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Was life better in the 1950's?

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Was life better in the 1950's?

We are celebrating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, but what was life in Kent like when Elizabeth came to the throne in 1952?

Rationing, no washing machines, no central heating, outside toilets, the cane and cod liver oil. Despite all of that there is something rather idyllic sounding about the 50s. Do you remember the decade fondly?
What were you up to in the 50s?

What was school life like? What did you wear, play, eat? Where did you go on holiday? What was your attitude to authority? What music were you listening to? Did you start your first job in the 50s, maybe you got married - what was childbirth like in the 50s?

This morning we speak to 20-year-old Sheri Pitman from Edenbridge.

When Sheri was 2, a brief telling off by a teacher at her nursery school had such a profound affect on her, she was unable to speak in public again.

Sheri developed 'selective mutism' - a phobia of speaking outside the home.

It is a complex condition that usually strikes between the ages of three and six, and while nobody knows the exact cause, it is associated with severe anxiety.

With an estimated one in 150 children suffering from selective mutism in Britain, it is thought to be almost as common as autism, despite its much lower profile.

We hear your views and stories.

3 hours

Last on

Fri 1 Jun 2012 09:00

Broadcast

  • Fri 1 Jun 2012 09:00