History – Roaring Twenties to Thirties Depression: Interwar Britain (1919-1939)

COURSE OVERVIEW

We study the culture of “Live for today” in changing post-WWI Britain, including 1920s Shoreham’s fun-loving “Bungalow Town” and its cinema industry. Although there was poverty and notorious razor gangs, ‘thirties Brighton saw a new prosperity. Leafy suburbs were spreading around the country and governments tried to tackle social and health problems.

1930s saw the depression and much poverty, slums and lack of food and work. We view the working class and how they lived; their homes and family life and the poor prospects at the time for the working man and his housebound wife -; or possibly a working one. Life was extremely hard for the poor. Much of the illness and disease was the result of social and housing conditions -; but medical advances were being made, for example, vaccination & blood transfusions.

New, leafy suburbs were offering the luxury of a £495 house with inside WC and a bathroom that. could be secured with a down payment of £1 if the £25 deposit could be raised.

During this period there was a wealth of wonderful literature and the joy of film. Cinema-going was extremely popular and influenced people’;s lives in many ways including what they wore. Imitating your favourite film star meant dressing like them, so clothing for the working class included synthetic silk -; ‘Rayon’;, and young women cut their hair short in a ‘bob’;, wore cosmetics, smoked and shortened their skirts in order to dance the Charleston -; just like their liberated screen idols.

Illustrated with books, slides, video

Tutor Sarah Tobias. This course runs on Monday 16:00-18:00