Chapter 23 Flashcards
Social and cultural developments
What pre-war slums were cleared and new towns were built?
Harlow in Essex and Kirkby on Merseyside were former slums and new towns included Stevenage, Crawley, Corby and Cwmbran
How did men’s weekly wages change from 1951 to 1961?
£8.30 to £15.35
How much did home ownership change by in the 1950s?
Home-ownership increased but those living in council houses far outweighed them
What consumer goods symbolised rising new affluence?
Televisions, washing machines, refrigerators and new furniture
How many people travelled to Butlin’s per week in the 1950s?
60,000
What was the increase in combined television and radio licenses from 1951-55?
From 746,000 to over four million
What did Lord Reith deem commercial television?
‘smallpox, bubonic plague and the Black Death’
What was the first soap opera aired on British television?
Coronation Street
What new hobbies became popular during the 1950s?
DIY and gardening
In what ways was there a discernible youth culture in the 1950s?
They dressed differently to their parents, listened to different music and went to coffee bars
What was the most prominent sub-culture in the earl 1950s and what followed them?
‘Teddy boys’ and then Rockers and after that, Mods
What cinematic movement sparked during the 1950s?
The ‘British New Wave’
How were ideas about class and social mobility challenged during this decade?
Working class families had a greater degree of wealth and had the attribute of middle class families
What did critics of the ‘Establishment’ believe?
Britain was being held back by its ruling elite, and were blocking talent from outside the ‘Establishment’
How did Macmillan’s government seem to be dominated by the Establishment?
It contained a duke, the heir to a barony, a marquess and three earls
