In the 1950s, British photographer Grace Robertson captured a unique and endearing moment in time with her photostory, “Mother’s Day Off”. The series documents a group of women from Bermondsey, South London, as they embark on a day trip to the seaside resort of Margate in Kent. To gain the women’s trust, Robertson spent three days drinking with them at their local pub before joining them on their excursion. The photographs show the unselfconscious joy and camaraderie of the tight-knit community, singing, drinking, and entertaining. Despite initial rejection from Picture Post, Robertson persevered, and the series was eventually featured as the lead story, gaining international recognition with a similar feature in Life magazine in 1956.
From Pub to Seaside: Grace Robertson's Mother's Day Off Chronicles Women's Rare Day of Fun, 1950s
