
Respectable in the Eighties
The Mirror, the Sun and the miners. Journalist Lynsey Hanley explores class aspirations and social mobility through the lens of her childhood on a West Midlands council estate.
Journalist Lynsey Hanley's personal exploration of the experience of class in Britain over the past four decades.
"I can draw an outline of the landscape that shaped us with words such as Nice biscuits, pornography, underpasses, 2p bus fares."
Hanley's childhood spanned the 1980s; when she discovered early on the joys and consolations of music, and gained political awareness by observing the ways in which different newspapers covered the Miners' Strike.
She offers a fascinating insight into what it took to leave her home in Chelmsley Wood, a vast council estate near Birmingham, and make her way against the odds through sixth form college, university and on into the world of professional journalism.
Written and read by Lynsey Hanley.
Abridged by Sian Preece.
Produced by Kirsteen Cameron.
Last on
Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Reader | Lynsey Hanley |
| Author | Lynsey Hanley |
| Abridger | Sian Preece |
| Producer | Kirsteen Cameron |
Broadcasts
- Tue 26 Apr 201609:45BBC Radio 4 FM
- Wed 27 Apr 201600:30BBC Radio 4





