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Alexandra Morton

Born 15 Apr 1953

5 facts1 source

Living person. The family sees only the name, dates and photo; everything else stays private unless they choose to share it.

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 15 Apr 1953

    Born

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During her lifetime

She has lived through 8 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1950s · Alexandra is born

In the news1958

First motorway opens in 1958

Britain opened its first motorway, the Preston bypass, in 1958.

What people wore

Everyday wear and voluminous party skirts

Women wore floral pinafores as everyday house wear and favoured full-skirted dresses with stiffened petticoats for special occasions. These skirts were sometimes so voluminous that they made it difficult for women to pass through doorways.

Daily life

Manual housework and outdoor facilities

Many homes lacked modern appliances, so housework was manual and time-consuming, and people often stored food in larders instead of fridges. Outdoor toilets and washing in tin baths in front of the fire were common for some families during this time.

In the news1954

Food rationing ends in 1954

Food rationing, which began during World War II, finally ended in 1954.

Music

DIY Skiffle Craze of the 1950s

In the late 1950s, an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 amateur skiffle groups performed in youth clubs, church halls, pubs, and school halls using cheap or homemade instruments like washboards and tea chest basses. This democratic, do-it-yourself music movement made performing accessible to young people who lacked the resources for traditional instruments.

In Europe1948–1952

The Marshall Plan

American aid of some $13 billion rebuilt the ruined economies of Western Europe.

Getting around

Walking remained common for everyday travel

Walking remained a primary mode of transport throughout this period, serving as the main way to commute for one-third to one-fifth of people in smaller towns and cities as late as the 1970s.