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1908 and all that

Thursday, November 20, 2008, 11:00

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AMONG the lesser-known events of 1908 was the birth of my aunt-in-law, who achieves treble figures later this week. Like the three survivors of the First World War who appeared so movingly at the Cenotaph, she has somehow moved beyond old age and into something more awesome, almost an ambassador from history.

What was happening in 1908? The King was the jovial Edward VII who enjoyed five meals a day including a 10-course dinner. Prime Minister Campbell- Bannerman gave way to Asquith. Others born that year included Ian Fleming, Winston Graham, Bette Davis and Alastair Cook.

To prove how things go around the main event was the London Olympic Games before last. They should have been held in Naples but the uncooperative eruption of Vesuvius 18 months previously ensured that they were held instead in Shepherds Bush. Rugby fans will remember Cornwall's surprising role. They had become county champions earlier in the year (the last time they would hold that honour until 1991) and since rugby was included in the Olympic range of sports they played a "final" against Australia.

They lost the game, but because only two teams had entered they secured the Silver Medal. The match was only slightly marred by having occasionally to retrieve the ball from the Olympic swimming pool which shared the same ground.

When Auntie was born her local town of Penzance was home to an extraordinary number of small industries: tin-smelting, rope-making, flour milling, brick-making, serpentine working, boat-builders, iron foundries, sawmills, tanners, coach builders, a busy harbour, the central market for the farm produce of West Penwith, and a nascent holiday industry.

From our viewpoint it seems a vision of prosperity, but the work was hard and long and the rewards were shared among very few. A woman's place was definitely in the home except for a small range of menial jobs in factories or laundries. When she was born there seemed little chance that she would ever be called upon to vote. The war changed that.

When the countryside emptied of men women took on their tasks with such distinction that their rights could no longer be denied, although there was a stout rearguard action from those in power. Women over 30 could vote after 1918, and equal rights were finally achieved in 1928.

It's easy to look over the huge sweep of progress which a span of a hundred years includes – aircraft, motor cars, the radio, talking films, television, records, central heating, washing machines, refrigerators, zip-fasteners, and sticking-plaster. But the bigger picture would include social reforms like the welfare state and the health service.

When Auntie came into the world the doctor only called if you could afford his fee, and for the poorest the only alternative to starvation was the cold comfort of the workhouse. Class and religion held society in their grip. Common diseases killed. However we complain of our hard times, we don't have to look back more than one long lifetime to see how lucky we are.