Life in the forties

Plaza Cinema Theatre in Chichester during early 1940s - Creative Commons Licence 1940s LIfe

From Blackout to Beacon: The Cultural Landscape and Post-War Hopes

The 1940s were a decade of profound paradox for the United Kingdom. Plunged into the darkness and austerity of the Second World ...
London schoolchildren off to the west of England. Photo shows: Children arriving at a London station this morning to leave for the West Country. WikiMedia Commons 1940s LIfe

Childhood Under Siege: Growing Up in Wartime Britain

The 1940s in Britain were a tumultuous decade, dominated by the Second World War. While the stories of soldiers on the front ...
1940s British Parlour Games 1940s LIfe

An Evening’s Entertainment: A Collection of British Parlour Games of the 1940s (with Instructions)

In the heart of the 1940s, as Britain navigated a world in flux, the humble parlour served as a sanctuary for community ...
1940s radio 1940s LIfe

1940s Radio

The crackling sounds of 1940s radio weren’t just entertainment for Britons huddled around their wireless sets during the tumultuous 1940s. The BBC ...
Louis Reard with Bikini Models 1940s LIfe

The 1940s: A Decade of Groundbreaking Inventions

25 Key Inventions of the 1940s The 1940s were a decade defined not just by the immense challenges of World War II, ...
Anenurin Bevan at NHS hospital in 1948 1940s LIfe

The Birth of the NHS (1948)

The NHS: A Look Back at Britain’s Historic Healthcare System (1948-Present) On July 5th, 1948, the National Health Service (NHS) opened its ...
1940s radio 1940s LIfe

Free Time in the Forties

In a recent post, A Trip To The Pictures, we looked at the popularity of picture houses in the 1940’s. But what ...
1940s LIfe

Toys of the 1940s

In the late 1930s, the shadow of war loomed large, and this shift was reflected in 1940s toys. Military themes dominated boys’ ...
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