The crackling sounds of 1940s radio weren’t just entertainment for Britons huddled around their wireless sets during the tumultuous 1940s. The BBC Home Service became a lifeline… Laughter, Light Entertainment and Keeping Britain Informed The BBC Home Service offered a rich variety of programs designed to entertain and inform a nation facing unprecedented challenges. Comedy […]
25 Key Inventions of the 1940s The 1940s were a decade defined not just by the immense challenges of World War II, but also by a spirit of remarkable innovation. From the battlefields to the kitchen counters, many of the inventions of the 1940s transformed society and continue to shape our world today. 1. The
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Holiday Inn – 1942 Christmas can’t begin until Bing Crosby sings ‘White Christmas’, and he is joined here by a bevy of famous faces from the 1940’s movie world. Jim Hardy (Crosby) and Ted Hanover (Fred Astaire) have performed together for many years. But when Ted announces that he and Jim’s girlfriend, dancer Lila Dixon
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Winter Wonderland, Perry Como Included on the album ‘Perry Como Sings Merry Christmas Music’ this is still one of the most recognised versions of this popular Christmas song. Originally written by Felix Bernard and lyricist Richard Bernhard Smith in 1937, ‘Winter Wonderland’ was a top ten hit for Perry Como in 1946 and has been
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In the 1930’s and 40’s makeup goes from being seen as tawdry, perhaps something only worn by women of ‘dubious’ nature, to an acceptable, even expected part of every woman’s daily beauty routine. The 1940’s begins with a fashion for the ‘natural’ look. Despite this, beauty routines were lengthy compared to today’s standards. As the
1940s Makeup – Beetroot Juice for Blusher! Read More »
Food rationing began on the 8th January 1940, with bacon, butter and sugar the first to be listed. By 1942 many other foodstuffs, including meat and dairy, were also being rationed. At this time, the typical weekly food ration included 4 oz of bacon or ham, plus around 1 shilling and 2 pence worth of
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While it is not often highlighted, men and women from the Commonwealth of Nations made a significant contribution to the war effort during World War Two – in terms of people, materials and food, interest-free loans and money raised to support the allies. In 1939 the Commonwealth fell into two parts – countries such as
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In 1939, as men left to fight on the front line, the Women’s Land Army (WLA) reformed to boost Britain’s food production during World War Two. Originally established in 1917 to address food shortages during the first Great War, the WLA once again drew thousands of women from towns and cities across the country. The
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The Early Life and Political Beginnings of Winston Churchill Born in 1874 at Blenheim Palace, Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill was the eldest child of Lord Randolph Churchill and American heiress Jennie Jerome. Following an education geared towards the military, Churchill enlisted in the British Army in 1895 and served in India. This period also
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Britain’s Unsung Heroes: The Women of the Home Guard The Second World War saw a surge of patriotism in Britain, with citizens eager to defend their homeland. While the Home Guard, a civilian militia formed in 1940, was initially intended for men only, a lesser-known story unfolds – the remarkable contributions of women who defied
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