The Post-War years brought tremendous economic growth in Britain. The food rationing ended in 1954 and the unemployment rate was declining rapidly. However, the legacy of World War II could be seen everywhere, particularly in London, where there were bombed homes, bomb-sites, temporary prefabs, and gardens turned into allotments. The countryside was peppered with wartime military bases, many now abandoned, others reactivated in response to the Cold War. The British government was spending 6.6 percent of GDP on defense.
The new low-cost housing sprung up around the country as people moved into new homes. People bought cars and TVs, by 1959 over 32% of households owned a car and nearly one-quarter of households had a television. The first parking meters in Britain were installed in London in 1958. The 1950s was a golden era for public transport. The trams were replaced with electric trolleybuses and petrol buses, which provided cheap and better services. On the roads, one out of every three vehicles were a bus or lorry.
Take a look at these stunning vintage photos that show what England looked like in the 1950s.
