I have a fascination for people’s hobbies, so when I chanced upon a selection of Hobbies Weekly from 1955 and 56 in a junk shop in Lyme Regis a few weekends ago I had to have them. There’s an innocence to both the tone of the magazines and the projects within, despite being less than a decade on from the most harrowing of times. Many of the projects now seem anachronistic, whether it be a pipe rack or a home made extension lead. Others are prophetic; “Save pounds and pounds on furnishings with Wren Craft” reads one add - “Home assembled furniture. Just fit the ready-made parts together.” yeah right, like that would ever catch on.
