversary of The Club Monthly - and Christmas too!
It has now been a full year of delving into The Club Monthly!
Dear girls,
A Merry Christmas to you all. I hope you will all get lots of nice presents. This is a very extra number. Being a double anniversary of our magazine, Christmas Number and this time last year we began our mag.
Look on p.38 Take number 1, word underneath is wig, [answer is] pig. Word must rhyme with written word apply.
Each edition of The Club Monthly shed light onto childhood during a significant period of history.
At home, the authors of The Club Monthly were aware of a changing world in the aftermath of the First World War. The British Empire was at its height, and women were beginning to win the right to vote. The War of Independence, Anglo-Irish Treaty and subsequent Partition of Ireland would have created much upheaval in young lives.
Throughout this period of social and political change, childhood still carried on - dolls were played with, trips to the seaside were taken, and cakes were baked and enjoyed. Some aspects of childhood are very different today - who can forget June's 'curious' activity that involved setting fire to petrol - but many more remain the same.
Our last edition of The Club Monthly is a bumper issue for the authors. Not only is it Christmastime, but the December 1920 edition also marked one full year of the magazine.
Christmas is the theme of this month's magazine, from the ideal gifts to frock advertisements.
Styles may have changed, but what's popular on a Christmas wish list hasn't changed too much since 1920. The authors of The Club Monthly have identified a nice pair of gloves, perfumes, books, a doll, and an art set as 'the very things for Xmas'.
The stories in this month's The Club Monthly all share a theme - Christmas. Whether the authors were dreaming of snow, being with family, or lots of presents, they wrote about it all.
When father told us that our Irish cousins Pat and Better O’Harin were coming over to spend the Christmas Holls. with us we were delighted. We lived in Scotland and had to drive 12 miles to the nearest station.
When father told us that he would take us all if we were good (not meaning mother of course) up to Kirkavon to meet them in the motor our joy was indescribable.
“I do hope it freezes and snows for all its worth” declared Reggie my senior by two years. “We can have some jolly snow fights and tobogganing if it does. By the way dad, do you think you have skates for Pat and Bet?” Dad said he had and started to look immediately.
It was a lovely moonlit night when we drove up to Kirkavon. Syther [?] the chauffeur and dad sat in front, Reggie mum and myself behind.
When we got to the station the train was late owing to a dense curtain of snow that was blowing. However the train came in in about half an hour and alighted Pat and Betty.
I really thought Pat was not half bad driving home, Betty was about my height, she had dark heavy curly hair and dark brown eyes.
They slept very late next morning and mother said to let them because she was sure they were very tired with the travelling.
A few nights afterwards Dad said it was snowing and freezing very hard. We went and got the sleigh ready and Betty laughingly said that “if we brought it out it would be sure to thaw” in her Irish brogue.
Such a day as we had the next morning and afternoon, rushing down hills with two of Regg’s school friends and one of mine and Pat and Betty.
We were going to give a fancy dress party at Christmas and the day before Christmas eve we were all very busy decorating the drawing room and dining room. Betty was going to be an old Welsh lady and Pat was ‘Stars and Stripes’. Reg was a snow man and I was ‘Jack Frost’. Pat and Reg were very busy nailing up the decorations as Bet and myself made them. They looked splendid. Mum and dad said the room had never looked so nice.
We could hardly wait for seven o’clock. We were so excited.
Such a party!! At the end everyone was to follow a tiny thread to where it led them.
Everyone was led to mother or dad, the boys to dad and the girls to mum. Here they got a lovely present and some sweets.
At the end three cheers were given to mum and dad and Pat and I led off the dance, When the guests departed, Pat and Betty declared it was the best party they had been at for many a long day.
Are you familiar with this Christmas rhyme? Often set to a tune, it is still taught to children today.
Christmas is coming
and the geese are getting far.
Please put a penny in the old man's hat.
If you haven't got a whole one, the half of it will do
And if you haven't got that, "May God Bless You!"
If you're tired of the same old jokes, riddles and trivia in your Christmas crackers, try some of these on your loved ones this Christmas!
Answers
Caller (on the doorstep): "Is the lady of the house in?"
Housemaid (who has just received a month's notice): "The mistress is in, but she's no lady."
"I've been under a doctor for six months."
"Didn't know you'd been ill."
"I haven't, he lives in the flat above me."
The schoolmaster asked his class if any of them could tell him what an epidemic was. No answer.
"Well, I will tell you. An epidemic is anything that spreads. Now what is it?"
"Jam, sir!" shouted the class.
And finally, for one last time - The Two Pickles!
Our time with The Club Monthly may have come to an end, but if you want to explore more issues of the magazine - or delve into other areas of history and folklife - plan a visit to our Library and Archives at the link below.
It's back to school for the authors of The Club Monthly, a handmade magazine made in 1920.
The Club Monthly returns after a month off.
Delve into a year's worth of The Club Monthly and experience childhood in the 1920s.
