Recently digitised census data from 1961 has unearthed a range of lifestyle changes over the past 50 years in Cowbridge.

Hygiene

According to the Office for National Statistics, as many as 25.08% of Cowbridge homes did not have a 'fixed bath' in 1961 - i.e. a bath inside a house that had waste water plumbing (showers were less common at the time).

Instead, these households would have used a standalone bath that had to be filled with hot water using a bucket.

Also, in England and Wales, around 7% of homes did not have an indoor toilet. Cowbridge was above average in this regard however, with only 2.17% of homes without a flushing loo.

Home ownership

Comparing tenure in 1961 to 2011, there has been a rise in home ownership and a decrease in renting.

In Cowbridge in 1961, almost 50% of homes were owned, 25% were rented, and almost 17% were owned by the council.

In 2011, 68% were owned, nearly 20% were rented, and 8.5% were owned by the council.

NB. Percentages do not sum to 100% as some housing categories not included.

Population

In Cowbridge municipal borough, the total population was 1,067 in 1961, which dropped slightly to 996 in 2011.

However, in Cowbridge rural district, which includes a much wider area, the population has almost doubled, from 18,756 in 1961 to 34,402 in 2011.

Divorce

These statistics are not localised to Cowbridge, but do give us a broader picture of social change.

In 1961, 68% of people aged 16 and over were married, and 0.8% were divorced.

In 2011, 49% of people aged 16 and over were married or in a same-sex civil partnership, and 9% were divorced or in a legally dissolved civil partnership.