Housewife

In 1937, Charles Madge and Tom Harrisson establish Mass-Observation to record the voice of ordinary people. They recruit volunteer observers to document everyday life across Britain. The project aims to capture authentic social experiences through diaries, reports, and observation.

In 1939, Mass-Observation invites people to send accounts of their lives. Nella Last becomes one of about 500 participants who begin sending weekly diaries. Her contributions start the personal narrative that frames the program.

Nella's diaries appear under the label Housewife, 49, often written in pencil. They chronicle daily routines, thoughts, and the realities of wartime life from a housewife's perspective. The diaries become the backbone of the program's unfolding narrative.

During the war years, Nella shifts from isolation to becoming a key figure in her local community. She engages in voluntary work that supports families and relief efforts. The Mass-Observation staff notice and are moved by her letters and leadership.

Nella begins standing up to her domineering husband, challenging control within the marriage. This personal shift mirrors her growing confidence under wartime strain. The home becomes a space where she asserts herself more clearly.

Nella forms a close, sometimes strained friendship with Mrs Waite, head of the local Women's Voluntary Service. Their alliance anchors community resilience during the war and mutual support in times of hardship. The dynamic between them evolves as pressures mount.

Nella's relationship with her eldest son Arthur evolves as he faces wartime responsibilities and then grows older. Their conversations reflect both tension and care within a family under pressure. The diary documents the shifting mother-son bond during the war.

Nella's younger son Cliff goes to war and returns a changed man. The diaries note his post-combat experience and hint at his sexuality, which Nella avoids fully acknowledging. The war's impact deepens within the family and alters their dynamics.

The edited diary collection Nella Last's War is published, bringing her wartime diaries to a wider audience for the first time. The book's publication reframes public understanding of ordinary wartime experiences. Subsequent editions broaden its reach.

A later edition of Nella Last's War appears in 2007, renewing interest in her diaries and Mass-Observation observations. The work continues to influence readers and researchers seeking everyday wartime perspectives. The program's legacy grows beyond its initial broadcast.

Post-war diary entries are published in Nella Last's Peace, covering the immediate years after 1945. The book expands the narrative beyond the wartime years and documents rebuilding life. It shows how ordinary life persisted after conflict ended.

A third volume, Nella Last in the 1950s, adds material not published in Nella Last's War. It extends the personal narrative into the later years and offers more context on Mass-Observation's ongoing work. The diaries keep a continuous thread through decades.

The original diary and Mass-Observation papers are stored in the Mass-Observation Archive at The Keep, University of Sussex, Brighton. The archives preserve the handwriting and context of the diaries for researchers and the public. The Keep serves as the central repository for these materials.

Throughout the program, Mass-Observation staff are shown reacting to Nella's letters, sometimes moved by the stories she shares. Her voice influences how they understand ordinary people's wartime experiences. The interactions highlight the empathetic core of the project.

Nella Last continues to write to Mass-Observation until her death in 1968, leaving behind a lasting legacy of everyday wartime life. The diaries and associated papers establish a model for documenting ordinary experiences. Her life demonstrates how personal testimony can shape communal resilience.