Answer our questionnaire

Class directive

June 1939 Questionnaire on "class"

For the purposes of this task, we are first inviting you to answer an original Mass Observation questionnaire we have selected from the archive. This June 1939 questionnaire was the second part of a directive that focused on issues of "class." 

We know that some of the questions are not entirely relevant to this day and age but we wanted to assign a historical questionnaire and see what sort of answers it would illicit.   

We encourage you to write as much or as little as you like as the idea is to record your honest opinions and feelings. After you answered and submitted your contribution, you can compare your answers with the 1930s answers on the examples page.

Question 1. Give your reasons and analyse your motives for living in the district where you do live.

Question 2. In what ways do you consider yourself different from your neighbours?

Question 3. When you go into pubs, which bar do you use and why?

Question 4. What priced seats do you use at the cinema and why?

Question 5. What forms of food, drink or amusement are thought “infra dig”* or not quite the things in your circles?

Question 6. Are you sensitive on the subject of accent and have you made any attempt to change your own?

Question 7. Do you make a habit of using the following words and phrases? If not, what is your reaction when they are used by others?

Cheerioh, Bye-bye, Tooleoo, Okay, Okidoke, Not half, Ta (for thank you), Old Boy, chum, pal, mate.

* Infra dig means something that is unbecoming of one's position or beneath one's dignity.

Submit your own questionnaire answers here.

After you have answered, see what others answered in 1939 and in 2010.