An image taken from the Metropolitan Police Service’s female recruitment drive in the 1930s has shocked social media with its appeal for ‘hefty’ women who ‘mustn’t marry’
Nowadays on almost every job advertisement you can expect to see HR blurb stating the employer is an advocate of equal opportunities – and rightly so.
Things were much different in 1930s Britain, going by a recruitment drive by London’s Metropolitan Police Service. A snippet, preserved from a newspaper almost a century ago details the Met’s desire for “hefty girls” to join the force, adding they “mustn’t marry”.
Another requirement that’s a far cry from anything you’d see today states that applicants must be “fairly good looking” and “able to withstand rough and tumble”. The force promises “good pay” and “free” stay in “special hostels” while on duty.
The ad, which was shared to Reddit, said: “Women with good brains plus good physique are wanted. The pay and prospects are good but they must never marry or their careers will end!”
It adds, Chief Commissioner, Sir Phillip Game, and Chief of Women’s Branch, Miss Peto are particularly keen to recruit “spinsters and widows, girls in universities and public schools, and girls with training in nursing and social work”. However, “married women need not apply”.
Following the second paragraph which reiterates in capital letters that “THEY MUST BE HEFTY”, wages are revealed to be 53s, 3d a week, before a final stipulation reveals the requirement for such females to be “at least five feet four inches high”.
Responding in shock, one Reddit user penned: “Other than the rampant sexism in the article I’m going to assume the marriage ban is specifically to avoid having pregnant women risking themselves.”
A second explained: “Avoiding needing time off if pregnant more likely. Also social norms of the time were that married women should not work, it would be seen as emasculating toward their husband. Teachers, nurses, typists etc would all be expected to quit if they got married.”
While a third person slammed the advert, commenting: “The way women were talked down too. As if they were just idiots with boobs. As someone who’s 28 this almost doesn’t seem real, mad the world was like that. Crazy.”
Others saw the funny side, however, as one woman joked: “Looks like I’m joining the force.” Another quipped: “Wild that the police force invented a time machine all that time ago and only ever used it to travel to 2024 to steal my Tinder profile.” And a third asked: “Hefty, good looking, rough and tumble: me? They were looking for me.”
