Elderly Women Recount Being Teenagers During The Victoria Era

If you have yet to check out this historical clip from this classic 1970 BBC documentary film short Yesterdays’s Witness: Two Victorian Girls, this is the perfect chance to do so.

These nonagenarians Frances “Effy” Jones and Berta Ruck are sharing their stories and it is a great watch. If you ever wondered what it would have been like to grow up in the UK Victorian Era, the questions can finally be answered.

Jones used to reside in London and she recounted her days as a happy young woman who was not scared of much. She loved to take on new tasks and learn more about new hobbies. On the other hand, Ruck spent a good chunk of her childhood residing in Wales before she eventually made her way over to London.

“Frances ‘Effy’ Jones – one of the first women to be trained to use a typewriter, and to take up cycling as a hobby – recalls the life of a young working woman in London. Berta Ruck, a romantic novelist, remembers her formative years at art school, and the culture shock she experienced after moving from her secluded home in rural Wales to the muddy hustle and bustle in the heart of Victorian London,” the video’s description reads.

These women are more than happy to recall their formative years and it makes for a great watch. It is easy to forget that these bygone eras are not as far back as we would like to think. They are both proud of their childhood and while they did not typically refer to themselves as teenagers, they had their own way of doing things.

“We never called ourselves teenagers – but we were certainly Victorians and quite proud to be it.” This is one of our favorite quotes from this documentary, which we highly recommend to all of our readers. Anyone who is a history aficionado is sure to love this one, especially those who have a particular interest in the Victorian era.

It’s an era that may seem like a relic of ancient times but in reality? These women are here to explain it in full detail. If you are anything like us, you are always in search of a good documentary to watch. This one is sure to fit the bill!

Check out the clip below: