Mass Observation

On 12th May 1937 the Mass Observation social research organisation asked ordinary people to keep a one day diary on the occasion of the coronation of George VI.

From then on until the 1950s an army of observers and diarists chronicled the ordinary and everyday details of life in Britain creating a huge archive of information.

In the 80s the Mass Observation Project was revived and today people all over the country write in every three months on topics given to them by the project, adding to an archive which can be accessed by researchers. This quarter's two subjects are dementia and the General Election. In addition, every year contributors and the general public are asked to write a one day diary on 12th May chronicling everything that happens to them.

I love being part of the project and my diary today turned out to be more interesting than I thought it would be for all the wrong reasons. Maybe next year's will be better.