Marriage in the 1950s and 60s | From wedding vows to happily ever after?
CHANNEL | Home Service
FIRST BROADCAST | 30 December 1959
DURATION | 1 minutes 11 seconds
FIRSTBROADCAST
1959
Two teenage girls share their views on marriage as the 1960s dawn. One feels that marriage isn't for her, while another looks forward to a traditional wedding when she is about 25, having accomplished everything that she wants to do. Neither objects to sex before marriage.
The contraceptive pill was introduced in Britain in 1961 after a series of trials by the Family Planning Association (FPA), an organisation that approved and provided contraception. Initially, it was promoted as a form of birth control within marriage and made available through the NHS to married women only. This process was overseen by the Conservative government's Minister of Health, Enoch Powell.
1950s | 1960s | Families | Sex and Relationships | Youth
Which qualities helped to make an 'ideal' 1950s wife?
A 'day in the life' of three married couples.

Teenagers' views on sex and marriage.
Will changing the divorce law make Britain more 'divorce minded'?
The social changes affecting marriage in post-war UK life.
The good, the bad and the purpose of marriage in the 1960s.
Is marriage out of date or does it still have relevance in modern society?
The movers and shakers of 1965 on women and marriage.
Why are modern couples rejecting traditional values?
How children have altered the lives of young married couples.
Some of the reasons for the breakdown of marriage are explored.
Life after divorce in the 1960s.
An invitation to the wedding of Norma and Barry - and Diana and Tim.
Why are white shirts and shiny floors the sign of a good woman?
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