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Swamp Ruby's avatar

this is my favourite post I've read on substack. amazing that they're still so intact! and that footballer photo!!!

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Wendy Varley's avatar

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.

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Alex Valk's avatar

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!

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Wendy Varley's avatar

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!

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Faith Liversedge's avatar

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!

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Wendy Varley's avatar

Thanks, Faith. I can’t quite believe they haven’t melted yet, with all that cocoa butter, and global warming kicking in!

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Francis F's avatar

So glad I’m catching up with your posts Wendy, I absolutely love this ! Fascinating stuff 😃

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Wendy Varley's avatar

Thanks Francis! That was such an interesting piece to research and write. Glad you enjoyed it.

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Lisa Sherratt's avatar

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!

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Wendy Varley's avatar

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!

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Milli Hill's avatar

This is absolutely brilliant 👏

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Wendy Varley's avatar

Thanks so much Milli! Glad it’s finding a readership! Looking forward to your book.

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Milli Hill's avatar

I'll definitely put it in my 'Nosebag' on Sunday! Thanks for your kind words about the book! Just doing the edits! xx

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Wendy Varley's avatar

Thank you, Milli. And thanks for subscribing. Just saw that pop up on my notifications. Really good of you.

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Claire Polders's avatar

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.

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Wendy Varley's avatar

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.

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Lauren Cortis's avatar

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!

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Wendy Varley's avatar

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!

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Lauren Cortis's avatar

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!

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Wendy Varley's avatar

Ah, glad you found both pieces, Lauren! I will look at your Substack properly asap. Good to meet you here!

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Ros Barber's avatar

Fascinating! Also - that photo of Ada the Footballer, wow. Disgusting that women were banned from playing football for 50 years, even into our lifetimes.

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Wendy Varley's avatar

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

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lucy sweet's avatar

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 😂

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Wendy Varley's avatar

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!

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Lauren Bravo's avatar

Wendy this is fascinating!! I'm so glad you dived deep (so to speak). And Nana Ada sounds like a legend.

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Wendy Varley's avatar

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!

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Andrea Fisher's avatar

Wonderful read Wendy! The contraceptives of that era are new to me. Love the stories these are inspiring in you.

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Wendy Varley's avatar

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!

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Andrea Kuchlewska's avatar

wow! also love the classic typesetting on the package and instructions

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Wendy Varley's avatar

Me too, Andrea. I love looking at old packaging and branding. This is such a treat.

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Eliza Anderson's avatar

Also, congrats on this killer headline

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Wendy Varley's avatar

Thank you! Had fun with that.

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Eliza Anderson's avatar

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…

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Wendy Varley's avatar

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?!

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Eliza Anderson's avatar

Nope. Just in this note. :)

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Wendy Varley's avatar

Maybe one to expand on!

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Wendy Varley's avatar

Thank you, Eliza. Oh wow, that Kama Sutra was a find!

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Georgina Bruce's avatar

Fascinating - women's histories are rarely told, even when they are the making and unmaking of generations.

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Wendy Varley's avatar

Thanks Georgina. It‘s true. I think of myself as quite clued up on women‘s emancipation, but researching this was a revelation!

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Georgina Bruce's avatar

It's great - what a cool glimpse into the past!

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