ABSTRACT
The twentieth century has seen significant increases in the leisure time available to both sexes, but this development has benefited men far more than women. While men were rewarded for higher productivity in the workplace by a shorter working week and longer holiday entitlements, household responsibilities limited women's scope for leisure and recreation. In working-class communities in the first half of the century men had spending money which could be freely devoted to leisure, but women were forced to take money for entertainment out of the housekeeping budget. Spending money on going to the cinema seemed self-indulgent to women who were responsible for feeding, housing and clothing their families.
