Feb 23
General Election — Labour's Slim Victory
Clement Attlee's Labour won with a majority of just 5 seats. The party that created the NHS and welfare state clung to power.
🇬🇧United Kingdom · 50s
Postwar Austerity
Rationing, the NHS, and rebuilding from the rubble.
What happened
4 milestones of 1950
Jun 25
Korean War — Britain Joins
Britain committed troops to Korea as part of the UN force. 100,000 British servicemen would serve. The Cold War came to Asia.
War — acknowledge British casualties
Year-round
Rationing Continues
Five years after VE Day, Britain still had food rationing. Meat, sugar, butter, and sweets were still restricted. Tea rationing had only just ended in 1949.
Year-round
Festival of Britain Planned
Plans advanced for the 1951 Festival of Britain on the South Bank. A beacon of optimism after years of grey austerity.
What was playing
70% local · 30% international
What was in cinemas
The Blue Lamp
Basil Dearden — Dirk Bogarde and Jack Warner. The film that defined the British bobby.
The Third Man
Carol Reed — Orson Welles in Vienna's sewers. British cinema at its finest.
Kind Hearts and Coronets
Robert Hamer — Alec Guinness played eight roles. Ealing comedy perfection.
Night and the City
Jules Dassin — Major UK release — TMDB 7.5
Stage Fright
Alfred Hitchcock — Major UK release — TMDB 6.8
What was on TV
BBC Television Service
1946-present — Only broadcaster in Britain. About 340,000 TV licences.
Andy Pandy
1950-1957 — Children's TV favourite. Watch with Mother.
What's My Line? (UK)
1951 — Panel show about to launch — Britain's quiz obsession began.
How much things cost
Currency: GBP
Pint of milk3d
Loaf of bread4d
Pint of bitter1s
Cinema ticket1s 6d
Inflation: 3.1%
Austerity Britain. Average weekly wage about £7. Everything was scarce and expensive relative to income.
Then vs. Now
Inflation-adjusted values
Pint of milkONS
1950 (GBP)
3d
→
Today's value (£)
--
Loaf of breadONS
1950 (GBP)
4d
→
Today's value (£)
--
Pint of bitterBBPA
1950 (GBP)
1s
→
Today's value (£)
--
Cinema ticketBFI
1950 (GBP)
1s 6d
→
Today's value (£)
--
Technology
BBC Television
Only 340,000 TV sets in the country. Radio still dominated.
Jet engine
The de Havilland Comet (first jet airliner) was being tested.
NHS at two years old
The National Health Service was still revolutionary — free healthcare for all.
Pop Culture
Fashion
Utility clothing still commonNew Look (Dior) for those who could afford itDemob suits for menHeadscarves
Slang
Smashing— Wonderful, excellent
Blimey— Expression of surprise
Spiv— Black market dealer
Behavior
- Queuing was a national art form
- Make do and mend — waste nothing
- Dance halls were the main social outlet for young people
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