Daily Mirror, London, 18 October 1939, p.5

The mother describes the punishment in a letter she has written to the Richmond Women Conservatives, who, at a recent meeting, condemned and described the wearing of slacks by women as “disgusting.”BECAUSE her daughter, aged nineteen, wore slacks, a Liverpool mother, assisted by the girl’s two sisters, held her down over a table and caned her. The Liverpool mother writes:– “I have three daughters, and my second, aged nineteen, bought a pair of so-called slacks. “The seat portion fitted like tights, and both her sisters and myself protested strongly at the exhibition she made of herself. “Anyhow, it was of no avail, and she kept on wearing them. “The seat portion in time, through constant wear, developed quite a shine, and in spite of constant threats, pleading and cajolery she still wore them.

The Neighbours Talked

“The neighbours were passing comments. My other two girls and myself talked it over, and I bought a long cane of the ‘swishing’ variety. “One evening we forced her over the kitchen table till her slacks were skin tight, and each one in turn gave her a sound smacking with the open palm. “I weigh 13st., so you may know she felt it. Then I gave her a dozen strokes of the cane across the tightest part. “I took my time and laid them on well, and told her it would happen daily if she still persisted in wearing them. “Believe me or not, those pants are hanging up now after complete non-use, and the cane marks are still in evidence. “So I say cane all those trouser-wearing girls.” The mother then signed herself as of Liverpool.