The 1950s Home (Britain's Heritage Series) Book

The 1950s was a decade of transformation, as Britain moved from austerity to relative affluence. After the Second World War, the incoming Labour government recognised the urgent need for new, high quality, housing and instituted a huge building programme which peaked in the fifties. Over the decade, of the 2.45 million homes that were constructed, two thirds were local authority social or council housing; many of them flats. Re-development schemes were especially radical in the major cities and the creation of new towns such as Hemel Hempstead and Peterlee brought a new and different mid-twentieth century vision of house building. Many new homes were very different from what had gone before, but inside new fashions and materials had an impact on every home, old and new. By the mid to late fifties, the consumer society was under way, and the arrival of new materials such as plastic and nylon revolutionised home interiors: colourful 'formica', labour saving gadgets, bright new furnishing fabrics - all became affordable. The new medium of television was increasingly to be found in modern living rooms. The growth in car ownership meant garages were required by an increasing number of home owners. More leisure time also led to a passion for DIY and an increasing desire for homes with gardens. This book is the perfect introduction to the 1950s Home in all its variety.Read More