Britan 15 The social and cultural impact of the Depression Flashcards
what were unemployment levels by 1931?
3 mill
what was life like for many people during the 1930s?
terrible suffering: poverty and life on the dole
what did the 1931 census show?
movement of people to London to look for work as new jobs arose from new industries
how were the inter-war years a time of economic advance for some?
real wages increased in value so greater spending power and cheaper goods mean middle class families could now afford a greater range electrical household appliances like washing machines and electrical cookers
how did the purchasing of household electrical appliances improve the lives of women?
improved the quality of life as, as traditional workers =, had the burden of housework removed
what did the movement of people from inner-city areas to the suburbs improve?
-living standards
-90% of the 1.1 mill council houses built were in new suburban estates
-ownership of houses increased and encouraged by govt
-new suburban estates had lavatories + hot running water
what year did Rowntree complete another study of poverty in York and what were the results?
1936, he stressed that 3/4 if unemployed men and their families lived in poverty but overall improvement
how did fashion and leisure change for working and middle class?
-rapid growth in women’s cosmetic industry -> more used make-up and perfumes
-widespread attendance at cinemas and dance halls
-people bought more books
-watched professional sport
-went on more holidays
what act was passed regulating workers’ holidays?
1938 Holidays with pay act which ensured all workers had at least one week paid holiday
what did the no. of people with paid holidays increase from and to as a result of the 1938 holidays with pay act?
early 1920s- 1.5 mill
1939- over 11 mill
what were the limitations of the special areas act?
only £2 mill of aid and only to most depressed areas like West Cumberland
what years were the national govt’s housing acts and why were they successfull?
1933 and 1935 and gave govt subsidies to local govts prepared to tackle slum clearance and the subsidies were put to good use with new houses built which improved the living standards and average weekly rent was an affordable 11 shillings
what did middle classes benefit from during the 1930s?
‘cheap money’, easy availability of cars, new fashions, household appliances and new opportunities for entertainment sport and holidays
how was the new affluence of the 30s visible?
new factory buildings (e.g. the Art Deco Hoover factory in West London) and rapid development in advertising industry
how was the new affluence of the 30s divisive?
life in suburbs = little connection with working-class society + often hostile. e.g. large brick wall built in North London.
how were regional differences present in the 1930s?
unemployment noticeably higher in areas where staple industries were concentrated:
-manufacturing areas of Birmingham and the Black country
-coal and steel in Yorkshire and Wales
-textiles in Lancashire
-shipping and shipbuilding in Newcastle, Scotland and Northern Ireland
what was the % of unemployment in Jarrow?
70
when was the Jarrow march?
oct 1936
what occurred during the Jarrow march?
200 unemployed men marched 300 miles to london to petition parliament to bring work back to their town
who was the Jarrow march organised and supported by?
organised by Jarrow’s Labour MP: Ellen Wilkinson, the mayor and the council and supported by local churches, TUs and politicians
what was the result of the Jarrow march?
when they reached London, they tried to hand their petition to the PM (Baldwin) but he refused to meet them. little immediate affect and some returned to their unemployment being stopped but it caused increased awareness of plight of Jarrow and other towns
what did the no. of book sales increase from and to as a result of the Depression?
7.2 mill in 1928 to 26.8 mill in 1939
what are some examples of popular literature during the 1930s?
Agatha Christie detective books, escapist fiction, classic novels, patriotic stories
what brand of books was published which increased accessibility of certain titles and when?
Penguin books, 1935
