Critical Evaluation

Critical Evaluation

During this project I worked across a range of different roles including; researcher, producer, director, sound recorder and editor. 

Pre-production

Pre-production for this project started quickly, as I am also working as a researcher on the Documentary aspect of the Black History live exhibit I already had most of the contacts I needed and through them I gained more.
I emailed various people who worked at MACA (Carol and Yassmin) where I received my brief and was able to easily keep in contact with them making sure I was sticking to what they wanted., called Pam who ran the group where the subjects of our interviews met and emailed people who work at the Chatham Dockyards for help with things like safety of artifacts.

I found looking through things like newspaper archives were the most fruitful for things like when the S.S. Empire Windrush Docked in at Tilbury. I also found that contacts I already had (like my father) where they had personal experience in things like the Army were a lot more helpful then an initial google search. This gave me a much richer understanding of the topic and meant I could talk more confidently about it during interviews.

My role continued by going to the Sunlight Centre where I was able to meet a range of people who came to England for multiple different reasons at various times, we were able to (over a few weeks) build up the trust with people we were talking to and get some really good stories included in our recording. 
One weakness I did have was the initial intimidation of interviewing elderly people as I've only had experience talking to people my own age in that manner. However I was quickly able to adapt to the situation and the initial discomfort which meant I could get on with my job of taking notes even if I wasn't comfortable in the situation. 
One strength I had during my research was organization,I had printed and electronic copies of research I had done as well as spreadsheets where information we had been told was organized and easy to understand.
Another strength I had was time management, planning interviews, meetings, edit times and other pre-production necessities around work that is already on going was done through time tables (made for each shoot day) and tick lists. 
This meant that I did all the work I needed to on time, as well as having plenty of time to do it.

Production

Production for the commission took two days over all. We sat each interviewee down and made it seem conversational so that they wouldn't be intimidated by the recording equipment.


Before we did any recording I asked a member of the course to talk me through how to use a zoom microphone, which I picked up easily.
1 strength I had during the production was that I was very organized, I packed extra batteries (as zooms and clip mics are known for going through batteries quickly), printed out charts that had the interviewees and their stories so Zak (the interviewer) was able to have a brief about them, I also had a shooting day schedule for both days and made sure to transfer footage onto two hard drives as back up. This meant that there was no chance of loosing any of the recording, we would always be on time and knew what we were talking about.

Another strength I had was I made sure I was as relatable as possible for the interviewees. Whilst talking to one gentleman about the Army I noticed he was rather closed off and unwilling to talk so I mentioned my family's relation to the Army, this opened up a further conversation with him and he was a lot more talkative.
One weakness I had was writing open questions for the interviews which meant that the answers I got weren't always self contained, either meaning they had to be cut or a bit of editing was required to make it understandable.

Post production

Post production only lasted a few weeks, I worked with Zak in the editing process.
It started when Zak wrote the transcripts out and I highlighted/rearranged the information we needed to include.
I then used premier to put the rough audio tracks into order after cutting them into smaller tracks.
I then sent it over to Zak who made it sound clearer and run smoothly when being listened to.

One strength I had during the editing was that, because I knew what MACA was looking for (through my constant communication with Carol), and having questions that got to the point I was able to go through the transcripts quickly and easily picking out relevant information.

Another strength I had was good communication with Zak, by consistently talking with him and collaborating with him about what should and shouldn't be included and what should go where.
One weakness I had was time management, I underestimated how long the edit would take and ended up being behind my ideal schedule. However I was able to then have more information in the final tracks, as well as being able to take my time over editing them instead of rushing them.

Something that I didn't do as well was to manage my time as well as we didn't meet the deadline with our fine cut, however we will continue with the edit to the best of our ability for the client.

Things I did well

Overall I think my organisation was really good, I had hard copies of all my research I did so it could be taken to interviews, I had time tables for shoot days that allowed things like traffic and I kept in contact with everyone I was working with so everyone knew what I was doing and when.
Another thing I think I did well was my research, I kept my research on track and relevant to the subjects that were getting spoken about which is something I often struggle with. I managed to get into archives for more in-depth research and I ended up with a good contextual knowledge of the country at the time people were arriving.

Things to improve on

One big thing I can improve on is my confidence. I need to be sure that I know what I am doing and I need to believe in my abilities more, this will make interviewing and meeting people easier and could mean that I learn information about them quicker.

Research into my roles

Research into the roles I did during my commission process

Researcher

The role of a researcher within television is to develop programme ideas, using their understanding of the industry and the requirements of the project, they'll then give their findings to the decision makers within the show.
They also check facts, work across all genres of televisions of production.
They need to understand and work within, relevant legislation and regulations. They can be briefed by the producers or other 'decision makers' about programme ideas and then carry out further development on their idea.
"They also identify relevant data, contributors, locations or archive material, collating and assessing information from various sources, and ensuring that legal, compliance and copyright requirements are met." *1
Researchers also carry out preliminary telephone/face-to-face interviews to assess potential contributors and their availability for inclusion in their project. During production they arrange transport for the contributors, greet them, brief them and escort them to the studio or location.

My role as researcher meant that I did the research into the most important subjects that would be relevant to our participants.
In this case these were, the Army and Nursing. 
I also did background/contextual research into life in 20th century in Jamaica and 20th century in England, to see what they were coming from and what they came to. I also did research into the Empire Windrush, which gave me a more board contextual research point, I looked into doing research into oral histories and atmos sound as these would be massively beneficial towards the recording and editing itself.
As part of my role I also was in regular contact with Carol (one of the people from MACA), Pam (from the sunlight centre) and various people from the Dockyards. 
As part of my contact with Carol I often talked to her about ideas that I had for the exhibition and how it could look/sound.
I sorted out potential stories with Zak (who also worked on the commission).
The way we sorted through the different stories was by making multiple visits each with a different intention; the first few visits were intended to build trust with the members of the group to make it easier for them to tell us their stories, as time went by we wrote more notes and asked more questions until we decided on our final four stories.
From there I sourced the contact details for the management of the Sunlight Centre and Zak called them, we were able to get a room for the recording which meant we were able to get a clear audio.

Director

Directors are the people who are responsible for the 'creative translation' of a film's script into actual images and sounds onto screen.
They are in general responsible for a film's artistic look.
They may have an input in writing the script or they can get hired after the script is already written.
"They must develop a vision for the finished film and work out how to achieve it" *2
During the pre-prod, Directors make crucial decisions these include; selecting the right cast, crew and locations. They direct rehearsals and performances when the film gets to production. They also manage tech aspects like, camera, sound, lighting, design and SFX.
In post they work closely with editors to help them reach thei final version of the film.

My role as director meant that I had to get together 4 stories that are interesting and informative as well as relatable. I brain-stormed my ideas for how I wanted the recording to sound and what I wanted to cover in terms of questions.
I had an input in writing the the questions/script for the participants too and tried to make them as conversational and as natural as possible. 

Sound recorder

Sound recordists (production mixers) record the sound, either on location or in a studio. They monitor the quality of the sound recording through headphones and work closely with; the director, boom operator and sound editor. *3

My role as a sound recorder started by getting the equipment and and asking a member of the course who is proficient at sound to run me through how everything works. 
She got me used to the zoom and answers any questions that I had.
During the recording I had to make sure the clip on mics were in places that would not be brushed easily by arms or clothing (this was harder then I anticipated and required a slight bit of trial and error). I also had to have extra batteries with me as the Zoom is well known for eating through them.
My role required me to recored the sound at the right levels, making sure it didn't peak but also making sure that it could still be heard.

Producer

The producer has the overall control over on every aspect of the production and their responsibilities span over then entire production. They bring together/approve the cast and crew, and then go on to create an atmosphere where strengths in people can flourish.
They are accountable for the success of the finished film. Producers secure rights, choose screenwriters and story edit teams. They raise the funding and supervise the development process.
In pre-prod the producer will bring together key creative members of their crew including, the Director, Cinematographer and Production Designer as well as key cast members. 
Producers will also approve locations, studio hire, final shooting script, production schedule and budget.
When in production they're responsible for the day-to-day smooth operation of the crew. Producers approve all script changes. During post they are expected to liaise with the director and the post production department.*4

My role as producer meant that it was my responsibility to gather stories together ready for recording, I did this by seeing who had the most to say, and who found it easier to talk to us in an interview.
As I was involved in all points of the production I was able to liaise with Zak (who also worked on the commission) about the edit and the overall sound of the recording.

Editor

Editors work closely with the Director, making rushes into sequences that make sense.
They work closely together before shooting, deciding how to get the maximum out of the screenplay.*5

The role of editor was split between myself and Zak, my role was to put the audio rushes into order.
I had to put them into a conversational sequence whilst cutting Zak out so it was one string of vocal recording uninterrupted. I then sent that over to Zak where his editing role was made a lot easier and quicker.

The initial research into roles meant that I was able to fully understand what my role was and what was required of me, it meant I wasn't taking on other jobs that were unneeded therefore was able to get the work asked of me done quickly and efficiently.  
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*1- Researcher (TV)- creativeskillset.org/job_roles/308_researcher_tv
*2- Director- creativeskillset.org/job_roles/758_director
*3- Sound recordist-creativeskillset.org/job_roles/312_sound_recordist
*4- Producer - creativeskillset.org/job_roles/757_producer
*5- Editor - creativeskillset.org/job_roles/2940_editor

20th century Jamaica

Research into 20th century Jamaica

1950's

In the 50's the Bauxite (an aluminium ore) industry as well as the tourist trade assumed prominent roles in the Jamaican economy (how ever the gains from these industries didn't do much to help solve Jamaica's underlying economic problems).

Jamaica joined the other British Caribbean colonies in '58 to form the "Federation of the West Indies" (a referendum in '61 saw the majority of Jamaicans voted for withdrawal from said federation). *1

1960's

On August 6th 1962 Jamaica became an independent state.*1

Quotes about Jamaica from interviewees

"When I lived in Jamaica, Jamaica was a successful country. We never had the hardship that hurts it now. Because we used to - I came here just before independence. And we used the same currency as England, because England made our pound. The same pound I use in Jamaica is the same one I spend here. It’s changed a lot, because when England went decimal and we went dollars that’s when it began to slide. But still I don’t think it’s as bad as other countries. Because you have other countries in the Caribbean that’s worse than Jamaica"

"In Jamaica you’ve got a couple of kids you’ve got the backup. We didn’t come with our parents, we were adults so we had brother and cousins or whatever but we didn’t have any family to look after your children. You have to work and have nannies or these little ladies who retire, we had a lovely one called ‘Nora’. She was really good, my baby girl was at home and I could leave her there and I’d go off to parties with my husband She was a really nice lady"

"In kingston, you can trust the child you put out front playing and if she wanders off there’s eyes they’ve seen where she goes who she goes with but up here it was quite different"

Overall I found researching Jamaica from the internet less productive then actually asking people about it. From out interviewees and other people at the Sunlight Centre we were able to get a real feel for the community spirit which was heavily felt in Jamaica compared to when they arrived in the UK.

I will use this contextual research to help me understand what they were travelling from when they left Jamaica.

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*1- "Jamaica" - www.encyclopedia.com/places/latin-america-and-caribbean/caribbean-political-geography/jamaica#HISTORY

Oral history interview research

Oral History interview research

As part of my contextual research I listened to various oral histories and noted their use of sound in their interviews.

Interview with, Abrahams Ivor, National life stories: Artists' lives *1

Interview with, Adams Anna, National life story collection: Artists' lives *2

Interview with, Gay Bernard , National life story collection: Artists' lives *3

Interview with, Marshall Harold *4

Johnston, Laurence National Life Story Collection: Lives in Steel *5

These interviews all use a single microphone per person

CDs loaned to me by member of group (unable to link)

These interviews are grouped and have one microphone per 6

Use of Atmos in recording?

For atmos research I went to the Chatham Dockyards to the "Ship beneath the floor" exhibit. 

The extract of Equiano's diary being read out whilst have waves in the background were really effective in putting the listening into the readers shoes. It was good at creating atmosphere and added drama to the extract. 

This is something that I'd like to include in my project as it will hopefully provide the similar effect of atmosphere that the "Ship beneath the floor has".

What did I learn?

From these interviews I learnt the importance of open questions, by having open questions the interviewee can expand with greater detail on their answers.

I also got an appreciation for the clear audio, in comparison to the CDs I was loaned where audio was disrupted by doors and children crying. It highlighted the need for a clear and audible recording. It also showed the difference between having the microphone focused on one person, where you are actually able to hear the thoughts and opinions of one person compared to a group, where everyone one is talking at once.

How did I use this?

I used this research during the production, I made sure we interviewed one person at a time and used clip mics for a closer audio recording.

The pro in doing this is if they are a quiet speaker then they won't be lost when talking to a microphone a foot away from them compared to one clipped onto them. The con is it's easier for the audio to peak and clip mics can be easily brushed by arms and hair.

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*1-Abrahams Ivor, National life stories: Artists' lives 1/7 -sounds.bl.uk/Oral-history/Art/021M-C0466X0121XX-0001V0

*2-Adams Anna, National life story collection: Artists' lives -sounds.bl.uk/Oral-history/Art/021M-C0466X0257XX-0001V0

*3-Gay Bernard, National life story collection: Artists' lives-sounds.bl.uk/Oral-history/Art/021M-C0466X0057XX-0100V0

*4- Marshall, Harold  National Life Story Collection: Lives in Steel

*5- Johnston, Laurence National Life Story Collection: Lives in Steel

Military research

Structure of the British Army 

Broadly speaking the British Army is made up of 2 halves, the regulars (full-time soldiers and units) and Army Reserve (part-time soldiers and units). 
It has two functions, Administrative (the people who look after the pay, recruiting, discipline etc.) and the Operational (preparing to go to war, going to war or assisting with civil emergencies such as flood/disaster relief.

Sub-units (known as Company, Battery, Squadron depending on unit capbadge)
Within a Company you then have Platoons (generally made up of 5 squadrons) and Sections.
A Company is approximately 150 x soldiers.
A Battalion/ Regiment is approximately 650 x soldiers.

1-star headquarters commanded by Brigadier.
2-star headquarters commanded by Major General.
3-star headquarters commanded by Lieutenant General.
4-star headquarters commanded by General.


Royal Corps of Transport (RCT)- was Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) until 1965 - became Royal Logistic Corps in 1993.
Royal Army Ordnance Corps - became Royal Logistic Corps in 1993.
Army Catering Corps - became Royal Logistic Corps in 1993. *2

(1) The ranks within the British Army are as follows;

Officer cadet

This rank is held during initial officer training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

Second Lieutenant

This role is normally held for 2 years, after which the individual is responsible for leading up to 30 soldiers in a platoon or group, in both training and on operations.

Lieutenant

This is a role normally held for up to 3 years. Lieutenant's usually normally command platoons or troops of around 30 soldiers, how ever as their experiences progresses they get more responsibilities. 
They can also gain specialised skills outside their unit.

Captain

Captains normally get made second in command of a "sub-unit" of up to 120 soldiers. They're key players in planning and decision-making processes, they also have tactical responsibility for operations on the ground as well as the equipment maintenance , logistic support and manpower.

sub-unit second in command
battalion Ops Officer
battalion Int Officer
staff officer within headquarters

Major

An individual will be promoted to Major after 8-10 years of service, normally a major will be given command of a "sub-unit" of up to 120 officers and soldiers with responsibility for their; training, welfare and administrations both in camp and on any operations, as well as the management of their equipment.

sub-unit commander
quartermaster
battalion second in command
Paymaster
staff officer within headquaretrs

Lieutenant Colonel

Lieutenant Colonels usually command units of up to 650 soldiers, containing four or five sub-units. They're responsible for the overall effectiveness of their unit in terms of military capability, welfare and general discipline. 

battalion/ regiment command
staff office within headquarters

Colonel

Colonels aren't usually field commanders they'll typically serve as Staff Officers, working in a major on a headquarters, between field commands at battalion/brigade level. It's the lowest of the staff ranks and they are the principal operational advisors to senior officers.

staff officer within headquarters
command a group of units
Arms & Service Directors

Brigadier

Brigadier is not considered to be a General Officer rank by the British Army more so a Field officer rank. 
They can command a brigade or be a director of operational capability groups.

command a brigade
work within a headquarters

Major General

Hold senior staff appointments in the Ministry of Defence and other headquarters.

commands Divisions
work within a headquarters

Lieutenant General

"Lieutenant Generals command formations of Corps size and other commands in the UK and overseas, and hold very senior staff appointments in the Ministry of Defence and other headquarters."

General

"Generals hold the most senior appointments, such as the Chief of Defence Staff, Vice Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of the General Staff, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and Commander in Chief Land Forces."

Other ranks

Private

When they complete their training all new soldiers start as a Private, however the title can vary between: Trooper, Gunner, Signaller, Sapper, Guardsmen, Rifleman or Kingsman, it all depends on the corps/regiment.

Lance Corporal

A promotion to a Lance Corporal can follow after phase 2 training or after 3 years as a Private, they're required to supervise small teams of up to 4 soldiers called a section. They can also have the opportunity to specialise and undertake specialist military training.

Corporal

After 6-8 years in the Army (and depending on the individual's ability to lead) a promotion to Corporal will typically follow. Whilst in this rank the opportunity to gain trade and instructor qualifications can be gained. Corporals are given command of solders and equipment such as tanks and guns.

Sergeant

A sergeant is a senior role of responsibility, promotion to be a Sergeant typically happens after 12 years of service. 
They are second in command of a troop or platoon of up to 35 soldiers, their responsibility for advising and assisting junior officers.

Staff/Colour Sergeant

After a few years as a sergeant, promotion to a staff or colour sergeant can follow.
"It's a senior role combining man and resource management of around 120 soldiers, or even command of a troop or platoon"

Warrant Officer class 2 (WO2)

This is a senior management role focusing on the training, welfare and discipline of a company.squadron or battery of up to 120 soldiers.
WO2's act as senior advisors to the Major in command of the sub-unit and may also end up being chosen for a commission as an officer.

Warrant officer class 1

This is the most senior rank in the British Army, it's typically reached after 18 years of outstanding service.
WO1's are the senior advisors of their unit's commanding officer, they have welfare responsibilities of up to 650 officers and soldiers and equipment.


Overall this research will be massively beneficial to me during the interviews as it gives me a basic knowledge of how the army is structured and the general chain of command it follows. 
This will also help me build conversations and ask more detailed questions to interviewees who were involved in the Army.

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(1) "Ranks"=www.army.mod.uk/structure/32321.aspx
(2) "explanation of terminology" my dad who spent time in the Army

Dock Yard research

Dockyard: Location Research

My final commission will be exhibited in the Chatham Historic Dockyards as part of the "Black History Live" project.

As part of the research into how I'd like things displayed in the project (in terms of photos, artefacts etc.) I went to the Dock yards and looked around the room where it would be. This also helped me during the editing/scripting of the recordings as I had an order in my head to work to making things quicker and easier. 

To help me visualise how I'd like things to work before I consulted Carol I drew out diagrams and took notes on how things would work in the exhibition. As well as how it would all work together as one cohesive exhibit.

After I did this I emailed Carol asking her opinions about it;

After doing this I was able to edit the sound clips accordingly as well as ensure that pictures of the interviewees were taken.

Research: Windrush

The Windrush (research)

In 1948 the S.S. Empire Windrush docked at the Tilbury Dock in London.
It was formally a German cruise ship and it officially carried, 492 settlers (many were ex-service and had served England in the War).
There was a post-war drive to recruit labour from the common wealth to cover the employment shortages in state-run services like the NHS and London Transport. *1 Very few of the people who came to England on the Windrush actually intended to stay for more then a few years.

Jamaica was still recovering from the Atlantic Hurricane season in 1944 when they were invited to fill the gaps in Britain's job services after the devastation of WW2. *3

Map of the British Empire in the 20's *2

One of the people on the Windrush was Sam King (a future mayor of Southwark), he'd served in England with the RAF. His ticket cost upwards of £600 in today's money. King recalls the apprehension on board as the ship drew towards England on whether authorities would turn them away. He had 2 ex-RAF wireless operators on board with him and while they played dominos they'd eavesdrop on incoming signals. They had heard on the BBC station that "Arthur Creech Jones, Colonial Secretary in the Labour government of the time, had pointed out that: ‘These people have British passports and they must be allowed to land.’ He added that they would not last one winter in England anyway, so there was nothing to worry about."*3

The English papers had a big interest in the voyage they called "the sons of empire". However the Colonial Office, the Home Office and the Ministry of Labour were trying to avoid responsibility for the people arriving. 

News paper clipping from 1948 *6

For the passengers of the Empire Windrush and the thousands of people who followed after it the "British Nationality Act 1948" was really important for them. This act meant the passengers from the Windrush and others living in Commonwealth countries, had British Citizenship and full rights of entry and settlement in England. *3

Contents of the British Nationality Act 1948 *5

I did this research as it provided overall context for my commission, it allowed me to come to interviews with a more educated and extensive background knowledge on the topic. 

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*1- "Arrival of S.S. Windrush" www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/arrival-ss-empire-windrush
*2- "Map of the British Empire in the 1920's" general-history.com/the-british-empire-in-1920/
*3- "Arrival of SS Empire Windrush" www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/arrival-ss-empire-windrush
*4- "Windrush Generation: 'They thought we should be planting bananas'" www.telegraph.co.uk/goodlife/11683233/Windrush-Generation-They-thought-we-should-be-planting-bananas.html
*5- "British Nationality Act 1948" www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1948/56/pdfs/ukpga_19480056_en.pdf
*6- Newspaper www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000378/19480622/085/0005?browse=False

Oral History Research

Oral History research

What is oral history?

Oral history is a method of gathering, preserving and interpreting the memories of people/communities through their own voices by recording them. *1

How to do an oral history interview *2:

Before the interview: 

• Chat with the interviewees before the interview, brief them on the subjects you want to cover and give them contact information.
• Work out a good time/day for the interview to happen on
• Get a general knowledge on the topics the interviewee will be talking about. (be careful not to miss questions because you already know the answer)
• Explain the project to the interviewee.

The interview:

• Make sure you turn up early or on time.
• Make sure you have all your kit including any extras needed such as batteries and something to import onto incase of a lack of space on the SD card.
• Chat before the interview to put the interviewee at ease, try to avoid getting told anecdotes that are better for the recording.

Starting the interview:

• Check the environment for any sounds that could interfere with the recording.
• Make sure the recording device is out of the way of the interviewee.
• Always test audio levels.
• Record details of who you are talking to and when.

Asking Questions:

• Have a list of questions with your interviewer.
• Try not to stick to a list of questions rigidly.
• Avoid closed questions.
• Use plain words and avoid suggesting the answers.
• Maintain eye contact, this encourages the interviewee to keep talking.
• Don't be afraid to ask but do not butt in or interrupt an answer.
• Respect different opinions.

After the interview

• Chat after the interview, take this time to confirm any future appointments if needed.
• Label folders on computers that have audio on. Make copies.

Overall I found this research really useful for my commission. 

It allowed me to have a step by step to do list on how I can go about conducting my interviews professionally. It also gave me a bit more confidence while doing the interviews as I was confident in what I was doing while recording.

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*1- "Oral history defined" www.oralhistory.org/about/do-oral-history/

*2- How to do an oral history interview www.le.ac.uk/emoha/training/no2.pdf

20th century Britain

Research: 20th Century Britain

1950's

Just 5 years after the 2nd World War the UK was still showing the effects of the fighting. In cities like London there were still bomb-sites, un-repaired houses and gardens that had been made into allotments.

At the time the countryside had been dotted with military bases now abandoned.

The army had a much bigger role in British life then they do nowadays.

The typical British family had a grandfather who had served in the 1st World War, a father who had fought in the 2nd World War and a son who were being called up for 2 years of national service. 

"There were four times as many servicemen in the early 1950's then there are today" *2

After a full decade of war and it's issues politically and financially, Britain had been left with high taxation. The standing income rate for tax was 9 shillings (more then twice today's rate). Basic things like butter, meat, tea and coal were still rationed and although bread was now freely available, the de-rationing of sweets in '49 needed to be abandoned because the demand was too much. Rationing encouraged people to grow/produce their own food in gardens and allotments. 

There was a follow on of the war mind set of 'make-do-and-mend' due to severe shortages of a lot of consumer products.

The population in 1950 totalled 50 million, a '51 census showing that only 3% of the population had been born overseas.

"The first post-war immigrants from Jamaica had arrived in Britain, on board the Empire Windrush in 1948, but there were still fewer than 140,000 blacks and Asians in Britain in 1951."*2

Nearly half of the population lived in privately rented accommodation and less than a third of all houses were owner occupied. There were virtually no high rise buildings and the concrete was only used really in military buildings.

Britain was the most "urbanised" and industrial country in the world (meaning it was the most polluted at the same time. The London smog started in 1952 and lasted 5 days, it killed more then 4,000 people from heart and lung diseases.

In 1950 the UK accounted for a 1/4 of the world's trade in manufactures.

1960's

By the 60's the first teenage generation free from conscription (being automatically drafted into the army) and with the ability to have their own voice and freedom to do what they wanted, emerged in Britain. Their parents were from a generation where they had spent their teenage years fighting in the Second World War, and had wanted their children to be able to have freedom.

A big aspect that defined the 60's was music, it was in the 60's that the emergence of 'British Invasion' bands like The Beatles came to England. These bands had albums that heavily encouraged young people to stand up for their beliefs and their own individuality.

Another thing that the 60's was known for was recreational drug use, however it was more common in the later half of the decade.  Festivals like Woodstock were common place were people would regularly be seen high on things like LSD, the people involved in the music industry were more often then not involved in drugs and therefore, directly influenced young people listening to their music.

In terms of Fashion the mini skirt became massively popular, with it's availability in many different colours and geometric shapes gave women a feel of femininity as well as liberation. By the later 60's psychedelic prints and vibrant colours became more popular on clothes as the "hippie movement" gathered pace.

The idea of Feminism became more influential as more jobs became available for young women in the sixties, allowing them to move away from archetypes of female duties and become more independent. The contraceptive pill became legal in '67. The Woman's liberty movement started around '68, when the Dagenham strike of 850 women happened in protest over in-equal pay (this led to the equal pay act being passed in '70). In '68 Barbara Castle was the first and only woman to be appointed first Secretary of State. *1

Picture from the Telegraph

I did this research as it allowed me to know what state the UK was in when the people we were interviewing came over/when their parents came over in some cases. 

It will allow me to come up with questions related to the environment they were arriving in, in our initial interviews we've already had people say that there were a lot of chimneys and they were surrounded with smoke.

Examples like the London Smog could've affected their families and this could be an interesting talking point.

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*1 "The 1960s The Decade that Shook Britain" www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/The-1960s-The-Decade-that-Shook-Britain/

*2 "Britain in the 1950's" www.historytoday.com/roland-quinault/britain-1950