"How to hang your husband's suit" and "cooking with whalemeat". Which programme? Radio 4's Women's Hour is celebrating its 60th birthday, writes Martha Kearney.
"How to hang your husband's suit" and "cooking with whalemeat". Which programme? Radio 4's Woman's Hour is celebrating its 60th birthday, writes Martha Kearney.
It's fair to say that the content of Woman's Hour has changed a little over the years.
It's fair to say that the content of Woman's Hour has changed a little over the years.
It was first presented in 1946 by a man, Alan Ivieson at two o'clock in the afternoon - scheduled at a time when morning chores and the lunchtime washing up would be finished and the children wouldn't be home from school.
It was first presented in 1946 by a man, Alan Ivieson at two o'clock in the afternoon - scheduled at a time when morning chores and the lunchtime washing up would be finished and the children wouldn't be home from school.
I think it's fair to assume that no programme of that title would be commissioned today Martha Kearney
I think it's fair to assume that no programme of that title would be commissioned today Martha Kearney
Early items included "cooking with whalemeat" (still a time of rationing), "I married a lion tamer" and my favourite, "how to hang your husband's suit". But some of the elements of the programme are the same today.
Early items included "cooking with whalemeat" (still a time of rationing), "I married a lion tamer" and my favourite, "how to hang your husband's suit". But some of the elements of the programme are the same today.
Cooking remains a staple and most of the country's top chefs have appeared including Gordon Ramsay, Angela Hartnett, Rick Stein and memorably the River Cafe duo who started a fire on the studio Baby Belling.
Cooking remains a staple and most of the country's top chefs have appeared including Gordon Ramsay, Angela Hartnett, Rick Stein and memorably the River Cafe duo who started a fire on the studio Baby Belling.
Fashion too is part of the modern mix. Jenni Murray chaired a heated debate on the thong and I have been coached on how to walk on four inch high cerise marabou trimmed mules live on air.
Fashion too is part of the modern mix. Jenni Murray chaired a heated debate on the thong and I have been coached on how to walk on four inch high cerise marabou trimmed mules live on air.
But Woman's Hour in the early days wasn't quite as cosy as you might think. When the word "vagina" was used in 1946 in an item about women's health, there was uproar and for decades the more decorous "birth canal" was used instead.
But Woman's Hour in the early days wasn't quite as cosy as you might think. When the word "vagina" was used in 1946 in an item about women's health, there was uproar and for decades the more decorous "birth canal" was used instead.
Feminism
Feminism
For all the mocking which goes on about the programme being obsessed with women's plumbing (yes, Andy Kershaw, I mean you), we are currently running some very moving listeners' stories about how Woman's Hour has changed their lives.
For all the mocking which goes on about the programme being obsessed with women's plumbing (yes, Andy Kershaw, I mean you), we are currently running some very moving listeners' stories about how Woman's Hour has changed their lives.
Many recount suffering in pain for years with conditions undiagnosed by GPs until they heard some advice on Woman's Hour.
Many recount suffering in pain for years with conditions undiagnosed by GPs until they heard some advice on Woman's Hour.
Germaine Greer debated women's rights on the programme
Germaine Greer debated women's rights on the programme
Over the years the programme has been at the centre of debates about women's rights. I will always remember a programme of mine in which Julie Burchill let fly at Germaine Greer and we threw away the rest of the running order to let them fight it out.
Over the years the programme has been at the centre of debates about women's rights. I will always remember a programme of mine in which Julie Burchill let fly at Germaine Greer and we threw away the rest of the running order to let them fight it out.
A discussion in 1948 had a title which wouldn't be out of place today - "Is there a future for feminism? That was delivered by a well-known economist of the time, Honor Croome. She argued that women had won most of the battles - the right to education, to earn a living, own their own property but one big battle remained the right to equal pay for equal work.
A discussion in 1948 had a title which wouldn't be out of place today - "Is there a future for feminism? That was delivered by a well-known economist of the time, Honor Croome. She argued that women had won most of the battles - the right to education, to earn a living, own their own property but one big battle remained the right to equal pay for equal work.
Despite the Equal Pay Act in 1970, it remains one of the subjects we return to again and again as the gender pay gap stubbornly remains.
Despite the Equal Pay Act in 1970, it remains one of the subjects we return to again and again as the gender pay gap stubbornly remains.
It's amazing to read the roll-call of women in politics who have appeared - Eleanor Roosevelt, Nancy Astor, Vera Brittain, Margaret Thatcher, Hillary Clinton and Cherie Blair. Not to mention the men - Tony Blair, Michael Howard, Gordon Brown, David Cameron.
It's amazing to read the roll-call of women in politics who have appeared - Eleanor Roosevelt, Nancy Astor, Vera Brittain, Margaret Thatcher, Hillary Clinton and Cherie Blair. Not to mention the men - Tony Blair, Michael Howard, Gordon Brown, David Cameron.
Women facing violence at the hands of a partner has also been a subject we've returned to again and again. However often you hear the statistic that two women a week are killed through domestic violence, it's still shocking.
Women facing violence at the hands of a partner has also been a subject we've returned to again and again. However often you hear the statistic that two women a week are killed through domestic violence, it's still shocking.
Violence
Violence
I will always remember one woman coming onto the programme to describe how her husband, a doctor, had abused her for years and ended up nearly murdering her. Another listener told us about the horror of being stalked.
I will always remember one woman coming onto the programme to describe how her husband, a doctor, had abused her for years and ended up nearly murdering her. Another listener told us about the horror of being stalked.
Reading the letters on Women's Hour in 1960
Reading the letters on Women's Hour in 1960
The plight of women in other countries has increasingly been part of our agenda. I will always remember a trip to Afghanistan just after the fall of the Taleban in which we visited a prison where young women were still being held simply for being seen in public with a man who wasn't a family member.
The plight of women in other countries has increasingly been part of our agenda. I will always remember a trip to Afghanistan just after the fall of the Taleban in which we visited a prison where young women were still being held simply for being seen in public with a man who wasn't a family member.
Last Friday we talked to women there now who argued that the security situation has deteriorated and life is getting bad again for women.
Last Friday we talked to women there now who argued that the security situation has deteriorated and life is getting bad again for women.
So 60 years on is it right that Woman's Hour should still be broadcast on BBC radio? Is it relevant to the 21st century? I think it's fair to assume that no programme of that title would be commissioned today, yet Woman's Hour remains a successful part of the Radio 4 schedule and 40% of its audience are men.
So 60 years on is it right that Woman's Hour should still be broadcast on BBC radio? Is it relevant to the 21st century? I think it's fair to assume that no programme of that title would be commissioned today, yet Woman's Hour remains a successful part of the Radio 4 schedule and 40% of its audience are men.
Former Labour politician, Roy Hattersley, for instance, says it is the best magazine programme on the radio. Certainly I would hope that it remains an entertaining listen.
Former Labour politician, Roy Hattersley, for instance, says it is the best magazine programme on the radio. Certainly I would hope that it remains an entertaining listen.
But its enduring success is because so many "wimmin's" issues have become mainstream issues for all of us - work/life balance, childcare, body image, fashion and cookery are things which interest women and men. And my husband is still waiting for me to learn how to hang his suit.
But its enduring success is because so many "wimmin's" issues have become mainstream issues for all of us - work/life balance, childcare, body image, fashion and cookery are things which interest women and men. And my husband is still waiting for me to learn how to hang his suit.
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