1974: Welcome to the HALIFAX CHARM SCHOOL | Nationwide | Weird and Wonderful | BBC Archive

Bernard Falk reports from Halifax, where husband and wife team Les and Louise Morton run a 'charm school' from their home. They teach young women valuable skills like; the correct way to enter a dining room, advanced walking, sitting pretty, proper table manners, and how to apply make-up.
The couple were inspired to set up the school after passing through Doncaster on their way back from a trip to London. What qualities do they think they possess that equip them to run a charm school? What do the young charm school pupils hope to gain from the experience?
Originally broadcast, 8 January, 1974.
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[@garryleeks4848]

The geezer with the cigar in he’s element with all them girls

[@WVgrl59]

True

[@jackdowse1246]

“Plaster their faces with paint”

[@larahennacroft]

😂😂

[@redfraggle77]

By ‘eck! but can they swill a pint of mild, toss a sheep, tickle a ferret, repair a dry stone wall and face into a force 10 gale smiling? I love northern lasses, God bless each and every one of us! May we never change our guttural vowels! Please do a follow up on this programme, BBC!?

[@garryleeks4848]

Aye up , wouldn’t mess with a northern woman 😬😬

[@ltipst2962]

@@garryleeks4848 aw mate just get them a kebab

[@jasonayres]

There's a saying I haven't heard for many years, to be "sitting pretty" (-to have become wealthy, well off). And they were, quite literally, taught about "sitting pretty".

[@petergivenbless900]

That brief needle drop of Wendy Carlos' Moog version of Bethoven's 9th, from the soundtrack to 'A Clockwork Orange', was a refreshingly subversive bit of editorialising!

[@angelicupstart1977]

Definitely Ronnie Barker 😂

[@omni774]

Glad I'm not the only one who thought so!

[@greenvelvet]

Trying to impose A clockwork structure on fresh young oranges

[@matthewpayne42]

Amanda Holden must have been to that charm school.

[@borderlands6606]

Perhaps Kenny Everett could do the leg crossing "in the best possible taste."

[@ctcurry1777]

Dirty old Les. 😉😅 I love the 70s...Bit of Clockwork Orange Score aswell.👍😎

[@annclay5868]

I'm 71 now but at age 14-15 I was at the notorious school The Ridings. Mrs Morton was brought into the school by the headmaster Mr Whatmuff to give the girls social skills instruction. She even organised a fashion show for us to participate in at the school, which cannot bHer lessons, words and instructions linger with me still.

[@sleepyheadsleeps]

Mr Whatmuff , for real ?

[@ZiaRDS]

The "after" makeup is just... I don't know if it's because they're too young or it's just too heavy, but none of them were made up in a way that was complimentary to their face shape or coloring.

[@campbellgraham1979]

Imagine paying to go on a course to get all your individuality sucked out of you

[@campbellgraham1979]

@@bcrox £16 in today’s money is about £150 so hardly costs 20x more for a phone.

[@campbellgraham1979]

@carruthers100 Yeah good point. I see the comparison now you put it like that.

[@benwakefield93]

Didn't realise Ronnie Barker had a 2nd career 🤣

[@patrickgibson3992]

Les looks like a very creepy version of Robbie Barker 😮

[@pwareham61]

Or Ronnie Barker

[@garryleeks4848]

@@pwareham61or Arkwright

[@mrjsmith2152]

Charming.

[@TinLeadHammer]

Please, upload 4:3 footage as native 4:3. KZbin supports 4:3 HD. This avoids black bars when watching on a smartphone.

[@NorthWalesKid]

Claire Walker this reminds me of you. If you’re still in Australia and read this, get in touch

[@heinkle1]

I wonder what became of these girls

[@hellie_el]

❤❤❤

[@Seminal_Ideas]

No flies on Les...

[@wheelblack35]

What a fab idea

[@ltipst2962]

That must be the Albert Hotel, surely? (Birthplace of the rugby union I'll av you ponder)

[@vanessahawarden9028]

Spaghetti oooops anyone?

[@hilaryepstein6013]

This film just makes me angry. Those poor young girls trying to be what these other people think they should be. Anyway what's Ronnie Barker doing running a charm school.

[@thomasm1964]

Do you know what the life prospects fo those woemn were pre and post attending this charm school? No-one forced them but I can imagine that a strong desire to leave what was then an extremely poor part of the country was a big motivating factor for these women. Back then, prospects for most women were few and far between. at the time of this film, a woman could not legally hold a bank account in her own name: it had to be a joint account with her husband - if either of them had a bank account at all. The world was a very different place back then. Very different. Besides, what - exactly - is your argument against elegance? Should we take pride in our current slovenly attitude towards absolutely everything?

[@fidelcatsro6948]

They should have been sent to Cuba for segregated womens military training!

[@garryleeks4848]

And running it with elsie tanner 😮

[@JulieWallis1963]

So people trying to improve themselves 50 years ago has upset you? Life has changed a lot, if you’re going to get angry, get angry about something that’s happening today then do something about it.

[@eemoogee160]

@@thomasm1964 Expressing yourself however is fine. The socioeconomic pressure to conform to a specific etiquette? Not so much.

[@merryhineline7781]

Les looks creepy.

[@markphc99]

Eek

[@benjaminclasper9355]

3:08 “I don’t want you to come into a dining room like this” Well I didn’t see anything wrong with the way she walked in I mean really what the hell is the main difference at all?

[@jackdowse1246]

Why put salt on the side of your plate? I want my food seasoned with salt, not scented with salt from the nearby salt quarry I’ve made on my plate. And you can’t dip food in salt, as then it would be too salty

[@garryleeks4848]

Too much salt isn’t good for ya

[@sleepyheadsleeps]

I wonder if the young girls found their millionaire husbands and are they happy ?

[@ava8340]

most of this comment section is just a tad bit sexist.. either towards women then or women now. just let people live their lives! it doesn’t concern you

[@ltipst2962]

Nobody really cares. The video doesn't make any difference. I just hope to not marry a lady interested in money alone, what a bore.

[@ajs41]

Free speech.

[@rgarlinyc]

While fixing walk, smile, eyebrows, hair - don't forget teeth! No ,wait a minute, they did. And continue to do so 'til today. 🤦🏻‍♂

[@benjaminclasper9355]

Seems like pointless education to me.

[@bid84]

Women knew their place back then, it’s a shame how they have notions of individuality these days.

[@misterr279]

When women were PROPER women.