What was Britain like in the 50s?
What was Britain like in the 50s?
At the beginning of the 1950s, after all, Britain had been threadbare, bombed-out, financially and morally exhausted. Its major cities were still bombsites, it was almost impossible for many families to borrow money, rationing was harsher than ever, and there was an acute shortage of decent housing.
What major events happened in 1950 in the UK?
In 1950 the legacy of the Second World War was still everywhere to be seen. In the major cities, and particularly in London, there were vacant bomb-sites, unrepaired houses, temporary prefabs and gardens turned into allotments.
What was Britain like in the 1960s?
The ‘Swinging Sixties’ remain the defining decade for Britain. In just ten short years, London had transformed from the bleak, conservative city, only just beginning to forget the troubles of the Second World War, into the capital of the world, full of freedom, hope and promise.
How was life like in the 1950s?
Suburbs were free, social, friendly, and family-oriented. Many families lived close together, and there were all sorts of group social activities. There were little league teams, boy and girl scouts, and the Parent and Teacher Association (PTA) at schools. Kids walked to school together and had next door best friends.
What was life like during the 1950s?
The United States was the world’s strongest military power. Its economy was booming, and the fruits of this prosperity–new cars, suburban houses and other consumer goods–were available to more people than ever before. However, the 1950s were also an era of great conflict.
What happened in the UK in 1951?
14 September – Clement Attlee opens the largest oil refinery in Europe at Fawley on Southampton Water. 23 September – George VI has an operation to remove part of his lung. 26 September – Rock and Ice Club formed by a group of climbers in Manchester. 30 September – Festival of Britain ends.
What changed in Britain in the 1960s?
The 1960s was a decade of change in Britain. Shifts in law, politics and media reflected a new individualism and growing appetite to live in a more liberal ‘permissive society’. People began to stand up for their rights, both civil and at work, and express themselves in new ways.
What was London like in the 1950s?
In the major cities, and particularly in London, there were vacant bomb-sites, unrepaired houses, temporary prefabs and gardens turned into allotments. The countryside was peppered with wartime military bases, many now abandoned, others reactivated in response to the Cold War.
What happened in 1970 in the UK?
15 July – Dockers voted to strike leading to the docks strike of 1970. 16 July – A state of emergency was declared to deal with the dockers’ strike. 16–25 July – The British Commonwealth Games were held in Edinburgh. 17 July – Lord Pearson proposed settlement of docks strike.