A Child’s Drawings from the 1950s

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Inspired from “The Happy Quitter” with her blog Nonsmokingladybug on a subject called “Pictures can speak loader than words” I would like to share some of the drawings from my childhood about 60 years ago.

I grew up in a suburb of Copenhagen like so many other families who had moved from the overcrowded flats in Copenhagen to better surroundings, parks, gardens and villas in the early 1950s. My twin brother and I didn’t play much in big groups as we were a bit shy and not accustomed to big groups. Our mother had a fear of us getting ill from the much-feared polio.

My name was Inge Maria and since I was fifteen I am only Maria.

Our town was called the “Town of the baby carriages”, the number of children was huge and many schools were built at that time just as schools nowadays are closed down many places in Denmark due to lack of children.

I loved the creative kind of playing where I had a chance to have my own influence on the result. I also remember the frustration of not being able to make what I wanted to.

Unfulfilled wishes

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Some of my drawings show the things I longed for like playing in big groups, getting a baby sister or brother or walking with a pram or baby carriage. Later on, in my childhood, the drawings expressed a wish for learning to dance ballet. I don’t think I asked for it as I somehow knew it would be impossible to attend a ballet class.

My favorite drawing of a baby carrier and a baby from about 1957 copy right MH
From a “Book” Skiing was something I dreamt of trying
I had to show that there was a baby in the baby carrier
I got the perspective a bit twisted
Twins in a baby carrier from 1958
Learning to write 1958
Christmas wishes

Some of the paper used for the drawings is very coarse due to the lack of good materials after the war. All the drawings on smaller light blue cardboard pages are from my father’s radio factory. They were used for registering the material going to be sent out to different firms.

The last drawings show my intense interest for fashion clothing as we started to see what that looked like from British fashion magazines. Twiggy

 

A girl with clothes from 1961 and a baby that I still wished we had
A drawing of the first dress that I made in 1965
Two Twiggy models from 1966

Showing my world

Some drawings are a view into my worlds like our garden our house and our yellow playhouse which our father made for us in 1955. A holiday in a small farmhouse arose an interest in living in the country and become a farmer’s wife. I am glad that I didn’t pursue that dream.

a baby at our play house in 1958
a street a house and children playing
Children and babies at our house
Children playing at a bigger house 1958
Children and babies playing in our garden
a baby and children playing at our house at Christmas
a postman, animals and things
inspired from a farm

I loved Christmas

Much time was spent waiting for Christmas. In my childhood, our homes weren’t decorated for Christmas until the last week before December 24 which is our biggest celebration day for Christmas. To make drawings about Christmas was a way to manage the long days of waiting. In the spring I liked very much to draw chickens and hens and big chocolate Easter eggs with big bows on. These Easter drawings have disappeared.

A Christmas cut. I remember that the stars were difficult to make
Christmas cut
Christmas drawing. We had a window in the door to our room so that our parent could see if we slept
Christmas drawing for my first teacher
Christmas drawing on black paper

The Calendar

It could have been a Christmas present for my parents.

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My mother kept all these drawings as well as my children’s drawings and letters from family and friends from a long time back. All that is here with me and I will not be able to throw it out.

Some of you know that I have a collection of the old dolls and doll baby carriers. I can’t describe the joy of having that what I longed for.

Categories: Biography, Children, Culture, Family history, Toys

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    • Thank you Paula. I would like to see and hear similar stories from my fellow bloggers. If the drawings are not saved the feelings about being creative will be intact I sure

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    • So kind of you to say that. It’s always a bit risky at show your own life like that but I would like to hear from people who would also share their dreams from their childhood and see which interests that have lasted through their lives

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  5. I love seeing your drawings…as a child, you were quite the artist! Being a very sentimental person, I wish that I had some of my childhood drawings. You are so fortunate to have these precious treasures!

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    • Thank you Marie for telling me this. Without original photos or drawings it’s hard to remember the details from so many years ago. I wanted to share them to bring forth the precious memories of others too

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  8. It is so wonderful that you Mother treasured all you drew and kept them, now you have them. I so long to see your collection of Dolls and Prams, my mother would give all my toys away, I only have two old Dolls left and an old dolls pram from the 1950s when I grew up here in England. I collected Dolls myself much later in life but mostly Teddy Bears I have. I was only ever allowed one Teddy Bear as a child so hence my collection. Another great post, so enjoyed reading it.

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    • A very encouraging word for me thank you. I have written a few posts on the topic “toys” if you click on the widget toys you will find them. I have collected things I longed to have as a child. Baby dolls and prams. In my home things were made and bought so I think I didn’t make my wishes known. In my Danish blog you will see a lot of prams. It’s thetoujourstheme.com
      You might be able to find something there too if you have time😃

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