The Changing Quality of Life 1918-1979 Flashcards
1
Q
Impact: Boom, Crisis, Recovery 18-39 & signif. of regional differences
Economic Crisis in 1920s& 1930s
A
- Growth in unemployment interwar led to cuts in living standards in many areas
- Unemployment never fell below 1M in 30s - but uneven picture
- Less severe in new industries
- 1932 - 12% of electrical appliance workers unemployed, 70% of shipbuilders
2
Q
Impact: Boom, Crisis, Recovery 18-39 & signif. of regional differences
Migration for Work
A
- 1931 census - movement of people to London (population rose by 1M in 10 years)
- No great wholesale migration to areas where work could be found
- People far less mobile than today, many relucatnt to move away from family to a new area without a job guaranteed and having to find a place to live without income
2
Q
Impact: Boom, Crisis, Recovery 18-39 & signif. of regional differences
Significant of Regional Differences 1918-1939
A
- Decline of heavy industries had huge impact on living standards in areas where they were concentrated
- Decline of traditional industry - disparity between living standards in poorest and wealthiest parts widened
- Great Dep. 1932 - London had 13.2% unemployment, Wales had ~40%
- Prosperity enjoyed by many in new industry was not shared by those in traditional manufacturing
3
Q
Impact: Boom, Crisis, Recovery 18-39 & signif. of regional differences
Improvements in living standards in the 1930s
A
- Recovery from GD saw overall improvement for all in work - still some acute poverty in most depressed areas
- LS rose because wages remained stable while prices fell
- 1933 - real wages 10% higher than in 1929
- Growth in service industries such as hotels - 40% increase in workforce during interwar to cater for growing number of holidaymakers
4
Q
Impact: Boom, Crisis, Recovery 18-39 & signif. of regional differences
The consumer boom
A
- Household electrical appliances (eg. washing machines, hoovers) often bought on consumer credit - fillled homes of MC in 1930s
- Electricity supplied to more homes - particularly in new suburban estates
- 1930 - 200K hoover sales yearly, 400K by 1938
- 1930-1935 - 300% increase in sale of electric cookers
5
Q
Impact: Boom, Crisis, Recovery 18-39 & signif. of regional differences
Food
A
- Wider variety of foodstuffs - eg. fresh fruit from abroad - improved diets
- Prices for basics (eg tea, sugar, milk) fell
- Even for less affluent, quality of affordable food improved
- By late 20s - 20K chippies, with fish at less than 2p and chips at 1p - affordable
6
Q
Impact: Boom, Crisis, Recovery 18-39 & signif. of regional differences
‘Youth Culture’
A
Young people spending money on clothes, records, and enjoying themselves at dances and on day trips
7
Q
Impact: Boom, Crisis, Recovery 18-39 & signif. of regional differences
‘Bright Young Things’
A
- Nickname given by press to a group of hedonistic young people
- Often associated with aristocracy, theatre, entertainment
- Became famous for parties and outrageous behaviour in the 1920s
8
Q
The effects of ‘Total War’ and Austerity 1939-1951
Impact of WWII
A
- Gov intervened directly in supply of food, clothing, and other essentials during war
- Germany’s sinking of British cargo ships & need to diert resources away from civilian economy affected living standards
- Gov intervened to ensure fair distribution
9
Q
The effects of ‘Total War’ and Austerity 1939-1951
Rationing
A
- Ensured vast majority of population had same access to food & resources
- Creation of Ministry of Food 1940 - involved 50K administrators
- Ensured many foodstuffs (eg. meat, dairy) were allocated by ration cards - people encouraged to grow fruit & veg, cook in nutritious ways
- Anecdotal and other evidence suggests people were healthier after the war
10
Q
The effects of ‘Total War’ and Austerity 1939-1951
‘Make do and mend’
A
- Gov embarked on public info campaign which emphasised thriftiness
- Nothing was to be wasted - eg. cloothes always to be mended before being replaced
11
Q
The effects of ‘Total War’ and Austerity 1939-1951
Effects of the Blitz
A
- Severe impact on housing - millions ‘bombed out’ or living in homes unfit for habitation
- Over 2M homes destroyed
- Temporary accommodation usually provided - scene set for severe post-war housing shortage
- Pre-fabricated houses quickly constructed as a stop-gap solution - many families liven in overcrowded conditions
12
Q
The effects of ‘Total War’ and Austerity 1939-1951
The Age of Austerity 1945-1951
A
- Little opportunity to improve living standards
- Result of economic difficulties - many manufactured goods needed for export, items such as clothing and furniture remained in short supply at home
13
Q
The effects of ‘Total War’ and Austerity 1939-1951
Post-war Rationing
A
- Labour gov forced to introduce bread rationing 1946-1948 - had never been rationed during WWII
- Clothing rationed until 1949
- Utility furniture restricted to newly married couples or those who had been ‘bombed out’
14
Q
The effects of ‘Total War’ and Austerity 1939-1951
The Winter of 1946-1947
A
- Extremely harsh - exposed extent of Britain’s post-war economic fragility
- Country was partially paralysed by snow & ice - significant problems for both industry & domestic comfort - coal stocks depleted by war
- Electricity supply to industry and homes cut by Minister for Fuel & Power to 19hrs/day - resulted in factory closures & unemployment
- Gov feared running out of food - 1/4 sheep lost, root vegetables frozen, food reserves declined
- Canadian & Australian families posted food parcels to British families
15
Q
The effects of ‘Total War’ and Austerity 1939-1951
Festival of Britain
A
- GB benefited from Marshall Aid & general post-war recovery - conditions began to improve
- Cons. gov elected in 1951 - committed to ending austerity and rationing
- Growing optimist exemplified by 1951 Festival of Britain - showcased Britain’s technical and scientific expertise
16
Q
The Growth of a Consumer Society 1951-1979
The Affluent Society
A
- Post-waar decades saw longest sustained improvement in living standards in British history
- Even during 1970s, when inflation reached double figures, overall standard of living improved
- 1957 PM Macmillan: ‘Most of our people have never had it so good’
17
Q
The Growth of a Consumer Society 1951-1979
Reasons for growth in living standards
A
- Global economic boom
- Welfare State ensured basic standard of living for most of the population
- Relatively low energy prices until early 1970s
- Commitment by Labour & Cons to full employment
- Stron trade unions - able to negotiate fair wages for their members
- Rise in average wages since 1945
- Increasing availability of customer credit
18
Q
The Growth of a Consumer Society 1951-1979
Home Ownership
A
- One of the biggest indicators of growing prosperity was growth in home ownership
- 32% in 1953
- 42% in 1961
- 50% in 1971
19
Q
The Growth of a Consumer Society 1951-1979
Consumer Spending
A
- 1957: GB spent £1B on consumer goods (£1.5B by 1960)
- Average wages doubled during 1950s
- Money spent on labour-saving devices in the home (eg. hoovers, fridges)
- 1955: 17% of homes have washing machine, 1966: 60%
20
Q
The Growth of a Consumer Society 1951-1979
Consumer Credit
A
- One factor that allowed WC families to buy consumer goods was relaxation of rules surrounding customer credit in 1954
- Now able to pay by schemes of hire-purchase
21
Q
The Growth of a Consumer Society 1951-1979
Consumer Choice
A
- Economic problems of 1970s did little to slow consumer spending or expansion of choice
- Through 1970s, British tastes for foreign food and drink grew - due to cheaper travel/overseas holidays, and rapid growth of supermarket chains providing low-cost foods and plentiful choice
22
Q
The Growth of a Consumer Society 1951-1979
Poverty
A
- Despite overall prosperity, pockets of deep deprivation remained
- 1966 - housing charity Shelter founded to help the 12K homeless people and tens of thousands in temp accomodation
23
Q
The Growth of a Consumer Society 1951-1979
The Elderly Poor
A
- Most vulnerable residents in run-down neighbourhoods were the elderly
- 1965 - 1.5M elderly lived alone, many on small pensions
- In many instances, quality of life was poor due to insanitary living conditions, poor diet, loneliness
24
Q
The Growth of a Consumer Society 1951-1979
Poor Living Conditions
A
- 1963 - Manchester still had 80K slum houses without running water, heating, or inside toilets
- Most of these homes were overcrowded - depriving residents of privacy
- 1967 - 7.5M still living beneath poverty line, often in cold, damp, dirty homes
25
Q
The Growth of a Consumer Society 1951-1979
The Media
A
- Often concentrated on the affluent
- Some groundbreaking TV programmes which brought the plight of the disadvantaged to a wider audience
- 1966 play about homelessness filmed by Ken Loach - Cathy Come Home
26
Q
The Impact of Mass Popular Culture 1918-1979
Cinema in the Interwar Period
A
- Ticket sales grew - by 1930s 18-19M tickets sold weekly
- Many cinemas became elaborate & luxurious - small operations known as ‘flea pits’ remained
- Cinema offered unemployed men and women one of the few chances for escapism at affordable prices
27
Q
The Impact of Mass Popular Culture 1918-1979
Cinematograph Films Act 1927
A
- Passed to protect British film industry against USA competition
- Ensured that 7.5% of films shown in cinema had to be British-maede - rose to 20% in 1935
- Undoubtedly gave boost to British film industry - led to poor quality support films being made to fulfil percentage - ‘quota quickies’
28
Q
The Impact of Mass Popular Culture 1918-1979
Cinema during the War
A
- Cinemas closed on outbreak of war in case of bombing - made to open again quickly due to popular pressure
- Cinema vital for morale - patriotic films popular (eg. Laurence Olivier’s cinematic version of Henry V which coincided with the invasion of Northern Europe)
- Let George Do It 1940 - George Formby smacks Hitler - alleged by Mass Observation to be one of the highst morale-raising boosts of the entire war
29
Q
The Impact of Mass Popular Culture 1918-1979
Cinema 1945-1979
A
- Struggled to retain popularity after TV - attendances fell from 1.4M in 1947 to 800K in 1959
- Made some highly regarded products, notably Ealing Studios comedies and realistic war films (eg. Dunkirk, 1958)
- 1960s -Rise of Social Realism films featuring everyday lives of WC - Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960) about cynical young WC male in Nottingham
- Critically acclaimed, but unable to halt fall in attendance - first James Bond film very popular
30
Q
The Impact of Mass Popular Culture 1918-1979
Cinema in Decline
A
- During 1970s, went into temp decline - soft porn comedies and TV series spinoffs among its most popular productions
- Comparatively few successful blockbusters - excluding James Bond
- Some depicted changes in society, and often perceived rise in crime - Get Carter 1971
- Relaxation in censorship - challenging ultraviolence (A Clockwork Orange 1971) or explorations of intimate relationships (Women in Love 1969)
- Funding drained - most talented personnel moved to USA or to TV
31
Q
Popular Music, Radio, and TV 1918-1979
Popular Music interwar
A
- Dance bands and crooners singning sentimental ballads
- 1930 - estimated 20K dance bands, often performing at local halls where young people met away from their elders
- Sometimes criticised as encouraging immoral behaviour
32
Q
Popular Music, Radio, and TV 1918-1979
Popular Music post-WWII
A
- 1950s - birth of teenage culture closely tied to popular music
- British Rock n Roll movement of late 50s was short lived
- 1960s - growth of beat music based on US RnB
- GB led the world in popular music - Beatles, Stones, Zeppelin, Bowie, Floyd, Who
- Success continued in 1970s with Glam Rock & Punk - performers became icons
- Best exponents maintained fanbase as original audience aged, and even picked up new fans from younger generations
33
Q
Popular Music, Radio, and TV 1918-1979
Radio
A
- Growth of mass radio audience from 1920s onwards due to low cost of radios
- Listeners able to access news, drama, music, advice programmes
- WWII - radio important for morale - popular comedies, respected Evening News
- BBC slow to embrace RnR or beat music - listeners inclined to tune into Radio Luxembourg, which played pop music, or Pirate radio
- 1967 - Birth of Radio 1, close relationship between radio, music charts, producers, & stars developed
34
Q
Popular Music, Radio, and TV 1918-1979
Influence of TV from the 1950s
A
- TV revolutionised entertainment - people stayed home to watch
- Initially broadcast by BBC, commercial TV starting in 1955, countrywide by 1962
- Only 3 channels until 1981 & limited home recording facilities - huge audiences and unity of a nation when popular programmes aired
- Christmas specials of Morecambe & Wise attracted audiences of 20M+
35
Q
Popular Music, Radio, and TV 1918-1979
TV in the 1960s & 1970s
A
- Commercial TV concentrated on popular entertainment, but BBC more prepared to take risks with programming
- BBC pioneered satirical programmes, & featured dramas which exposed social issues
- BBC also noted for costume dramas, often based on classic novels (eg. Jane Eyre), and challenging comedy series (eg. Till Death Do Us Part)
- Reputation continued into 1970s with popular series such as Fawlty Towers
- More variety, TV gained popularity as most acquired colour sets and daytime TV
- Soap Operas - attracted huge audiences weekly
36
Q
Youth Culture 1955-1979
Baby Boomers
A
- Post-war years had unusually large numbers of births - growing up by 1950s
- Tensions between age groups - generation gap
- Era of full employment - young people develop own cultures, disposable income
- In most cases ‘rebellion’ was limited to teenage fashions and music - concern over development of Teddy Boys
37
Q
Youth Culture 1955-1979
Teddy Boys
A
- Easily identified by slicked back hair, Edwardian jackets, and drainpipe trousers
- Tended to show lack of respect towards elders, feared by many as violent
- Gang fights (often against conscripts in military uniform), vandalism, and racist attacks on immigrants from NC
- Present in large numbers at Notting Hill Riots in 1958
38
Q
Youth Culture 1955-1979
Progression of Youth Culture
A
- Teddy Boys replaced by Rockers in early 1960s
- Some became Mods - rode Vespas or Lambretta scooters from Italy
- Through 60s, Mods became skinheads who listened to reggae & ska
- Some became hippies or supported alt culture - rejecting society’s materialism
- For most, rebellion was a temporary phase before settling down - most became just as conservative as their parents
39
Q
Youth Culture 1955-1979
Shared aspects of Youth Cults
A
- Proponents wanted to be noticed - perhaps to shock elders
- Exploited by businesspeople - created their styles and marketed them very successfully
40
Q
Youth Culture 1955-1979
Young People & Violence
A
- Widespread concern about apparent predilection of young people for violence
- May 1964 - Mods & Rockers fought at seaside resorts
- Shocked visitors - felt threatened by disorder
- Situation worsened with widespread outbreaks of football violence, particularly among skinheads, which lasted into the 1980s and beyond
- Some have tried to explain this in terms of disadvantaged youth or animal behaviour of terroriality - hooligans themselves say violence is exciting and enjoyable
41
Q
Youth Culture 1955-1979
The 1970s
A
- Continuation of football hooliganism - areas around football grounds could become no-go areas for non-fans on match days
- Later years saw birth of punk rock - loud, angry music, fans who challenged traditional values with torn clothing, piercings, chains, and spiked hair - for most, a phase
- Most youth were non-violent, simply wanted to hang out with friends
- 1945: Scouting movements had 471K members, by 1970: 539K
42
Q
The Growth in Spectator Sports from the 1920s
Spectator Sports 1918-1939
A
- Many sports developed mass spectator audiences
- Football - cheap form of entertainment, attracting tens of thousands
- Facilities in stadia were rudimentary - vast majority standing on windswept terraces
- Players did not enjoy high salaries until end of maximum wage in 1960
43
Q
The Growth in Spectator Sports from the 1920s
Sport in the 1930s
A
- Served to take people’s minds off economic problems
- Football attendance remained high - many league grounds full every Saturday
- Other sports enjoyed large, mainly BC, audiences between the wars - tennis, show-jumping, gold
- 50K paying to see Ryder Cup in 1933
44
Q
The Growth in Spectator Sports from the 1920s
Broadcasting
A
- BBC radio outside broadcasts began in 1927
- Many feared this would reduce attendances - interest generated actually caused increase
- FA Cup final attendance at Wembley rose steadily - 91K in 1927, 93K for most of 30s, 99K in 1938
45
Q
The Growth in Spectator Sports from the 1920s
Sport during WWII
A
- Initially stadia were closed due to fear of mass casualties if bombed
- Public demand & positive impact on morale led to reopening
- Cessation of normal league competitions - too many sportsmen in armed forces
- Often took form of games between forces for charity - May 1943, 55K attended football match at Chelsea which raised £8K for naval welfare charities
- All encouraged to keep fit through organised sport
46
Q
The Growth in Spectator Sports from the 1920s
Spectator Sports 1945-1979
A
- After WWII media covered sport exhaustively
- British newspapers devoted more coverage to sport than any other topic
- Huge demand from public for sports coverage
47
Q
The Growth in Spectator Sports from the 1920s
Televising Sport
A
- Developments in tech increased British TV audiences’ access to sporting events around the world
- Televising of international sporting events (eg. Olympics, World Cup, Commonwealths) enabled viewers to support British representatives in world events
- 1966 World Cup - 32M viewers for the final where England beat West Germany
48
Q
The Growth in Spectator Sports from the 1920s
‘Sport for All’
A
- Direct benefit of development of national sporting culture was increased gov investment in sporting facilities during the 1960s & 1970s
- Government developed Sports Council of GB in 1972 - designed to promote sport among elite athletes and public as a whole with ‘Sport for All’ motto
49
Q
The Development of Mass Tourism from the 1930s
Tourism for the Wealthy
A
- Pre-1918 - few WC people able to take holidays, most tourist facilities geared to wealthy
- Wealthy stayed at expensive hotels in sea & spa resorts - with leisure facilities
- Sailing popular among UC - off coast and inland (Norfolk Broads)
- Many went to seaside resorts for their health
- Few went abroad, those who did went to exclusive places such as the French Riviera
50
Q
The Development of Mass Tourism from the 1930s
Paid Holidays
A
- 1931 - 1.5M workers given paid holiday time
- 1939 - Compulsory to have paid holiday time - 11M
- By this time, 20M were regularly visiting seaside resorts such as Blackpool - 7M overnight visitors in 1937
51
Q
The Development of Mass Tourism from the 1930s
Tourism in the 1930s
A
- Grew in popularity
- In many industrial areas, factories all closed for the same 2 weeks of summer every year - mass exodus (wake weeks) where special trains and buses took people to their holidays
- Seaside resorts remained popular - number of boarding houses and holiday camps increased to accomodate growth in tourism
- Those wouldn’t afford to stay away from home could take trains which offered special day trips to seaside resorts
52
Q
The Development of Mass Tourism from the 1930s
Tourism and Road Transport
A
- Growth in afordability of cars led to development of tourism across GB that didn’t rely on rail travel
- 1936 - coaches transported 82M to rural parts of GB
- 1939 - 2M cars on roads (up from 100K in 1919)
- Scotland, Lake District, North Wales - most popular destinations for caravanners, campers and hikers (72K visited Lake Distric in 1930s)
- Cheap hiking holidays made easier by growth in Youth Hostel Association - offered dormitory rooms and breakfast
53
Q
The Development of Mass Tourism from the 1930s
Butlin’s
A
- Mass WC tourism changed with creation of holiday camps - idea imported from Canada by Billy Butlin
- Built first one in Skegness in 1936 - ‘a weeks holiday for a week’s wages’
- 1939 - Skegness & Clacton camps providing holidays for 100K visitors per year
- By 1960s - 6 more camps built
54
Q
The Development of Mass Tourism from the 1930s
Fall of Butlin’s
A
- Visitor numbers began to decline in early 1970s
- People tired of organised activities and regimentation - reminded them of army camp
- Youth camps rocked by sex and drugs scandals - damaging family friendly image
55
Q
The Development of Mass Tourism from the 1930s
Post WWII: Independent Holidays
A
- Car ownership grew - more people favoured holidays which they arranged themselves
- During 50s, affordability of holidays meant they became central feature of life for many families
- Almost all businesses offered fortnight annual paid leave by 1960s
- Holidaying was an important break from working life
- 3M visited National Trust properties in summer 1971
56
Q
The Development of Mass Tourism from the 1930s
New Forms of Tourism
A
- Caravanning - made possible by growth of car ownership, 20% of all holidays in 60s, over half the population had taken a caravan holiday by the 1970s
- The ‘Hippy Trail’ - Route to Nepal & India, many young people who had rejected materialism were drawn by availability of Hashish and opium
57
Q
The Development of Mass Tourism from the 1930s
Foreign Tourism in 1950s & 1960s
A
- Rise in package holidays abroad - notable to resorts in Spain
- 1971 - British people took 4M holidays abroad, rising to 13M by 1981
- Combination of cheap accomodation, cheap chartered flights, and hot weather attracted many - influenced tastes in the country too
- Foreign food became more popular in GB as a result
58
Q
The Impact of Car Ownership and other Travel Developments 1918-1979
The inter-war Car Industry 1918-1939
A
- By early 30s, mass production meant popular car prices had fallen considerably
- Austin Seven (popular family car) cost £125
- 1931 - Morris Minor SV was the first £100 car
- Cars were overwhelmingly the preserve of MC
- Avg hourly rate of male workers - 7p per hour in October 1938, beyond resources of WC families
59
Q
The Impact of Car Ownership and other Travel Developments 1918-1979
Road-Building
A
- Rapid growth in car ownership = expansion of road network
- Many new tarmac-covered roads built on pre-existing highways, but new roads (often cutting through scenic countryside) also built
- Major civil engineering projects (Mersey Tunnel in 1934, Great North Road in 1939) were result of increased car ownership
60
Q
The Impact of Car Ownership and other Travel Developments 1918-1979
Cars in Wartime
A
- Car production in GB interrupted by WWII - production lines used to build materiel (eg. tanks, planes)
- War also placed restrictions of amount of petrol motorists could use - rationing of petrol continued until 1950
61
Q
The Impact of Car Ownership and other Travel Developments 1918-1979
Growth in Car Ownership
A
- British avg wages continued to rise throughout 60s - car ownership increased
- By end of 60s, 2.2M cars registered in London alone
- By 1972, 13M drivers in GB - increasingly buying better and cheaper cars from overseas
- 1/3 cars imported in 1975 ( less than 1% in 1949), 1/2 by 1979
- People could venture afield for work and leisure
62
Q
The Impact of Car Ownership and other Travel Developments 1918-1979
Impact on Public Transport
A
- Rise in car ownership = decline in journeys by train and coach
- Coach travel had increased with frowth of holidays pre-war - by 1952 still accounted for 42% of all journeys (fell by a third by 1969)
- Car travel increased from 58B kilometres to 286 B in the same period
- Railways suffered most - half the network shut by Beeching Axe of 1963
63
Q
The Impact of Car Ownership and other Travel Developments 1918-1979
Roads & Motorways
A
- Development of GB into car-owning society = expansion of road network from 30s
- Motorway network largely built during 60s & 70s
- Benefits included improvements in transporting goods, greater mobility for motorists, and diminishing travelling times
- Environmentalists complained about loss of green space & animal habitats
- Home owners close to motorways complained of impact of noise and traffic
64
Q
The Impact of Car Ownership and other Travel Developments 1918-1979
International Car Travel
A
- Grew significantly with advent of cheap foreign holidays
- Until roll-on-roll-off ferries in 1960s, it was expensive and slow to take a car abroad - had to load vehicle aboard with a crane (few took cars abroad)
- Now it was much more common
65
Q
The Impact of Car Ownership and other Travel Developments 1918-1979
International Air Travel
A
- For journeys further away, people preferred air travel
- # of airline passengers on international flights greww from 1M in 1955 to 14M by 1970
- This was facilitated by cheap charter flights
- Some holiday companies cut costs so much that they went bankrupt and clients lost their holidays
