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1920s Britain: 50+ Spectacular Color Photos Capturing Everyday Life Of British People In 1920s-30s

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In the 1920s, also known as the “Roaring Twenties,” because the First World War was ended in the victory of France and Britain, peace had returned, and with it, prosperity. It was the era of the rapid transformation of politics, economics, and social change. Labour Party replaced the Liberal Party as the progressive party in British politics; women got the vote. Families were, on average smaller in the 1920s than during the Victorian era, with families of 3 or 4 children most common. In 1921 the government took major steps to improve education standards. State primary education made free for all children. These stunning color photographs capture the everyday life of British people from the 1920s and 1930.

#1 A girl puts an envelope in a postbox in Oxford in 1929

A girl puts an envelope in a postbox in Oxford in 1929

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#2 An informal portrait of a farmer and his cart in the small town of Crowland in Lincolnshire, near Peterborough, in 1928

An informal portrait of a farmer and his cart in the small town of Crowland in Lincolnshire, near Peterborough, in 1928

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#4 A group of children sit, playing in the sand in 1931 at Dymchurch beach in Kent, which lies south-west of Folkestone

A group of children sit, playing in the sand in 1931 at Dymchurch beach in Kent, which lies south-west of Folkestone

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#5 A girl sits in front of the rhododendrons in 1929 at Kew Gardens in south-west London, which was founded in 1840

A girl sits in front of the rhododendrons in 1929 at Kew Gardens in south-west London, which was founded in 1840

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#6 Two Chelsea Pensioners in signature scarlet coats in 1929

Two Chelsea Pensioners in signature scarlet coats in 1929

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#7 Two women buy ice cream from a vendor out of his converted car in Cornwall in 1928

Two women buy ice cream from a vendor out of his converted car in Cornwall in 1928

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#8 Locals enjoy the view of the Surrey Hills, in 1928

Locals enjoy the view of the Surrey Hills, in 1928

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#9 A young girl plays on the beach with bucket and spade in Sandown on the Isle of Wight in 1928

A young girl plays on the beach with bucket and spade in Sandown on the Isle of Wight in 1928

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#10 Characters in a pageant – Britannia and her colonies and dependencies – on the grass in Southampton in 1928

Characters in a pageant - Britannia and her colonies and dependencies - on the grass in Southampton in 1928

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#11 A man posts a letter next to a traditional telephone box in Oxford in 1928

A man posts a letter next to a traditional telephone box in Oxford in 1928

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#12 A police constable passes the day with farmers gathering hay in Lancashire in November 1928

A police constable passes the day with farmers gathering hay in Lancashire in November 1928

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#13 Children play on the sand near Yarmouth, a popular destination for holidaymakers on the Isle of Wight in 1928

Children play on the sand near Yarmouth, a popular destination for holidaymakers on the Isle of Wight in 1928

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#15 A woman sends a letter at a red pillar box on the Isle of Wight in 1928

A woman sends a letter at a red pillar box on the Isle of Wight in 1928

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#16 Two girls send a letter at a red pillar box in Belfast in 1927

Two girls send a letter at a red pillar box in Belfast in 1927

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#17 English Boy Scouts on a hike stop for a rest near Ambleside, north-west of Windermere in Cumbria in 1929

English Boy Scouts on a hike stop for a rest near Ambleside, north-west of Windermere in Cumbria in 1929

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#18 Two Chelsea Pensioners sit on the steps in Oxford in 1929

Two Chelsea Pensioners sit on the steps in Oxford in 1929

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#21 Passengers ride on ‘Billy’, a locomotive picture running at the Kent seaside resort of Margate in 1931

Passengers ride on 'Billy', a locomotive picture running at the Kent seaside resort of Margate in 1931

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#22 A child stands by The Cat and the Fiddle Inn in Exeter in 1931

A child stands by The Cat and the Fiddle Inn in Exeter in 1931

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#25 Actors dress for a pageant as Britannia and her four knights as they pose for a photo in Southampton, Hampshire, 1928

Actors dress for a pageant as Britannia and her four knights as they pose for a photo in Southampton, Hampshire, 1928

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#26 A part of the company of Yeomen preparatory, known as Beefeaters, at the Tower of London

A part of the company of Yeomen preparatory, known as Beefeaters, at the Tower of London

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#27 A girl stands in an unidentified field in Lincolnshire in 1929 holding barley

A girl stands in an unidentified field in Lincolnshire in 1929 holding barley

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#28 An English woman points to her farm cart in Cambridgeshire, which bears the year before the photo was taken

An English woman points to her farm cart in Cambridgeshire, which bears the year before the photo was taken

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#29 Two children and a lady stand outside of a thatch-roofed cottage in Hampshire in 1931

Two children and a lady stand outside of a thatch-roofed cottage in Hampshire in 1931

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#30 A family builds a sandcastle at the seaside resort of Sandbourne, near Bournemouth in Dorset in 1932

A family builds a sandcastle at the seaside resort of Sandbourne, near Bournemouth in Dorset in 1932

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#32 Two girls talk outside a home in Chillington, Devon in 1928

Two girls talk outside a home in Chillington, Devon in 1928

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#33 A boy posts a letter in a postbox in Sussex, 1928

A boy posts a letter in a postbox in Sussex, 1928

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#35 A woman sells artificial flowers for charity on Alexandra Day in Kent

A woman sells artificial flowers for charity on Alexandra Day in Kent

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#36 The Chief Warder, a Coldstream Guardsmen, and a Yeoman Warder pose at the Tower of London in 1929

The Chief Warder, a Coldstream Guardsmen, and a Yeoman Warder pose at the Tower of London in 1929

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#37 Two girls eat lunch in a hayfield near Hawkshead in Lancashire in 1929, which is now part of Cumbria

Two girls eat lunch in a hayfield near Hawkshead in Lancashire in 1929, which is now part of Cumbria

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#38 A portrait of Boy Scouts at Abinger Hammer, a village in Surrey situated in between Dorking and Guildford, on a Sunday hike

A portrait of Boy Scouts at Abinger Hammer, a village in Surrey situated in between Dorking and Guildford, on a Sunday hike

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#39 Veteran soldiers – known as Chelsea Pensioners – sit on the steps of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London in 1928

Veteran soldiers - known as Chelsea Pensioners - sit on the steps of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London in 1928

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#40 A young girl stands outside her cottage near Clovelly, a village on the coast of North Devon in 1928

A young girl stands outside her cottage near Clovelly, a village on the coast of North Devon in 1928

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#41 A postman delivers packages with his parcel post barrow in front of a shop in Oxford offering ‘haircutting and shaving’ in 1928

A postman delivers packages with his parcel post barrow in front of a shop in Oxford offering 'haircutting and shaving' in 1928

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#42 Two women enjoy a leisurely tea in 1928 in front of the Clock House in Buckinghamshire, which was originally a hospice

Two women enjoy a leisurely tea in 1928 in front of the Clock House in Buckinghamshire, which was originally a hospice

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#43 A policeman directs buses at the intersection of Trafalgar Square in the centre of London in 1929

A policeman directs buses at the intersection of Trafalgar Square in the centre of London in 1929

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#44 Women sit near the Avon River with Holy Trinity Church behind in Stratford in 1929

Women sit near the Avon River with Holy Trinity Church behind in Stratford in 1929

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#45 John Hinde, On the road to Keem Strand, Achill Island, Co, Ireland

John Hinde, On the road to Keem Strand, Achill Island, Co, Ireland

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#46 Joan Willis, Deep Sea Fishing off the Irish Coast

Joan Willis, Deep Sea Fishing off the Irish Coast

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#50 Elmar Ludwig, Gyllyngvase Beach and Crazy Golf Course, Falmouth, Cornwall

Elmar Ludwig, Gyllyngvase Beach and Crazy Golf Course, Falmouth, Cornwall

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#51 Elmar Ludwig, Motor Racing at St. Ouen’s Bay, Jersey, C.I.

Elmar Ludwig, Motor Racing at St. Ouen’s Bay, Jersey, C.I.

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#52 Elmar Ludwig, The Beach and Harbour, Gorran Haven, near Mevagissey, Cornwall

Elmar Ludwig, The Beach and Harbour, Gorran Haven, near Mevagissey, Cornwall

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#53 John Hinde, Aerial Chair Lift to Eagle’s Nest, Bray, Co. Wicklow, Ireland

John Hinde, Aerial Chair Lift to Eagle’s Nest, Bray, Co. Wicklow, Ireland

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#54 Elmar Ludwig, The Promenade, Havre-des-Pas, Jersey, C.I.

Elmar Ludwig, The Promenade, Havre-des-Pas, Jersey, C.I.

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#60 Joan Willis, The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

Joan Willis, The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

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#62 Two young adults sit in the grass by a cliff near water and the village of Rottingdean in East Sussex in 1931

Two young adults sit in the grass by a cliff near water and the village of Rottingdean in East Sussex in 1931

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Written by Jacob Aberto

Sincere, friendly, curious, ambitious, enthusiast. I'm a content crafter and social media expert. I love Classic Movies because their dialogue, scenery and stories are awesome.

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