World
Letters: Sundays in the 1950s are remembered by Bob Waring and Martin Cooper
This story summarizes reporting from The Guardian. Read the original for full context. Wire items stay in our news sitemap for seven days. Editorial policy.
Read full story on The Guardian →
Life and style — The Guardian
In 1958 Tony Hancock had a very different take on the British Sunday from Sian Dudley’s bucolic vision ( Letters, 30 August ), as outlined in the Hancock’s Half Hour episode Sunday Afternoon at Home : “I might just as well be in bed: there’s nothing else to do. [Sigh] I wish I hadn’t got up now … I hate Sundays. It’s not like this on the continent: it’s their big day over there. All the cafes open and football matches and race meetings – everybody’s gay. Aahh! Not over ’ere though! Everything’s shut up.”
My memory accords with the bard of East Cheam. What we have now, and didn’t then, is choice.
• Sian Dudley was lucky having such a relaxed Sunday as a child. My 1950s Sundays were rather different. My brothers and I had to go to church in the morning and Sunday school in the afternoon, we didn’t have a telly and I hated board games. I like my 2026 Sundays.
• Have an opinion on anything you’ve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
My memory accords with the bard of East Cheam. What we have now, and didn’t then, is choice.
This report is published with credit to The Guardian. Full available text from the wire is above. Read on The Guardian →
Source: The Guardian. Published 4 Sept 2026, 04:55 pm.
Most relevant
USA-ECUADOR-STRIKES:Ecuador says vessel sinkings part of joint US drug trafficking probe
Read on Hindustan Times →