Teen London (1880s-1970s)
This course will take place in person.
Our new course explores teen London from the 1880s to the 1970s through short talks and immersive research exercises. We will use original sources from our special collections such as teenage magazines, youth club archives, young people’s guidebooks to the city, and press reports of juvenile crime.
Who is this course for?
- Anyone who enjoys discovering the past through historical source materials such as photographs, diaries, and letters
- Informal learners seeking an accessible introduction to changing attitudes to young people from the 1880s to the 1970s
- Anybody interested in discovering more about teen lives and cultures in London during the period.
Will I need any equipment or materials?
The session involves research activities using original sources. Please bring reading glasses if you wear them.
Practical information
This course will be taught through the handling, examination and reading of archive materials, along with tutor presentations and group discussions.
How we’re keeping you safe
August 2022 update: Keeping you safe and healthy is our number one priority.
If you test positive for Covid-19 or are asked to isolate and are not able to attend your class or pre-booked event, please contact the Bishopsgate Box Office for further information (enquiries@bishopsgate.org.uk). Please do not come to the Institute in person if you have symptoms or have tested positive.
Bishopsgate Institute has a thorough cleaning schedule in place and we clean the most populated areas more often. You will find hand-sanitising stations throughout the building as well as touch-free drinking fountains.
Find out more about how we’re keeping you safe.
Image: Derek Brook Photographs
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Need to Know
You will learn
By the end of this course, you will have learnt how to:
- Evaluate how young Londoners from all social classes amused themselves during the period covered by the course, and how these amusements altered over time
- Examine changing attitudes to teenagers within wider society from the 1880s to the 1970s
- Discuss unique stories and case studies detailing teen London from our special collections and archives.
Meet the Tutor
Dr Michelle Johansen
Dr Michelle Johansen is a social historian specialising in the history of modern London, with a particular emphasis on social class and mobility, gender, professional lives, and regional identities. Her publications include articles in Teaching History, the London Journal, and Cultural and Social History. Michelle has more than ten years' experience of delivering learning sessions at Bishopsgate Institute for all types of learners, from primary school pupils to undergraduates to informal adult learners. Her teaching approach places the emphasis on access to original historical documents, which provides a uniquely dynamic and immersive classroom experience.
Dates and Times
Teen London (1880s-1970s)
, 6:14 - 9:14
