In the news1908
Old Age Pensions Introduced in 1908
In 1908, Parliament approved means-tested old age pensions of up to five shillings a week for people over 70.
London, 4 Aug 1900 – Royal Lodge, 30 Mar 2002
12 facts3 sources
The collection records Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon’s birth in London in 1900 and her death at Royal Lodge in 2002. Her parents were Cecilia Bowes-Lyon, Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne, and Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne. 1Birth · 4 Aug 1900, London · Probable2Death · 30 Mar 2002, Royal Lodge · Probable3Parent · Cecilia Bowes-Lyon, Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne · Confirmed4Parent · Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne · Confirmed
She married George VI. As his wife, she was Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 1936 to 1952. The collection also identifies her as the last empress of India, from 1936 until the dissolution of the British Raj in 1947. 5Union · George VI · Confirmed6Known for · Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952 as the wife of King George VI. She was also the last empress of India from 1936 until the British Raj was dissolved on 15 August 1947. · Probable7Title · Consort of the United Kingdom, 1936–1952 · Confirmed
In her later public role, she served as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports from 1978 to 2002. The record also identifies her death and funeral as a distinct historical event, completing a chronology that connects her family background, royal consortship, and later office. 8Title · Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, 1978–2002 · Confirmed9Event · Death and funeral of Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother · Confirmed
Drafted with AI and edited against the collection. Open a citation to see the record, its sources and how certain it is.
4 Aug 1900
Born in London
1926–1930
2 children are born
1936–1952
Consort of the United Kingdom
1978–2002
Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports
30 Mar 2002
Dies in Royal Lodge, aged 101
She lived through 11 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around London.
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
In the news1908
In 1908, Parliament approved means-tested old age pensions of up to five shillings a week for people over 70.
Getting around
Horses ruled the early 1900s streets
Before World War One, horses dominated town streets, pulling everything from carriages and taxicabs to delivery carts and buses.
At the table
High Bread Consumption
Bread was a staple for urban families, with some large households consuming as many as sixty loaves a week.
Around the world · 1903–1906Powered flight. The Wright brothers flew a powered aeroplane at Kitty Hawk in 1903; in 1906 Santos-Dumont flew the 14-bis in Paris.
What people wore
Domestic servants' uniform requirements
Female domestic servants were required to purchase their own uniforms, which consisted of striped cotton dresses for morning chores and a black dress with a white cap and apron for afternoon duties.
Music
Concertina music at village festivals
In the early 20th century, concertinas were widely used at house dances, village festivals, and in pubs, where dancers might even perform on farm wagons. Collectors sometimes had to be stationed at doors to ensure dancers paid the musicians, as collecting fees became harder with the popularity of round dances.
Daily life
Water was often collected from outside taps
Many homes lacked running water, requiring families to collect it from an outside tap shared with neighbours and heat it on the stove for bathing.