1930s Britain

Description

In the 1930s Britain experienced an economic crisis, with high unemployment, wage cuts, benefit cuts and a deterioration in living standards. It was a decade noted for its austerity. Yet out of the recession came many positives. Industrial output saw remarkable growth between 1935 and 1938 and a housing boom brought smart new houses to replace slums. Communities benefited improved social services and more diverse leisure activities thanks to new technology, transport improvements and paid holidays. 1930s Britain will provide a realistic portrait of a very diverse, and always fascinating, decade in British social history.

Dr Robert Pearce was formerly Professor of Modern History at the University of Cumbria and is now a freelance author and editor. He has written over twenty books and dozens of articles, including 'Society, Economy and Industrial Relations 1900-39' (Hodder, 2nd edition, 2002).