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4.1 Getting a Living

4.1 1 All but ten of the husbands in the sample were working.

4.1 2 Distances Travelled to Work

The analysis of the distance travelled by husbands to work showed that quite a large proportion of them had a considerable distance to travel, 43% of them having over1¼ miles to travel, to work. Details are given below:-

Figure 8

4.1 3 Time Taken to Get to Work

In spite of the fact that many husbands had a long journey to work only a small proportion (9%) of them take more than 40 minutes to get there, again demonstrating the importance of the time factor rather than the distance factor in the journey to work. 41% in fact were able to limit their journey to within 12 minutes of home.

Figure 9

4.1 4 Method of Travelling to work

42% of husbands walked to work, 7% cycled and 46% used Passenger Transport Services. A small proportion (7%) walked part of their Journey to work, as well as using Passenger Transport Services.

4.1 5 The cost of Travelling to work

40% of the husbands had travelling expenses, the greater proportion of which (16% of the total) were between 3/- to 4/- per week.

Figure 10

4.1. 6 Relation of the Home to the Work Place

Husbands were asked whether they considered their home was conveniently situated to their work place or not. 74% considered it was convenient, 19% thought it was not convenient and 7% were unable to express an opinion. The question of how important it was considered to have the home near the work place was next asked. 55% thought it very important, 16% somewhat important and 19% considered it not important, 10% were unable to give an opinion.

4.1 7 the Effect of Town Size

In this analysis the towns have been grouped in a different way to that of the housewife. Glasgow has been treated separately, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee have been grouped, under the heading of large cities; medium towns have been grouped as have small towns.

Distances travelled to work are greatest in Glasgow and medium towns, some of which however, are within the orbit of Glasgow and this fact probably accounts for the similarity. Distances are next greatest in the other great cities and least of all in small towns.

The analysis of time taken to travel to work showed considerable differences between the towns of different sizes. Glasgow and the medium towns and the greatest proportion with journeys of over 40 minutes. This is believed to be because some of the medium towns included in our sample were in the Glasgow area, thus many of the workers were travelling from a medium town to Glasgow or to the Clyde. Journeys were shortest of all in small towns.

The cost of travel was highest in Glasgow and medium towns and lowest of all in small towns.

4.1 8 The Effect of Zone

As would be expected the zone in which the husband lived had a considerable effect on the distance he had to travel to work. Husbands living in the middle and inner zones had the shortest journeys, whereas those living in the outer zone showed the greatest proportion travelling long distances.

Zone was also important in relation to the husband’s attitude to the convenience of his home to his work-place. Whereas in the inner zone and middle zone 72% and 75% of husbands respectively considered their home conveniently situated for work, in the outer zone and the proportion was 60%. On the other hand 67% of husbands living in the inner zone and 72% of husbands living in the middle 40 zone considered it either very or somewhat important that their home should be near their work, but the proportion in the outer zone was only 36%. This reflects in some measure the more conscious attitude to the dwelling place of those who have moved to the outskirts of large cities. They are undoubtedly willing to sacrifice some of the convenience of having their work near their home for the greater amenities of the outer zone.

4.1 9 The Influence of Age

The influence of age was not very important in affecting the distance that men travelled to work. Younger men had a slightly higher proportion travelling the longest journey. The difference was greatest between the youngest and the oldest group.

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4.2 The Use of Leisure

4.2 1 The direct questions to the husband about his use of leisure were confined to two topics, a series of questions about visits to Sports Grounds and a series about visits to a Club. All other leisure interests were left to the unprompted suggestion of the husband in response to “What other interests have you?” Parallel questions to those about Sports Grounds for these other activities were asked in order to discover the frequency of visits to them, distance travelled and the importance of having them near. The results show that the two subjects about which a direct question was asked were not the most import at interests of the husband.

Because of the fact that some other of the husband’s interests were not prompted it is difficult to be sure of the relative importance of the two groups. It is fairly certain, however, that the interests about which no specific question was asked are relatively underweighted.

Taking the first two interests it was found that Sports Grounds were visited by 42% of husbands and Clubs by 22%. To the proportion that visited Sports Grounds should be added a further 6% who said that they visited professional sports. Here it appears that some husbands thought that our question about Sports Grounds referred only to visits for personal recreation.

The unprompted answers gave the cinema as the most important interest visited by 45% of the sample, public houses were visited by 25% and church and church social activities were mentioned by 15%, outdoor athletic activities - working cycling etc. were mentioned by 12%.

4.2 2 Sports Grounds

This category includes both visits to Sports Grounds as a spectator and also a small proportion of people who visited Sports Grounds to play games.

The husbands who had this form of leisure activity fall into two main groups, roughly equal; those who visited Sports Grounds once a week or more (47%) and those who visited Sports Grounds only occasionally (52%).

Most of the Sports Grounds were at some distance from the home; 33% were within 1100 yards and were further away. The 13% who did not give an answer included many whose attendance at a Sports Ground was irregular or who attended different Sports Grounds on various occasions.

36% of those who went to the Sports Ground had a journey of 12 minutes or less from their home, 27% between 13 and 22 minutes and 15% had a journey which took longer than 23 minutes. The 22% who did not answer this question probably did not do so for the same reason as those who did not answer the distance question.

74% considered that their house was conveniently situated to their Sports Ground, 13% thought that this was not so. 55% considered it very or somewhat important to have their home near a Sports Ground.

Influence of town size showed differences in the fact that the two great cities, Glasgow and Edinburgh had the highest proportion, 46% and 50%, whereas the rest of urban Scotland had only 40% or less who attended Sports Grounds.

There was very little difference between the proportion of the two younger groups attending Sports Grounds, 49% and 47%. The oldest group, had a considerably smaller proportion, 33%.

4.2 3 The Club

Clubs were visited by 22% of the husbands interviewed. 8% of those who went said they went every day, 27% went two or three times a week, 23% went once a week and 33% occasionally - there were 9% who did not answer the question.

54% travelled up to 1100 yards to visit their club, 30% further than this and 15% were unable to answer this part of the question.

76% considered their home convenient to their club, 12% not convenient, and 69% considered it either very or somewhat important that their home should be near their club.

The proportion attending clubs was highest in small towns (41%) in the rest of urban Scotland it was in all places below 26% and lowest of all in Glasgow (15%).

There were only small differences in the age groups, suggesting if anything that the club is slightly more important to the oldest group.

4.2 4 The Cinema

45% of the husbands in the sample visited cinemas. This is believed to be an under-estimate. In a later inquiry made for another purpose 64% of a sample of Scottish married men said in response to a direct question that they attended cinemas. It is believed that this second proportion is likely to be nearer the truth since the proportion obtained for women in response to a direct question 42 corresponded almost exactly with the proportion obtained m the wife’s section of this enquiry.

The frequency of attendance was as follows:-

28% of cinema-goers went two or three times a week

42% once a week

30% occasionally

These proportions refer to March and April. The proportions obtained in the later inquiry which was made in July showed that cinema attendance is less frequent in the summer:-

7% attend two or three times a week

32% once a week

58% occasionally

50% of husbands attending cinemas had only to travel up to 600 yards (roughly a quarter of a mile) to their nearest cinema, a further 22% travelled between 600 and 1100 yards (roughly half a mile) and only 20 distances further than this.

Some 90% thought the cinema was convenient to their home, whereas only 40% thought that it was very important to have the cinema near their home and 18% thought it somewhat important to have the cinema near their home, suggesting that men would be content to have cinemas less conveniently placed than they are at present.

A comparison between the zones in big towns and between towns of different sizes showed that the proportion of cinema-goers was fairly constant in all places as was the frequency of attendance.

4.2 5 Public Houses

The same factors apply to the answers about public houses as to the answers about cinemas. It is likely that both the proportions visiting public houses and the frequency of their visits is under-estimated, particularly as in many social groups in Scotland the public house is regarded as an improper place.

25% of the husbands in the sample said they visited Public houses. Of these 10% said they went every day, 33% twice or three times a week, 34% once a week and 22% occasionally.

90% said the public house was conveniently situated to their home; 41% said that it was very important to have a public house near their home and 22% said it was somewhat important.

There was very little difference in the proportion of the age groups saving they visited public houses, or in the frequency of their visits.