The changing quality of life, 1918-79 Flashcards
Rationing
ensured that the vast majority of the population had the same limited access to food and resources, irrespective of how much money they had
The creation of the Ministry of Food in 1940 involving 50,000 administrators meant nearly all foodstuffs were allocated by ration cards
Ration book holders were allocated ration points that they could use each month on whatever they wanted
essential items were also rationed
government information campaigns emphasised a ‘make do and mend’ mentality as well as ideas of how to make food go further
A lack of white flour led the government to introduce the National Loaf, which long with other substitutes, was unpleasant for many to eat
In 1942 restaurants were subject to rationing controls to prevent resentment from working-class households who saw the wealthy as getting around rationing restrictions
Rationing made people feel as though living standards were on the decline
Health improved when rationing as food was supplemented with vitamins and minerals by MOF
infant mortality rate fell during the war
Working conditions
large number of new jobs created during the war for civilian munitions workers offered good pay and working conditions as a result of negotiations with trade unions
wages increased
money earn’t could only buy as much as rations would allow
creches were established in November 1941 and within 6 months there were 667 so women could work
Austerity 145-51
some rationing lasted longer after the war
Labour government forced to introduce bread rationing 1946-48 - Daily mail described this as the ‘most hated measure ever to have been presented’
clothing was rationed until 1949
Furniture produced during and after the war was designed to use as little wood as possible - utility furniture was restricted to newly weds or people whose homes were bombed
55% of British food was imported but Britain did not have the foreign currency reserves to pay for all the imports that were needed (reason for rationing)
The USA ended Britain’s wartime financial lifeline in 1945, the Lend-Lease Agreement (reason for rationing)
commitments of feeding parts of Germany under British control
Keeping men fighting in Greece
re-establishing British control in Asian countries
Expensive British defence commitments grew at the start of the Korean War
Overseas commitments diverted resources away from the civilian consumer economy
and into rearmament
defence spending was 23% of GDP in 1950
Pre-fabricated housing
1944 Housing and Temporary Accommodation Act built the Excalibur Estate in southeast London
homes were small two-bedroom bungalows designed to last for a maximum of 10 years
many owners recorded immense satisfaction with prefab estates despite problems with damp and cold
Pre-cast houses (Airey houses after industrialist Sir Edwin Airey whose company built them) were a form of pre-fab housing - persistent problems with cold and damp
Block of flats
appeared to be an easy solution to loss of large number of working class homes in the inner city
In 1951 the Lawn flats were built in Harlow, Essex, which were the first generation of point blocks, where all the flats were accessible from a central landing and elevator
approval by Festival of Britain - found them attractive
Poplar was an area of east London which had been heavily bombed - Lansbury estate was planned in 1943 and work for it began in 1949 - designed so that neighbours within it would have close access to their amenities which would help create communities
Creator of the estate, Frederick Gibberd, created its own indoor marker at Chrisp Street which was included in the Festival of Britain
New Towns Act, 1946
governments invested large amounts into housing due to homelessness caused by wartime bombing
most important piece of housing legislation passed by government for the working class
created 14 new towns, which were designed to relieve the working-class
Stevenage, Telford and Cumbernauld were designed using modern architecture and town planning - represented a considerable improvement in living conditions
first time living in suburban estates for many
massive improvement for families who previously lived in overcrowded slums before the war
