theme 4 - the changing quality of life 4A changing living standards

Economic Boom 1918-1920

• DLG ‘land fit for heroes to live in’

• Firms recalibrated for peacetime production

• Prices continued to rise and govt did little to regulate production

By the end of 1920 there were — unemployed, — of them exservicemen

1 million, 1/3rd

Unemployment never fell below 1 million in the 30’s BUT

New industries were emerging and employing in regions

1932 approx —% of those trained in electrical appliance manufacture were unemployed, —% involved in shipbuilding

12%, 70%

The decline of ‘heavy industries’ had a huge impact on living standards in areas they were concentrated

Post WWII - south wales, the north

Disparity between the poorest and wealthiest regions widened 20s 30s

In 1932 london and the South East had 11% unemployment - 40% in wales

1933 survey on hunger

Unemployment benefits were insufficient for the diet recommended by the ministry of health

WC Mothers didnt eat so their husband and children could, no meat and veg in rural areas

Regional living standard improvement in the depression

After 1933 ‘light industries’ - appliances - in the Southeast and these areas experienced a consumer boom

Household appliances filled the homes of MC families throughouu the:

1930’s: Washing machines, electric cookers, vacuum cleaners

In 1930 there were 200,000 ——— sales a year doubled — years later

Vacuum cleaner, 8

Beginning of teenage culture

1950s Spending on clothes, records and dancing

Fresh fruits were imported from abroad

Post war Some believed fresh fruit was harmful to children

Prices for basic food stuffs fell - interwar

Tea, milk, sugar, vegetables

1920’s Britain there were ——— fish and chip shops — a meal

20,000, 3p

1.1 million council houses built in the interwar period —% on new estates

90%

In 1914 —% of the population owned their own home, by 1938 —%

10%, 32%

new homes could be bought from £—- in london

£450 1930s

The Ministry of Food 1940:

50k administrators - nearly all foodstuffs were allocated by ration cards

The National Loaf WW2

Introduced in response to a lack of white flour - 1/7 consumers preferred it

Health improved during WW2:

Food was supplemented with vitamins by the MoF

Infant mortality fell = post war baby boom

A weekly ration included:

• 4 ounces of margarine and bacon

• 1 egg

• 1 ounce of cheese

Crèches were set up 1940’s:

To allow women munition workers to work - first in November 1941 - within 6 months there were 667 crèches

Mass bombing during the war resulted in the destruction of —— homes

2 million

‘The most hated measure ever to have been presented to the people of this country.’

Bread rationing 1946-1948 - Labour govt

What was rationed until 1949?

Clothing, wood - furniture designed to use as little wood as possible ‘utility furniture’

Labour had to continue rationing as Britain was bankrupted by the war:

• 55% of British food was imported - Britain didn’t have the foreign currency reserves to pay

• The USA ended the Lend-Lease Agreement 1945

Rearmament cost:

Defence spending was 23% of GDP in 1950

A planned economy:

Labour govt believed would raise living standards - 1950 manifesto accepted shortages of food/essentials as inevitable

Labour electoral defeat 1951 - why:

Partly attributable to the failure of govt to ensure food and energy distribution (winter 1946-47)

Prefabricated housing - EXP

The Excalibur Estate built 1945/6 - 1944 Housing and Temporary Accommodation Act

small two bed bungalows designed to last 10 years

Persistent damp and cold but owners were satisfied

Blocks of flats post WW2

Solution to loss of WC houses in inner cities - 1951 Lawn Flats built in Essex - ‘point’ blocks, all flats were accessible from a central landing and elevator

New Towns Act 1946 (labour)

14 new towns across Britain - relieve overcrowded WC districts in cities.

Stevenage - designed with modern architecture and town planning.

Considerable improvement in living conditions

First time many WC people had lived in suburban estates

‘Affluent Society’

A period when more people achieved high living standards as spending power grew

Rapid growth in living standards 1951-79:

• Commitment to full employment

• Strong TU’s - able to negotiate higher wages

• Rise in average wages since 1945

1957 Macmillan quote:

‘Most of our people have never had it so good’

Reflected the fact that a decade earlier their were food shortages

mixed economy provided for most of the populations material needs ensuring long term improvement BUT:

There were exceptions to overall growth and problems still remained in some areas of society - post WW2

In 1957 Britain spent over £—-on consumer goods, rising to £—-by 1960

£1billion, £1.5billion

Wages in 1959 twice what they were in —

1950

In 1955 only 175 of homes had a washing machine. 11 years later this rose to —%

60%

Relaxation of rules around consumer credit in 1954

Allowed WC families to buy consumer goods. Borrowing to afford luxuries increased in 1955 - demand for TVs rose 10% - delays of 3 months as new stock was ordered

Milton Keynes

New town - final series of new towns created in 1967 - increase in affluence allowed families to move from inner cities

Prices remained stable and real wages rose by —% between 1955 & 1969

130%

Admass

Term invented by J.B Preistley to describe the new society of mass consumption and advertising

In 1966 the housing charity Shelter was founded

to help the 12k nationwide homeless and tens of thousands in temporary accommodation

In 1967 —million people lived below the poverty line - cold, damp dirty homes

7.5

In 1963 Manchester still had —— slum houses without running water, heating, or inside toilets. Overcrowded

80,000

The elderly were most vulnerable in run down neighbourhoods

1965 1.5million elderly lived alone, on small pensions. Quality of life was poor due to unsanitary living conditions, poor diet and loneliness

Flaws with system built high-rise flats (streets in the sky)

Cold and damp

Ronan Point flats explosion 1968

Killed 3 - scandal had national attention. Investigators found old newspapers instead of concrete in certain parts of the building