DWR Flashcards
What was the world unemployment rate in 1930?
30 million people were unemployed, 3 million were british
What was the dole?
The dole was an unemployment insurance scheme which would give benefits for 6 months after unemployment
When was the dole cut by 10%?
1931
What was the means test?
It was a way to reduce and control the dole.
It was introduced in 1931.
The dole could be refused if anyone else in the family had a job, or if any grandparents lived in the house without paying rent.
Why was the means test unpopular?
Heirlooms and precious items had to be sold.
It was humiliating to reveal hiw much savings, earnings and possessions people had.
It caused tension in families.
Some authorities were very harsh whereas others refused to carry it out.
What we’re the hunger marches?
Protest marches to highlight the problems caused by enemployment, such as poverty and hunger
What was the most famous hunger march?
The Jarrow crusade in 1936
Unemployment rates in Jarrow and why?
Around 75% of Jarrow’s population were unemployed, due to the closure of shipyards.
What happened during the Jarrow crusade?
200 unemployed men walked 300 miles (which took a month) to get to London. They wanted to present an 11,000 signature petition requesting jobs to the MP Ellen Wilkinson. However, when they arrived they were sent on a boat ride while the petition was presented behind the backs in order to get rid of them. When arriving home, their benefits stopped.
When and what was the nationwide hunger march?
On October 14, 1932, 375 marchers wanting the abolition of the means test headed to London. The petition was confiscated and not presented to Parliament.
How many people left Wales during 1920 to 1930?
Around 430,000 people
What was ‘making ends meet’?
Trying to make little money last as long as possible.
How did people try to make ends meet?
Buying cheap food, women looked for work, women often starved so that they could feed their family, etc.
What were the consequences of people trying to make ends meet?
There was an increase in mother’s and children dying during childbirth, women suffered illnesses, children were malnutritioned, people had poor health
How many people did merthyr Tydfil loose?
Merthyr Tydfil lost 10,000 people during the 1930s
When was radio introduced?
1922
How popular was radio?
Very popular. By 1937, half of the households in Britain had a radio.
Was cinema popular in the 1930s?
Yes, I was very popular.
In 1934, there were 20 cinemas in Cardiff and 320 in Wales.
In 1939 there were 4776 cinemas in Britain and 23 million tickets were sold a week.
When was the first Welsh talkie?
1935
Who was a famous sportsman?
Tommy Farr was a successful boxer and Rhondda hero. His match against the American Joe Louis was famous even though Tommy lost.
What was the Special Areas Act?
It was introduced in 1934 to provide help to areas worst hit by the depression.
Grants of £2 million (approximately £130 million now) were given to encourage companies to move to special areas.
By 1938 over £8 million was spent but only 14,900 jobs were created.
How were new goods purchased?
Via the hire purchase scheme, where one would pay for goods in installments. This was encouraged by companies as they started mass producing.
Example of mass produced item:
2 million Austin 7 cars were sold in 1938.
Why and when was the ‘phoney war’?
This was the first 6 months of WW2, when there was very little fighting in the west as Germany was concentrated on the invasion in Poland.
