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Collieries were poorly equipped with outdated machinery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