Oh, what a lovely comment! Thank you for clicking through to read this earlier piece, Ruby – so glad you enjoyed it! Those discoveries about my nana – both the photo of her in antique football kit and her pessaries – were among my absolute favourite finds when I cleared my parents' house. I had no idea! It gave me a whole new perspective.
Wow, how absolutely fascinating! I am thankfully past my contraception era as my other half has had the snip. After many years of pills, implants and pregnancy scares this is a huge relief. I found hormonal contraception wrecked absolute havoc with my mental health with the exception of the Yasmin pill. The implant (which i think has been discontinued) had me on a non stop four month period, put on a stone in weight and forgot how to sleep. An absolute disaster!
Thanks, Alex. I remember reading horror stories about implants. I hadn’t heard of the Yasmin - must have been after my time! It’s a great relief not to have to think about contraception any more, quite agree!
This is just incredible Wendy! To have found them still as they were, and with such an absorbing story to go with them. You really could open a museum of this!
This is so interesting and beautiful as well! Thinking of all those potential babies but also how women prevented them so long ago! It's amazing how little it would have been discussed 100 years ago - how dare we have sex!
You went through a lot of contraception! I also feel a little sad around ovulation every time, but I know that I don't want another baby, it's a very confusing time!
Such an interesting topic and read! I once studied up on Aletta Jacobs, the first female doctor in the Netherlands and how she introduced women to the pessary. (https://www.europeana.eu/en/exhibitions/pioneers/aletta-jacobs). You make me want to write about this, too.
Brilliant, Claire. I hadn't heard of Aletta Jacobs. What a pioneer. That must have taken a lot of guts at that time. Made me think of Marie Stopes (1880–1958), but Aletta was born even earlier in 1854.
Fascinating and incredibly entertaining read- thanks so much for sharing not only your grannies pessaries but your history with contraception. I might have to save this and share it with the pharmacy students!
You're very welcome to share it with pharmacy students, Lauren! I found it fascinating to research the pessaries, and realised that overall I had a centuries-worth of contraception to report on, if I added in my own experience!
Edit to say I just realised you’re the same person that I just commented on your other story. As I was reading I did think it strange to come across two people who ended up with triplets through contraceptive failure!
Fascinating! Also - that photo of Ada the Footballer, wow. Disgusting that women were banned from playing football for 50 years, even into our lifetimes.
This is amazing. Why did she keep them, I wonder?? This makes me think I really need to get rid of my fanny HRT tablets and the Museum of Canesten before I die 😂
Haha! Gah, I know! Declutter your personal items, ladies!
My sister read this and said she disposed of her redundant Mooncup only last week, ironically, after finding it lurking in an ancient washing basket. It was not sparking joy.
My nana kept everything, and so did my mum, so there it was in my hoarded childhood home. I am determined to break the cycle. But I am keeping those museum-worthy pessaries!
Thank you, Lauren! I wish I’d known more about her while she was alive. Maybe not the pessaries, but playing on a football team during WW1?! Who knew! I do remember her being quite nifty at dribbling a football in her seventies but had no idea where the skill came from.
Thanks for remarking on the pessaries after the Teddy bear eyes post. Those prompts are so helpful in overcoming writing inhibitions. I was a bit scared nana was looking over my shoulder, but heck, she can’t tell me off now!
Thank you Andrea. I hadn't really thought about what family planning was like for my grandparents' generation, so I learned a lot from this one! Love a bit of social history!
Fantastic post. And thank you for the shout out! I did find my mother’s Kama Sutra sex guide that my son’s girlfriend ran with, squealing around the loft, and then took with her back to college. Mimi (my mother) was all about her liberation…
this is my favourite post I've read on substack. amazing that they're still so intact! and that footballer photo!!!
Oh, what a lovely comment! Thank you for clicking through to read this earlier piece, Ruby – so glad you enjoyed it! Those discoveries about my nana – both the photo of her in antique football kit and her pessaries – were among my absolute favourite finds when I cleared my parents' house. I had no idea! It gave me a whole new perspective.
Wow, how absolutely fascinating! I am thankfully past my contraception era as my other half has had the snip. After many years of pills, implants and pregnancy scares this is a huge relief. I found hormonal contraception wrecked absolute havoc with my mental health with the exception of the Yasmin pill. The implant (which i think has been discontinued) had me on a non stop four month period, put on a stone in weight and forgot how to sleep. An absolute disaster!
Thanks, Alex. I remember reading horror stories about implants. I hadn’t heard of the Yasmin - must have been after my time! It’s a great relief not to have to think about contraception any more, quite agree!
This is just incredible Wendy! To have found them still as they were, and with such an absorbing story to go with them. You really could open a museum of this!
Thanks, Faith. I can’t quite believe they haven’t melted yet, with all that cocoa butter, and global warming kicking in!
So glad I’m catching up with your posts Wendy, I absolutely love this ! Fascinating stuff 😃
Thanks Francis! That was such an interesting piece to research and write. Glad you enjoyed it.
This is so interesting and beautiful as well! Thinking of all those potential babies but also how women prevented them so long ago! It's amazing how little it would have been discussed 100 years ago - how dare we have sex!
You went through a lot of contraception! I also feel a little sad around ovulation every time, but I know that I don't want another baby, it's a very confusing time!
Thanks for reading and thanks so much for your kind words, Lisa. Yes, knowing when you're ovulating is such a conflicting feeling.
I was very glad to see the back of the need for contraception, but then of course comes navigating menopause!
This is absolutely brilliant 👏
Thanks so much Milli! Glad it’s finding a readership! Looking forward to your book.
I'll definitely put it in my 'Nosebag' on Sunday! Thanks for your kind words about the book! Just doing the edits! xx
Thank you, Milli. And thanks for subscribing. Just saw that pop up on my notifications. Really good of you.
Such an interesting topic and read! I once studied up on Aletta Jacobs, the first female doctor in the Netherlands and how she introduced women to the pessary. (https://www.europeana.eu/en/exhibitions/pioneers/aletta-jacobs). You make me want to write about this, too.
Brilliant, Claire. I hadn't heard of Aletta Jacobs. What a pioneer. That must have taken a lot of guts at that time. Made me think of Marie Stopes (1880–1958), but Aletta was born even earlier in 1854.
Fascinating and incredibly entertaining read- thanks so much for sharing not only your grannies pessaries but your history with contraception. I might have to save this and share it with the pharmacy students!
You're very welcome to share it with pharmacy students, Lauren! I found it fascinating to research the pessaries, and realised that overall I had a centuries-worth of contraception to report on, if I added in my own experience!
Edit to say I just realised you’re the same person that I just commented on your other story. As I was reading I did think it strange to come across two people who ended up with triplets through contraceptive failure!
Ah, glad you found both pieces, Lauren! I will look at your Substack properly asap. Good to meet you here!
Fascinating! Also - that photo of Ada the Footballer, wow. Disgusting that women were banned from playing football for 50 years, even into our lifetimes.
Thanks, Ros. And absolutely. The photo of Ada in her football kit inspired me to write about the history of women's football the week after!
https://wendyvarley.substack.com/p/will-england-bring-it-home-at-the
This is amazing. Why did she keep them, I wonder?? This makes me think I really need to get rid of my fanny HRT tablets and the Museum of Canesten before I die 😂
Haha! Gah, I know! Declutter your personal items, ladies!
My sister read this and said she disposed of her redundant Mooncup only last week, ironically, after finding it lurking in an ancient washing basket. It was not sparking joy.
My nana kept everything, and so did my mum, so there it was in my hoarded childhood home. I am determined to break the cycle. But I am keeping those museum-worthy pessaries!
Thanks for commenting, Lucy!
Wendy this is fascinating!! I'm so glad you dived deep (so to speak). And Nana Ada sounds like a legend.
Thank you, Lauren! I wish I’d known more about her while she was alive. Maybe not the pessaries, but playing on a football team during WW1?! Who knew! I do remember her being quite nifty at dribbling a football in her seventies but had no idea where the skill came from.
Thanks for remarking on the pessaries after the Teddy bear eyes post. Those prompts are so helpful in overcoming writing inhibitions. I was a bit scared nana was looking over my shoulder, but heck, she can’t tell me off now!
Wonderful read Wendy! The contraceptives of that era are new to me. Love the stories these are inspiring in you.
Thank you Andrea. I hadn't really thought about what family planning was like for my grandparents' generation, so I learned a lot from this one! Love a bit of social history!
wow! also love the classic typesetting on the package and instructions
Me too, Andrea. I love looking at old packaging and branding. This is such a treat.
Also, congrats on this killer headline
Thank you! Had fun with that.
Fantastic post. And thank you for the shout out! I did find my mother’s Kama Sutra sex guide that my son’s girlfriend ran with, squealing around the loft, and then took with her back to college. Mimi (my mother) was all about her liberation…
Did you write about finding the Kama Sutra, Eliza? I'm going to dive into some more of your essays. Just wondering if that gem is in there yet?!
Nope. Just in this note. :)
Maybe one to expand on!
Thank you, Eliza. Oh wow, that Kama Sutra was a find!
Fascinating - women's histories are rarely told, even when they are the making and unmaking of generations.
Thanks Georgina. It‘s true. I think of myself as quite clued up on women‘s emancipation, but researching this was a revelation!
It's great - what a cool glimpse into the past!