Chapter 3 (1) Flashcards
Emergence of the “Teenage market”
-Post war baby boom meant that there were 5 million teenagers in 1959 which was 10% of the population
-There was an increase in disposable income as teens had part time jobs, wealthier parents, and there was no fixed school leaving age
-New Labour saving devises meant that girls didn’t need to help their mums as much so had more free time
-Boys no longer had to be conscripted for 2 years after 1960
-Increase in influence from the USA when rock and roll reached the UK in 1955 as well as films and comics targeting horror
Products aimed at targeting teenagers
-‘Tales from the crypt’ was an American horror magazine which was banned by the government in the run up to the 1959 election
-‘Picturegoer’ became extremely popular in the 1950’s even though it was started in 1911
-‘Bunty’ was started in 1958 and aimed at teenage girls
-Vinyl records
-Transister Radios
-‘Teenage torture’ - films
Teddy Boys
Bought suits to look Edwardian
Linked with violence
Spent lots of money on suits (£120 suits when the average weekly wage was £10)
Typically very racist
Stayed in district gangs
Worked good jobs
Weren’t actually as violent as the media made them out to be
Went to hairdressers and pintail saloons at least once a week
Their parents were against their fashion
Mods
Inspired by Italy
Wore sharp suits and rode scooters
Decorated their scooters with lots of lights
Fought with the rockers in the 1960s
Thought rockers were outdated and scruffy (Greasers)
Rockers
Inspired by the USA like Marlon Brando
Wore leather jackets, jeans, and rode motorbikes
Fought the mods in the 1960’s
Known as the ‘Greasers’ by the mods
Wages under MacMillan: support
Wages rose ahead of prices
Average weekly wage increased from £8.30 to £18.35
Growth in real wages. 2.2% between 1951-55. 4% between 1960-64.
Minimum of 2 weeks paid holiday become usual
Housing: success
Built 300,000 houses annually between 1951-54
1.7 million built between 1951-64
60% of these were private dwellings
Mortgages came about to help people begin to buy their homes
All new homes required correct ring mains and standardised power sockets
Employment: success
Increase in number of working women meant dual income families were more common
Unemployment was below 500,000 in the 1950s
1959- unemployment fell and economy grew 4% in real terms
2 day weekend almost universal
Working hours dropped from 48 hours to 42
Education: success
11 universities built, only 17 in 1945
6000 new schools built with GCE introduced in 1951
Increased emphasis on science
Leisure: success
Minimum of 2 weeks paid holiday become usual
5% of all personal spending was by teenagers by the end of the 1950s
Commercial TV started in 1955
Increase in overseas holidays
2 day weekend
Working hours dropped from 48 hours to 42
