Nice article from a November 1971 issue of the Radio Times about Marilyn Ward and the Miss UK contest. As we already know, Marilyn went on to win Miss UK that year, with her coming second as Miss World.
If nothing else, it certainly gives an interesting insight into the way that women were perceived and looked upon 50 years ago.
I would like to thank Brian for taking the time to scan this and pass it on to me.
There was once an Englishman who had his luckiest day when he was in Amsterdam. He was on a business trip and it was so concentrated and earnest that he was quite unable to mix any pleasure with it.
Then his eyes alighted on one of the Dutch secretaries floating dynamically around. He knew that if he lived to be a hundred and ninety no other girl could affect his metabolism like this one. She was blonde, beautiful and superb. Her name was ANITA VAN ECKS.
They met. He wooed her and won her. Talk about romantic, it was electric. Now Anita is a housewife in England, living in Acton. Always having wanted to be a photographic model, Anita took the chances offered by London and is now in orbit around the studios of glamour and commercial photographers.
Climbing high in the pin-up poll is secretary MARIE GRAHAM.
Established as one of our favourite models, all her fans say it's been ecstatic getting to know her.
Marie lives in Hampshire, is a delectable housewife who still looks as gorgeous as the most geary dolly girls, and her main interests, apart from the man she loves, are go-go dancing, motoring and mountaineering.
If she ever gets to the top of Everest, she isn't half going to look picturesque high in the sky, and all the Sherpas will want to invite her home to tea.
You'd better meet the girl first.
She's JULIE MITCHELL from the Midlands, and a very promising student. She wants to be a teacher as long as it doesn't interfere with keeping lots of shaggy dogs.
Julie owns the cutest little pet at the moment. Name of Pinky. That's Pinky overleaf, getting the fond treatment. If you have to be a dog, you couldn't be better off as Julie's pet.
She takes him to the nicest parties. Other girls take boys, Julie takes Pinky. Her boyfriend has to follow on. His philosophy is that it can't last, you can go off the cutest dog when it starts wanting to go to the pictures with you.
New model TINA REYNOLDS is a girl we recently found. She wasn't actually lost, of course. Ours was merely an inspired discovery of her as a pin-up. The reaction of readers has been what you'd expect when you've been in the glamour business as long as we have.
They want to see more of Tina. Much more.
Well, if she doesn't go off to the West Indies to help sell coconuts on the telly, we'll see what we can do.
There was this dishy German-born MARG ARETHA SCHNEIDER trying not to let the aristocratic boutique madam sell her this last word in the lingerie of the mad twenties. There was Margaretha saying faintly, “You’re joking, of course.”
But it was no joke. It was a high-pressure sale.
Never mind. Laugh it off'.
Cities are full of lights, those which illuminate the darkness and those which illuminate life.
A very scintillating London light is SAMANTHA GREY, and if you walked all the way from Edinburgh to see her it would be well worthwhile. All that exercise and a round of applause from Samantha at the end.
Samantha has a comfy bed-sit near St. Johns Wood and the milkman doesn't at all mind climbing three flights of stairs to deliver her daily pint. He always knocks so that he can hand it to her in person. Sometimes Samantha isn't quite dressed, like.
He doesn't mind that, either.
When we first introduced SUSAN DOUGLAS to our readers the impact had a kind of ringing sound, loud and clanging in many cases.
The effect on some was lasting. There has never been any other girl quite like Susan to them, her pin-up appeal remaining constant and even devastating. Fellers have shot themselves with water pistols on account of their love being so faithful but, alas, so unreciprocated.
Susan, now a lovely Kentish housewife, has been understanding but firm. "I'm always absolutely enchanted by your devotion," she says to her fans, "but I'm sure you realise I must get home to peel the potatoes and pick up some rice crispies on the way. Honestly. I would adore living on a desert island with any of you, but how could I get to my hairdresser twice a week without it being ruinously expensive?"
For a woman, especially a lovely one. that's clear, clinical logic.
I am beginning to like very much the features you run on the mini-skirted girls of your country. I think they confirm all that we read and hear about the swinging scene over there and I only wish I could have a five-year holiday and spend it all with you. We do see the occasional “mini” over here, but they don’t seem to be worn with the same flair that they’re worn in London and the rest of Britain.
I think your girls have something that naturally becomes them and it’s just as if they’ve been wating for a fashion like the “mini” to show the rest of the world how exciting and swinging they really are. It must be great to be part of the scene and I hope you realise how lucky you are.
J. MCCARTNEY,
Etobicoke, Toronto, Canada.
Our girls will love you.
It's traditional that French dishes have got more sauce than dishes which originate elsewhere.
Travelling Parisienne SOULANGE FERRIER is a real French dish and her sauce has just the kind of frilly Folies Bergere look which makes far-off Americans in Idaho think of beautiful moments they'll never enjoy while they stay at home.
Soulange is seen around London from time to time and around St. Tropez, and the more she's seen the better most guys feel about life. It's that old-fashioned oo-la-la tingle, that's what.
One housewife wasn't going to sit around and watch soap opera on the daytime telly once she'd got her young son off to his first school.
Not a bit of it.
Streatham housewife and mother, SHEILA O'BRIAN, enrolled for tuition in a school of dramatic art. So now during the day she's a drama student and in the evenings she's lovely and warm and domesticated.
Now there's a good approach to life, what?
"What's German for yes?" asked the knowledgeable teacher at the foreign language evening class.
"Ja," said student SYLVIA MARTIN.
"You're so right," said teacher. "Like to come and have fish and chips with me after class?"
"Nein," said Sylvia, a secretary.
"You said nein?" he enquired with a disappointed look.
"Ja," said Sylvia.
"Oh, good," said teacher, "we'll eat at Sam's, the salt and vinegar are first-class at Sam's."
Some teachers do get some students confused.
Listen to this.
When SUZY WONG left Hong Kong and from the harbour sailed out.
She never thought she'd be caught On London's Hampstead roundabout.
Well, it was the best we could do to make a giggle of it. Suzy has a flat in Hampstead and is doing very well as a model, thank you. Don't send any rice as she's come to like cucumber sandwiches, farmhouse Cheddar and a pint of beer.
How lovely.
There are various ways of getting a ticket. You can buy one, find one or have one given to you if you want to see a theatre show.
And you can have one thrust upon you if it's a parking ticket you're after. You don't have to pay until later.
Town bird ANNE DEARBORN has a running fracas going with London traffic wardens in her pursuit of parking places for her Mini, and when she gets her hundredth ticket she's going to invite them all to a party in her top- floor Chelsea flat and give them a French salad dressed with castor oil.
That should keep them on the move for the next week or so.
Talking of marriage in a rural environment, here's a wife who has always lived in the country. She's JEANETTE BONNER, and living in the country has given her a complexion as creamy as honey.
She lives in a cottage next door to a field, and high rise concrete blocks are just something she hears about but never sees. It’s all lovely, all quiet and peaceful, and is highly recommended to persons who suffer the traumatic vibrations of crowded city life.
Jeanette's favourite ways of getting about are on a bike or on a horse. And she doesn't need tranquilisers.
