Book dossier

Ever such a nice lady

by Marjory Todd

Marjory Todd was a journalist who became a Probation Office in the early 1960's. Women Probation Officers at that time not only dealt with offenders but also with families who had problems. Her co-workers were suscpious of her motives convinced she had only joined the servicce to gather material for a book. An accusation she strongly denied. This was at a time before the creation of Local Authority Social Services Departments. Most of the families she dealt with were being supported by various charities. Marjory Todd became exasperated when she visited families and her efforts to help them were being undermined by a series of "Ever such a nice lady" who had visited after her and given the families conflicting advice. She also dealt with a number of astute families who received finacial help from various charities. These charities were unaware that the families were receiving money from multiple sources. One of her main suggestions was that help for families should come from a single corordinated source. This was also the conclusion of the 1968 Seebohm Report which lead to the creation of Local Authority Social Services. She does acknowledge at the end of the book that her colleagues were right and she did end up writing a book after she left the Probation Service and returned to journalism.