Conclusion

Samuel Mountford was born in 1907, and when writing his autobiography nearly seventy years later in 1976, he began by reflecting on the advancements throughout the twentieth century, noting ‘how far the world has progressed in my time. It’s fantastic. How lucky to have witnessed all these things take place’. This book has considered what the memories of these one hundred autobiographers, like Samuel, can reveal about the impact of such advancements, including social changes and worldwide events on family patterns and relationships, opportunities in both school and education, as well as the link between consumption and notions of acceptable working-class behaviour.