Classified: The Secret History of the Personal Column

‘Lonely Young Officer, up to his neck in Flanders mud, would like to correspond with young lady (age 18u20), cheery and good looking.’ 1916 ‘Discreet, attractive couple 21 and 25 wish to meet couples and singles 21-35 for exciting and fun-loving adult relationships. Open-minded but not way out. No prejudices. Full length photo, address, and detailed letter assures same.’ 1969 From the ‘sporty girls’ and ‘artistic’ boys of the Edwardian era to the lonely soldiers of the Great War, the marriage bureaux of the fifties, and on to the internet dating sites of today, Classified tells the story of those who used personal ads to search for love, friendship, marriage and adventure.