The 19

50s

• The 2nd world war had ended and there were artefacts like air raid shelters, old gas masks, seaside concrete defences and redundant ration cards still around.

• It was still very common to see military uniforms in the streets. Every male on reaching the age of 18 years was required to do two years "National Service"

End of the 2nd World War

Inventions

1953 1955

1950

1952

1953

Music

Classic pop music included Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Bing Crosby.

The middle of the decade saw the emergence of rock-n-roll: • Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RCRZxIqMZ8

• In a general election the Conservative Party won the majority of seats. With this win, Winston Churchill became Prime Minister of Great Britain for his second term in 1951.

• On April 5, 1955, at age 80, Churchill resigned as Prime Minister.

Winston Churchill

After suffering from lung cancer for several years, King George VI died in his sleep on February 6, 1952 at age 56. Upon his death, his oldest daughter, Princess Elizabeth, became queen.

On June 2 1953, Queen Elizabeth's coronation was held at Westminster Abbey. It was the first televised coronation in history.

Coronation

Words added to the dictionary

• A Level, n. – Advanced level (of the General Certificate of Education examination); an examination or qualification

at this level.

• Champers, n. – Champagne

• Boogie, v. – To dance to boogie-woogie music

• Free-range, v. – To allow (an animal) to roam freely, to give free range to; to rear (an animal) using free-range farming

methods.

• Nanosecond, n. – One thousand-millionth of a second