KQ2 - Life During The Depression

Question 1

What were the nicknames for the 1930s?

Answer 1

‘The Black Years’, ‘ The Devil’s Decade’ and ‘The Hungry Thirties’

Question 2

When was the Unemployment Insurance Act?

Answer 2

1920

Question 3

What was the Unemployment Insurance Act?

Answer 3

A system of payments for unemployment’s workers. Provided 39 weeks of benefits to those who were registered as unemployed.
Known as Dole

Question 4

By how much did economists suggest the Dole should be cut by?

Answer 4

By at least 10%

Question 5

Why did Ramsey MacDonald resign?

Answer 5

The issue of cutting the dole split the ministers in the Labour Government and the PM resigned

Question 6

When was the Means Test introduced?

Answer 6

1931

Question 7

What was the purpose of the means test?

Answer 7

It was designed for o control and reduce the amount of dole that was paid

Question 8

What was the means test?

Answer 8

After 6 months on unemployment benefit, people went on a benefit known as ‘the dole’.

If family had other sources of income, like a part time job or a pension, deductions were made from weekly payments.

The amount paid was based on the income of the whole family with the maximum payment varying from area to area.

Question 9

Who carried out the means test?

Answer 9

Carried out by inspectors from the local Public Assistance Committees (PACs), which was set up in 1930.

Question 10

Stats relating to the means test

Answer 10

The average maximum for a family of 2 adults and 3 children was fixed at £1.46 per week, but many were paid less because of earnings from other members of the family.

In 1936, the maximum sum was raised to £1.80 per week but still below the average wage of £3

Question 11

Why was the means test extremely unpopular? (7 points)

Answer 11

Many claimed it was for the Govt. to save money rather than help the unemployed

People hated having inspector go through belongings, forcing them to sell some.

People forced relatives to live somewhere else to receive the full amount each week.

Humiliating to reveal earnings, savings + value of possessions.

If officials thought there was enough money in house, they would stop dole.

Some local authorities applied test harshly, whilst others (E.g Country Durham) refused to carry it out.

Strained family relationships (e,g an older child forced to pay towards family

Question 12

When did the hunger marches begin?

Answer 12

Autumn of 1931

Question 13

How many places had protest marches against the means test by the end of 1931?

Were they peaceful?

Answer 13

By the end of 1931, there had been protest marches against the means test in more than 30 towns.

However, not all these marches were peaceful

Question 14

Example of a march that resulted in violence

Answer 14

In 1932, there were clashes with the police in Rochdale and Belfast where 2 demonstrators were killed.

Question 15

What was set up to try to put pressure on the government during the hunger marches?

Answer 15

The National Unemployed Worker’s Movement (NUWM)

Question 16

When was the March on London organised by the National Unemployed Worker’s Movement?
What happened in this?

Answer 16

October 1932

Marchers attempting to present a petition to parliament were stopped by the police

Question 17

When was the Jarrow March?

Answer 17

1936

Question 18

Where is Jarrow?

Answer 18

North-East of England

Question 19

What was the nickname for the Jarrow March?

Answer 19

The Jarrow Crusade

Question 20

Unemployment in Jarrow

Answer 20

Unemployment rose from 3245 in 1929, to 7178 in 1933

Question 21

What was the worse affected town during the Depression?

Answer 21

Jarrow

Question 22

What were the problems faced by Palmer’s shipyard?

Answer 22

By the 1930s, the yard was too small for the type of ships that were being built.
The ‘Queen Elizabeth’ and ‘Queen Mary’, launched in the 1930s, were over 80 000 tonnes which Palmers could not match.

Question 23

When was Palmers Shipyard closed?

Answer 23

1934

Question 24

What was the National Shipbuilders’ Securities?

What did it do?

Answer 24

It was a group of shipyard owners that set up the company to help save the shipyard industry. The decided to buy smaller yards and then scrap them.

Palmers was one of the first to go. It was announced that no shops would be built there for 40 years.

Question 25

What effect did the the closing of Palmers Shipyard have on Jarrow?

Answer 25

The closure of the yard had a terrible effect on Jarrow with unemployment reaching 80%

Question 26

Describe the death and infant mortality rates in Jarrow

Answer 26

They were monitored by the Jarrow Public Health Committee. The figures for Jarrow were very high, showing that malnutrition and poor health were widespread in the town.

Death and infant mortality rates were higher than the national average in 1931 and 1936.
In 1936, the infant mortality mortality in Jarrow (114) was double the national average (57)

Question 27

How did the people of Jarrow try to initially solve the problem?

Answer 27

They sent a number of deputations to the Board of Trade in London, they got nowhere.

In 1936, the last deputation met the President of the Board of Trade, a cabinet minister, who told them to go back to Jarrow and work out their own salvation

Question 28

Why was the government suspicious of hunger marches?

Answer 28

The leaders of the Previous marches, Will Hannington, was a communist, which alarmed he authorities and the marches had often led to clashes with the police.

Question 29

What were the Prime Ministers attitude to hunger marches?

Answer 29

Stanley Baldwin, the PM, was especially unsympathetic towards the hunger marches.

Question 30

What was the TUC?

Answer 30

Trade Union Congress

Question 31

Why didn’t the TUC and Labour Party support hunger marches?

Answer 31

They believed that they only brought bad publicity for the Labour movement and the plight of the unemployed.

Question 32

Why did the NUWM not support the Jarrow Crusade?

Answer 32

The Jarrow marchers refused to cooperate with a much larger march organised by the NUWM in which several groups were to converge on London at the same time.

The NUWM objected the non-political nature of the March. The Jarrow marchers did not favour any of the political parties with both Labour and Conservative party officials helping with its organisation.

Question 33

How many men were in the Jarrow March?

Who were they led by?

Answer 33

200 men marched from Jarrow to London

Led by the mayor, MP Ellen Wilkinson and town councillors.

Question 34

How long was the Jarrow March? Duration and length

Answer 34

It took the marchers 8 months and they covered over 450 Km in 22 stages.

Question 35

What was the reception in cities the Jarrow marchers passed?

Answer 35

Everywhere they went, they received great support and sympathy. They were put in church halls and given free meal and their shoes were repaired free of charge.

The Bishop of Ripon spoke out in their support and newspapers published accounts of their progress.

Question 36

What happened when the Jarrow Crusaders arrived in London?

Answer 36

There was little support or sympathy from the government

Question 37

What were the achievements of the Jarrow March?

Answer 37

The Jarrow petition presented to the Commons.

The men returned as heroes.

The petition asked the government to provide work for the town ‘without delay’.

The March given a lot of public support.

The police praised the marchers for being well organised and disciplined.

The March improves the public image of hunger marches, which had previously led to
clashes with the police.

Question 38

What were the limitations of the Jarrow March?

Answer 38

The March and petition did little or nothing to stir the Govt. to action.

Stanley Baldwin refused to make any comment on the presentation of the petition. His response was predictable due to reputation of not giving in to external pressure.

In 1926, Baldwin had forced the General Strike to come to an end and he did the same by ignoring the Jarrow marcher’s petition.

Question 39

South Wales Context

Answer 39

As well as protests from the North-East of England there were also protests from South Wales, particularly Rhondda, an area of 16 mining communities built around the River Rhondda.

Even before the Depression started, the area suffered economic problems.

Question 40

When was the Red Sunday?

Answer 40

Sunday 18 September 1927

Question 41

What happened at the Red Sunday in Rhondda Valley demonstration?

Answer 41

A call went out for a March to be organised with the purpose of raising awareness of the economic difficulties faced in the Rhondda area. It’s destination to be London.

However, it gained little support and the March did not take place.

Question 42

What began on 14 October 1932?

Answer 42

A nationwide hunger march began with the aim of converging on London. A total of 2500 marchers set off from different points around Britain.

From South Wales, 375 marchers set off from the Rhondda area.

Question 43

What was the purpose of the nationwide hunger march?

Answer 43

The intention was to present a petition to parliament demanding the abolition of the means test and Anomalies Act,
the ending of cuts to social services,
and the ending of the 10% reduction in unemployment benefits.

Question 44

How did the government react to the nationwide hunger march?

Answer 44

They deployed spies, informers and the Metropolitan Police to keep a watchful eye on their movements.
Force was also used to confiscate the petitions so that the marchers could not deliver them to parliament.

Question 45

What did the MP for the Rhondda Valley do in 1935? what was his/her name?

Answer 45

The MP for the Rhondda Valley, W.H. Mainwaring wrote a letter to the Home Secretary to try to get sympathy from him.

Question 46

Which Pamphlet showed little sympathy to the unemployed in South Wales?

Answer 46

An unsympathetic pamphlet appeared in The New Statesman and Nation magazine in 1035.

Question 47

Who was the monarch at the time of the depression?

Answer 47

King Edward VIII

Question 48

Describe the monarchy’s involvement during the depression?

Answer 48

The he new monarch, King Edward VIII l, reportedly said that ‘something must be done’ on a tour of Wales in 1936, regarding conditions witnessed when talking to unemployed miners and their families.

Some in Pontypool wrote a letter to the King + had it published in the Western Mail, a newspaper with a predominantly South Wales leadership arguing that the kings tour did not show the terrible effects of poverty.

Question 49

Describe the hunger march that was organised from South Wales

Answer 49

In October 1936, a hunger march was organised and had 504 marchers.
It had the backing of the Labour Party, which had not previously been the case. It was suggested this gave the March ana it of credibility, and thus the Govt. didn’t involve the Metropolitan Police Force,

The Govt. still kept a close eye on the march by using spies and informants.

Question 50

Describe the surveys of Seebohm Rowntree regarding poverty

Answer 50

Seebohm Rowntree, a social researcher and son of the chocolate manufacturer Joseph Rowntree, carried out a survey of York at the beginning of the 20th Century and found 30% of people in York lives below the poverty line.

In 1936, Rowntree completed a second survey and found this percentage has remained the same.
His findings revealed that 72% of unemployed workers lived below the poverty line.

Question 51

Describe a survey regarding the wage gap during the depression

Answer 51

A survey of Stockton-on-Tees in the early 1930s compared the average weekly income of a family in which the wage earner was out of worker to of a family in which the wage earner was in work.

The average weekly income of an unemployed family was £1.46, for an employed family The average income was £2.57.

Question 52

What did ‘among ends meet’ mean?

Answer 52

Originally used when checking income against expenditure, but in this context it meant that families could only spend what money they now had.

Question 53

Survey to show the malnutrition gap during the depression

Answer 53

The same survey in Stockton-on-Tees showed that a poor family was likely to spend only 3 shillings fa (15p) a head on food per week, while a richer family would spend at least 6 shillings (30p)

Question 54

Stats on malnutrition during the depressions

Answer 54

In 1936, John Boyd Orr published the results of a survey into the diet and health of the British people.

4.5 million people had a diet that was inadequate in all respects. A further 5 million people suffered from some form of deficiency.

1/10 of the population was seriously undernourished including 1/5 of all children.

Question 55

Describe the diet of an unemployed family.

Answer 55

A lot of bread, margarine, potato, sugar and tea but little meat, fresh fruit, vegetables and milk.

The diet of wives and mothers were most inadequate as they sacrificed their own needs for those of their husbands and children.

Led to malnutrition

Question 56

Describe the impact of the depression on women

Answer 56

Women in work generally the first to be laid off, especially in the cotton industry. In contras, no. of women in domestic service went up in 1930s as women looked for any chance of finding work so that they could ‘make ends meet’.

NI only covered the worker, normally the men meaning they would have to pay to visit doctor or get medicine. Many women sacrificed them severed to feed their children or pay for their further medical treatment rather than their own. ; (death rate stat)

Question 57

Stat on death rate of women during depression

Answer 57

Govt. stats showed from 1931 to 1935, the death rate for women aged 15 to 35 was more than twice as high in some areas of high unemployment as it was in other areas.

Question 58

Stats to show the poor health of children during the depression

Answer 58

In south-east England, 1935, the infant death rate was 42% per 1000 live births. In Northumberland and Durham it was 76.

In the 1930s, for every 3 children from richer smilies that died young, there were 8 children from poorer families.

Local medical officers frequently reported on the poor health of districts in the depressed areas.

In 1933, an investigation in Newcastle revealed that 1 in 3 schoolchildren were physically unfit because of poor health.

Comparisons with children from richer families showed that the poor were 10 times more likely to catch Bronchitis, 8 times more likely to catch pneumonia and 5 times more likely to suffer from rickets.

Question 59

Describe the way communities used ‘self-help’

Answer 59

Women operated credit mechanisms for pawning goods, paying rent, buying food and clothing, borrowing money.

Neighbours rallied around during times of crisis, for example Child Birth, intrusion by rent collectors or the police.

Communities would come down harshly on those who broke its unwritten conventions.

Question 60

What are Mayor’s funds?

Answer 60

Money put aside by the mayor of a lavish authority to use to support unemployed people

Question 61

Describe how other organisations also attempted to ‘help’ the unemployed with ‘self-help’

Answer 61

In many parts of the country, clubs for the unemployed were set up, often initiated by the Church and Mayor’s funds. Often located in church hall and became a frequently used meeting point.

In 1930, a national conference was held by the British Association of Residential Settlements and the YMCA to promote the idea of effective use of the ‘leisure’ time the unemployed had before returning to work.

In 1932, the British Institute of Adult Education called a conference that led to the establishment of the Central Advisory Council for Unemployed Workers which subsequently received funds from the newly appointed Commissioners for Special Areas. This led to an increase in educational programmes for the unemployed.

The British Library organised a National Book Appeal for the Unemployed

Question 62

Describe the immigration into Wales pre-war and post-war

Answer 62

During the industrial revolution, Wales had attracted thousands of immigrants who found work in the coal, iron and steel industries.

However, in the years that followed WW1, immigration numbers started to fall and by the time the Depression hit, people started to emigrate from Wales in massive numbers and with significant effects.

Question 63

Stats on emigration from Wales (4 points)

Answer 63

Between 1921 and 1938, approximately 440 000 people left Wales for work and a better life somewhere else.

The valleys of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire in South Wales saw massive migration, with approximately 85% of people who were leaving Wales coming from there.

In Pembroke Dock, 1/4 of population (3500) had left by 1933.

The population of he Rhondda Valley fell by approximately 18% in the 1930s. Merthyr also saw a large drop in its population.

Question 64

To what countries did welsh communities emigrate? Why?

Answer 64

Welsh communities were established in USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South America.

Some of these places were affected by the world-wide depression, but still had more attractive work opportunities than what was left in Wales.

Question 65

What did the government do for the emigrating Welsh people.

Answer 65

The Govt., through the Ministry of Labour, set up a scheme to help the unemployed Welsh workers and their families.

Question 66

What areas of Britain saw an influx of Welsh communities? Why?

Answer 66

The new light engineering + car manufacturing areas in the Midlands saw an influx of Welsh people who were encouraged to settle in towns such as Coventry.

Towns, such as Oxford and Slough, saw and increase in Welsh settlers.

The Morris Motor Company in Cowley (Oxfordshire) became one of the biggest employers of Welsh migrants

Question 67

Stats regarding the use of Radio during the Depression (4 points)

Answer 67

By 1939, there were 9 million registered radios in houses across Britain.

The cost of a radio licence was 15s (35p).

The electrical department store Curry’s sold radios, with 2 or 3 valves, for £1 to £3. The store even had a ‘hire purchase agreement’ of between 1 and 2 shillings per week for those who couldn’t afford to buy one.

By 1939, nearly 75% of British families owned a Radio.

Question 68

What was broadcasted on the radio?

Answer 68

The BBC broadcast schools programmes, plays, popular music and comedy.

Regular reports from across the British empire imparted news and information.

Sport was also featured. In 1936, on Boxing Day, the 1st radio broadcast was made of a Swansea Town FC football game played against Aston Villa.

Question 69

Why were the radio and cinema really popular and important?

Answer 69

They provided escapism

Question 70

When was sound added to movie? What was the effect?

Answer 70

In 1927, for the first time films had sound and people heard Al Jolson talking in the feature film ‘The Jazz Singer’.
Consequently, films became even more popular.

Question 71

Stats regarding cinemas during the Depression (6 points)

Answer 71

In 1934, Wales had over 320 cinemas, with over 20 in Cardiff alone.

In 1935, the first Welsh language ‘talkie’ was screened. Films such as ‘How green was my Valley’ portrayed romantic view of life in typical mining community in Sotuh Wales, far from reality.

By 1936, there were 1000 million cinema admissions per year in the UK.

In 1937, it was estimated that 40% of Liverpool’s population went to the cinema at least once a week.

In York, it was estimated that almost half the town’s population went to its 7 cinemas.

Special Saturday matinees offered to children for penny entry.

Question 72

Name film stars popular during the depression

Answer 72

People would go and watch stats such as Clark Gable, Greta Garbo and Errol Flynn in the latest Hollywood blockbuster.

Question 73

Describe what kind of place the cinema became for people during the depression

Answer 73

Cinemas themselves became more luxurious in their decor which became ‘dream palaces’ for many people.
Even the names of cinemas, e.g ‘The Empire’, ‘The Majestic’, ‘The Paramount’ and ‘The Royal’ conjured an image different from
Daily experience.

Young people met at the cinema and it became a place to date.

Question 74

Describe television during the depression

Answer 74

Though still in its infancy in the 1930s, it was beginning to get traction. However, even in more prosperous areas like South and South-East Britain, few owned a Television.

Nevertheless, for few, watching live sporting events was possible from the comfort of their own home.
(BBC TV’s first broadcast of a football match was Arsenal v Arsenal Reserves in September 1937.

Question 75

Describe rugby during the depression

Answer 75

By the 1930s, rugby had become on do the most popular games, particularly in Wales.

Most villages had teams, particularly mining villages. Miners mixed with people from the so-called higher profession of doctors, teachers and clergy, in amateur rugby teams.

However, on the Depression hit, many talented players went to North England where they could play in professional Rugby League teams and earns living wage.

Question 76

Describe association football during the Depression + Stats

Answer 76

By the 1920s, association football was played extensively throughout Wales and England.

Regarded by many as a working-class sport, it was labelled the ‘people’s game’. Thousands travelled the country, most by train, to support and watch their teams.

When depression hit, many travelling supporters waned and did not fully recover until 1937.

However during the 1930s, football clubs set record attendance figures. Manchester City v Chelsea saw a crowd of over 80000 in attendance, while Halifax Town FC regularly had attendances of over 30000.

Question 77

Describe boxing during the depression

Answer 77

Boxing was a sport that attracted working-class supporters and the wealthier class who bet large amounts of money on the outcome of a fight.

In the 1930s, the best boxers were American and the heavyweight section was dominated by Joe Louis.

In 1937, Tommy Farr, a former Rhondda miner, fought Louis and was paid £10,000 (equivalent to £500,000). Despite taking Louis to the maximum fifteen round distance, Farr lost on points.

Question 78

Which areas had growing light industries despite the depression? Give examples of the industry.

Answer 78

Newer industries, such as motor vehicles and electrical goods, were found mainly in South-East England and the Midlands

Question 79

Describe mass-production light industry

Answer 79

Mass production methods (first seen in 1920s USA) were applied to the motor car industry.

By 1938, the numbers of cars sold in Britain had risen to approx 2 million.

Mass production lines needed workers to do aspects of the car assembly as the process moved from start to finish.

This type of work seemed attractive to those who lost their jobs during the Depression, however too many people had lost their jobs for new industries to take them all.

Question 80

Stats regarding the infectiveness of light industry to solve the economic problems of the depression.

Answer 80

Apart from the aircraft and chemical industries, the factories of the new light industries were smaller and employed fewer people. By 1939, the sale of consumer goods still only accounted for 15% of the nation’s total exports.

Question 81

Describe electricity and it’s use in light industry during the depression

Answer 81

Electricity was clean, cheap and efficient so it began to replace coal as a main fuel supply. Electricity not only powered new industries, but supplied to homes.
By 1938, the numbers of consumers supplied electricity to their homes had reached 9 million.

Question 82

What did the Government do to try to support light industry?

Answer 82

The Govt. tried to encourage the new industries with grants and by allowing land to be turned into industrial estates.

Question 83

What and where where the ‘Special Areas’?

Answer 83

The worst hit areas of unemployment were North-east England and North-west England, Clydeside, South Wales and Northern Ireland which became known as ‘special areas’.

Question 84

When was the first Special Areas Act passed?

Answer 84

1934

Question 85

What did the first Special Areas Act do?

Answer 85

It offered grants of £2 million to companies that would move to the Special Areas.

Also, 44000 workers were encouraged to move to other towns and 30 000 unemployed men were put on retraining courses to learn new skills.

Question 86

When was the second Special Areas Act passed?

Answer 86

1936

Question 87

What did the second Special Areas Act do?

Answer 87

Offered factories and businesses remission from rents, rates and payment of taxes of up to 100%.

Question 88

What was the first industrial estate? Where and when?

Answer 88

The first was the Team Valley Trading Estate in Gateshead in 1938

Question 89

Stats to show that the Special Areas Act was not effective

Answer 89

By 1938, about £8,400,000 had been spent but only 121 new firms had been set up, creating only 14900 jobs.

Question 90

Why was the Specials Areas Act ineffective?

Answer 90

Small industrial estates could not replace the coalmining or shipbuilding industries.

Many companies in the newer industries were reluctant to move to the special areas.

Question 91

What was the general view of the Special Areas Act?

Answer 91

The general view about the Specials Areas Act was that while they were well intentioned, in reality the did not achieve a great deal.

Question 92

What was the opposition in Parliament’s view on the Special Areas Act?

Answer 92

Those in parliament who applied the Govt. claimed that all the government was doing was a ‘hollow gesture’ towards those suffering the hardest aspects of the Depression.

Question 93

Why do some say that the reduction unemployment was not due to the Special Areas Act?

Answer 93

Although by 1938, unemployment in special areas had rescued, some have suggested it was not an The Act that achieved this, but the migration of workers from these areas to more prosperous areas such as the Midlands and south-east England.

Question 94

When was the Treforest Industrial Estate established?

Answer 94

June 1936

Question 95

What was the purpose of the Treforest Industrial Estate?

Answer 95

It was a non-profit company whose aim was to provide alternative forms of employment to the coal and steel industries.

Question 96

Stats regarding the Treforest Industrial Estate

Answer 96

In 1937, 3 small factories were completed on the Estate, employing 69 people.

The Govt. invested in the Estate from 1939 to 1945. As a consequence, the no. of people working on the Estate grew to 16000.

Question 97

Why have some suggested that during the depression there were ‘two Britains: the old and the new’?

Answer 97

New investment, new housing, new roads and rail links significantly changed some areas of the country, while other areas languished in poverty.