Social Changes in 1960s Britain

Social changes in 1960s UK, key British inventions of the 20th century, influential individuals, and the UK's relationship with Europe and the European Union.

Social Change in the 1960s

The 1960s were a time of big social changes in Britain. This period was known as the “Swinging Sixties”. British fashion, cinema, and popular music grew rapidly. Famous pop groups included The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.
People became wealthier and started buying cars and other consumer goods.

Social laws also became more liberal. In England, Wales, and Scotland, new laws made divorce and abortion more accessible.
The position of women improved. In the past, many women had to leave work when they got married. Parliament later passed laws giving women the right to equal pay and made it illegal to discriminate based on gender.

The 1960s also saw technological progress. Britain and France developed the Concorde, a supersonic commercial airliner.
New architectural styles appeared, using concrete and steel, and many high-rise buildings were built.

Migration also changed. Fewer people came from the West Indies, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) because the government passed laws to limit immigration.
Immigrants now needed a strong connection to Britain, such as birth or ancestry.
However, in the early 1970s, 28,000 people of Indian origin were admitted to Britain after being forced to leave Uganda.

Some Great British Inventions of the 20th Century

Britain created many important inventions in the 20th century:
  • Television – Developed by John Logie Baird (1888–1946) in the 1920s. He made the first broadcast between London and Glasgow in 1932.
  • Radar – Invented by Sir Robert Watson-Watt (1892–1973) in 1935 to detect enemy aircraft using radio waves.
  • DNA Structure – Discovered in 1953 by scientists in London and Cambridge, including Francis Crick (1916–2004).
  • Jet Engine – Created in the 1930s by Sir Frank Whittle (1907–1996).
  • Hovercraft – Invented in the 1950s by Sir Christopher Cockerell (1910–1999).
  • Concorde – Built by Britain and France; first flight in 1969, first passengers in 1976, retired in 2003.
  • Harrier Jump Jet – A British aircraft that can take off vertically.
    • A Harrier Jump Jet taking off vertically
    Source: Wikipedia
  • IVF Therapy – Developed by Sir Robert Edwards (1925–2013) and Patrick Steptoe (1913–1988); first test-tube baby born in Oldham in 1978.
  • Cloning – In 1996, Sir Ian Wilmut (1944–) and Keith Campbell (1954–2012) cloned Dolly the sheep.
  • MRI Scanner – Co-invented by Sir Peter Mansfield (1933–2017); revolutionised medical imaging.
  • Radio Telescope – Built by Sir Bernard Lovell (1913–2012) at Jodrell Bank, Cheshire, one of the largest in the world.
  • Turing Machine – Invented by Alan Turing (1912–1954), a key step toward modern computers.
  • Insulin – Co-discovered by John Macleod (1876–1935) to treat diabetes.
  • ATM (Cashpoint) – Invented by James Goodfellow (1937–) in the 1960s; first used by Barclays Bank in Enfield, 1967.
    • Opening of the first ATM in Enfield, London
    Source: Londonist
  • World Wide Web – Invented by Sir Tim Berners-Lee (1955–); first data sent on 25 December 1990.

Mary Peters (1939–)

Born in Manchester, Mary Peters moved to Northern Ireland as a child. She won an Olympic gold medal in the pentathlon in 1972.
Later, she raised money for local athletics, managed the women’s British Olympic team, and promoted sport and tourism in Northern Ireland.
In 2000, she was made a Dame of the British Empire for her contributions.

Europe and the Common Market

In 1957, West Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands created the European Economic Community (EEC).
The EEC became part of the European Union (EU) in 1993.

The UK joined as a full member but did not use the Euro currency.
The UK formally left the EU on 31 January 2020.

Key Points

  • The 1960s were known as the Swinging Sixties, a time of cultural and social change.
  • Growth in fashion, cinema, and pop music (notably The Beatles and The Rolling Stones).
  • Social laws became more liberal regarding divorce, abortion, and women’s rights.
  • Technological progress included Concorde and new architectural styles.
  • Immigration from former colonies was restricted in the late 1960s.
  • Britain produced many major 20th-century inventions, including the television, radar, jet engine, hovercraft, ATM, MRI, and World Wide Web.
  • Mary Peters won Olympic gold and contributed to sport and tourism in Northern Ireland.
  • The EEC (formed 1957) evolved into the EU (1993).
  • The UK left the EU on 31 January 2020.
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