The Brady Girls
Starting in 2013, Spitalfields Life Books published 15 books over 6 years until the pandemic shut us down. Now we are ready to begin again and are crowdfunding to raise enough money to cover production of our next 3 books. So far we have raised £8,625 but we still have a significant way to go.
CLICK HERE TO VISIT OUR CROWDFUND PAGE AND CONTRIBUTE
The Brady Girls with The Beatles, 1964
How glorious it is to publish these joyful photographs of the Brady Girls’ Club at the Brady Centre in Hanbury St which are now the subject of an exhibition WE ARE THE BRADY GIRLS, from 6th October to 7th November at the Atrium Gallery, London Metropolitan University, Goulston St, E1 7TP.
The Brady Girls’ Club ran from 1920 to 1970. Led by Miriam Moses OBE JP – the first female mayor of Stepney – the Club supported the community during the war years and after, offering shelter and practical help to hundreds of young women and families.
The exhibition features a collection of photography which was rediscovered in 2016 and has inspired a project funded by the Rothschild Foundation Hanadiv Europe to record video histories of former members of the Brady Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs.
The Brady Girls dance
A Brady Club Social
The Brady Girls and Prince Philip
The Brady Girls drama class
The Brady Girls perform Shakespeare
The Brady Girls on holiday in Oberhofen, 1961
A Brady Girls hairdressing session
At the Brady Girls canteen
The Brady Girls at the beach
The Brady Girls sack race, 1941
The Brady Girls at Bracklesham Bay, August, 1948
The Brady Girls’ camp
The Brady Girls as flappers
The Brady Girls dance class, 1940s
The Brady Girls play at being mothers
The Brady Girl guides
The Brady Girls climb the stairs in Hanbury St
Photographs courtesy The Brady Archive
Wonderful snapshots! Oh, to have been one of those kids with the BEATLES!!!!
In the ‘Social’ photo the girls on the left are definitely ‘doing The Twist’–and now I’ll be humming that Chubby Checker song all day…. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CCgDvUM4TM
Shift dresses, teased hair, and Twiggy makeup. The sixties photos remind me how we all wanted to be in England where everything important to teens was happening!
I was a Brady Girl and the top of my head is in the photo with Prince Philip, in the art class.
Those were the days when kids had something to do almost every night of the week, instead of playing video games etc. The club, in my day, was run by Yogi Mayer, and what a leader he was! To this day his name is mentioned with reverence. May he Rest in Peace.
Oh, if only I could be an honorary Brady Girl!? Please, oh please. Could I? Honestly, I will try to fit in, pay my dues (if any), be friendly and cheerful at all times, and keep up with the latest dance steps. Mashed Potato, Frug, the Monkey, the Swim, the Skate, the Madison (up and back……..).
Where I grew up, I was part of the Y-Teens, a sub-organization for the national YWCA. When we weren’t amassing “service hours” doing volunteer work in our community, we were…….yep, just like the Brady Girls……. dancing, doing our hair and nails, sewing our own wardrobes, whispering, giggling, rumor-mongering, and more. But, alas, no Beatles. (does it count that I had a big photo of Paul in my school locker?) We would descend on the local Senior Home, and give “fashion shows”, performances, bring baked goods, and attentively listen to the resident’s stories. Oh, and the yearly mother/daughter banquet, where I was so thrilled to show off my pretty Mom. Thanks, Brady Girls and GA — great memories, with a musical soundtrack.
I’ll be humming all day long.
Oh my goodness…there’s the photo of the Beatles where I was also supposed to be with Janice (small girl). Unfortunately I got the measles and couldn’t be there. So nice to find this website.
Thank you Brady Club for wonderful memories.
P.S. I still remember the Brady song.