Industry in the 1920s and 30s

Staple Industries

East Lancashire and West Yorkshire

Cotton and Wool

South Wales, West Midlands and South Yorkshire

Iron and Steel

Tyneside and Belfast

Shipbuilding

Yorkshire, Durham, Lancashire and South Wales

Coal Mining

Impact

Rapid economic and social change and moves to a reliance on new industries

1916 Department of Scientific and Industrial Research

Total output reached pre war levels by 1924 and rose until 1929

Output fell until 1937

Decline?

Over expansion during the war

Contraction of foreign market

Antiquated industries

Badly suited

Increased costs

Over valuation of the pound

New energy sources

World government turned to restrictions or bilateral agreements

Reliance on the free market

Government tariffs

Collieries were poorly equipped with outdated machinery

Too small to be efficient with too many independent firms

Ignored the Sankey Commission

Difficult to compete overseas

Other fuels became less of a price

Failed to adapt postwar

Belgium

39%

Ruhr

77%

Holland

105%

Britain

7%

1920 Coal Mining Act

Demand increased during war

Demand fell dramatically after

Highest unemployment

Britain struggled with demand of motor - propelled ships

Trade dropped from 39% to 33%

Fall in exports

New competition with India and North America

Antiquated machinery

Japan started to trade with Afro - Asian countries

Synthetic fibres

Unwilling support

1920s

Combines formed

Lancashire Cotton Corporation

30000 looms

10000000 spindles

Uneconomical

Boomed during war with demand of shells

New Industries

House Building

Chemicals

Motor Car

Electricity

Stimulated during the war

Reasons for growth

Adoption pioneered by Ford in 1908 with Morris and Austin

Falling cost of raw materials and an expanding market

Larger firms were established leading to greater efficient and standardisation

Not so effected as real incomes of middle class increased

Protected by a 33% tariff

Largest export of motorcycles

Less effected than the USA by the depression

British road tax and insurance

Small horsepower

Less robust engines

Early 1930s saw the most rapid rate of house building in history

50% of houses built since 1939

3 bedroom houses were £500 cash

Nearly all private work stopped during the war

Low cost of living

Low costs of materials

Low interest rates

Large pool of labour

Road building schemes reduced road and drainage costs of construction

1933 and 1935 Housing Act

Slum clearance and overcrowding

Local authorities

Council house building lagged

Private construction diverted resources from local authority construction

1926 National Grid

1920 750,000 consumers

1929 2,850,000 consumers

Increased use of consumer durable

1926 Central Electricity Board

Pushed for a completely new network of power stations and system of high voltage transmission lines

Government set up

Heavy chemicals

Many small firms developed in the mid 19th century

1890

50 acid/alkali firms amalgamated to form United Alkali

Explosives

Outbreak of war found the chemical industry unprepared for mass production

Dyestuff's were a German monopoly

Mass Communications

Newspapers

Concentration of ownership

Circulation War

Seven large combinations

The Times

Astor and Walter

The Daily Mail and Daily Mirror

Rothermere

The Daily Sketch and The Evening Standard

Berry

The Daily Herald

Odhams

Labour Party newspaper

The New Chronicle

Amalgamation of two Liberal dailies

J. S. Elias

Publisher

Advertisement of papers

Door to door canvassing

Daily Mail

Free insurance to regular readers

Torrents of free gifts

1935 The News Chronicle

Lobby Lud

Tackle problem of holidaymakers

Outlay was made up by the larger advertising revenue

Won by the Daily Express

2 million

Wireless broadcasting

Public Broadcasting

Growth of private enthusiasts all over Europe

Daily Mail sponsored Dame Nellie Melba

BBC

1922

Six largest manufacturers

Eight stations until end of 1926

1926

Royal charter

Public corporation

Postmaster General

Director General

John Reith

Autocratic in style, elitist in intent

High moral tone

Growth and development

1927

BBC was regional

1932

Empire Service

First royal Christmas Broadcast

Licences

1924 10%

1930 30%

1933 48%

1939 71%

13.5 million did not have access during WW2

Social Impact

Domestication of leisure and changing the pattern of family life

Relaxation and entertainment

Broadened interest and knowledge

1930s

National unease

Leisure

Cost of leisure activities was in reach of the working class

2p for cinema and theatre

1p-2p for beer and dance hall admission

2p-10p football matches

Economic basis of prosperity

National income per head

Rose by 1/3

Increased output

Static population

1920 43.74m

1938 47.49m

Wages

1920 general rise

1924 Depression

1934 Wages rise and unemployment falls

1939 remained at the same as 1929

Prices

1920 - 34 prices fell

1920 - 1939 living cost fell by 1/3

Real incomes (regular employment)

1930s saw a 15% rise in real wages

Trend to smaller families

1914 96/1000 births

1938 62/1000

Contraception, greater freedom, growing career opportunities for women in manual and clerical work

Expansion of transport

People had more time for leisure

1919-1920 7 million people enjoyed shorter working hours

Holidays with pay

Early 1920s 1 million

1938 7.75 million

1938 Holidays with Pay Act

Recommended one week's holiday for full time workers

Falling price of entertainment

1938 22% lower than in 1920

Cinema

1930s 20 million tickets sold weekly

American invasion of British culture

1923 Disney

Music

Jazz

Bing Crosby

Gramophone popularised these music trends

Radio

In all but the poorest homes

Upper - middle class manner

Sport

16x as many people gambled on football as watched it

1938 £40m

Class suited sports

The Motor Car

Public services catered for the mass market

1920 200,000

1939 2 million

No driving tests until 1934

Revival of seaside resorts

Holidays

£3 Blackpool

1937 Butlins in Skegness