ABSTRACT

In both Britain and France, the two countries on which author focuses, a castle, a mansion, or a farm provisionally imply a social position in the geographical locality for whoever occupies them. The author draws on both published autobiographies and also on life-story interviews, recorded in most cases from two or more generations of the same families, as part of research study on 'Families and Social Mobility' in Britain and France. In France, there have been valuable recent studies of the way of life of the aristocracy and bourgeoisie, and the transmission of attitudes, practices, and memories between generations, which include discussions of the role of housing. The post-war development of a school of urban anthropology is also a contrast with Britain. While collective pressure has played a key role in shaping housing provision in Britain and France too, this pressure has taken a political form rather than direct action.