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Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester

Born Northampton, Aug 1944

7 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. Aug 1944

    Born in Northampton

  2. 1974–1980

    3 children are born

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partner

Children · 3

During his lifetime

He has lived through 9 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Northampton.

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

The 1940s · Prince is born in Northampton

In the news1948

Creation of the NHS in 1948

In 1948, the National Health Service (NHS) was created to provide healthcare, following the 1942 Beveridge Report.

Getting around

Short branch line train travel times

A local branch line train between Oxenholme and Windermere stopped at three intermediate stations over a 10-mile distance, with the journey taking 25 to 30 minutes.

At the table

Scarcity of Sweets and Exotic Fruits

Exotic fruits like bananas were unavailable during the war, leading mothers to create mock versions using parsnips. Sweets and chocolates were also heavily rationed, and their scarcity led to a failed attempt to de-ration them in 1949.

The Second World War. The deadliest war in history, from 1939 to 1945: some 70 million people died. Brazil sent 25,000 soldiers to fight in Italy.Around the world · 1939–1945

The Second World War. The deadliest war in history, from 1939 to 1945: some 70 million people died. Brazil sent 25,000 soldiers to fight in Italy.

Chief Photographer's Mate (CPHoM) Robert F. Sargent · public domain

What people wore

Turbans served as safety and style

The turban, initially a safety device to protect hair from factory machinery, became popular everyday wear that also disguised unkempt hair during the war.

Music

Community singing at FA Cup matches

At FA Cup football matches, thousands of fans participated in formal community singing of popular songs and the hymn Abide with me, beginning in 1927. The stadium atmosphere during the hymn was described as having a moving intensity comparable to the silence at the Cenotaph on Armistice Day.

Daily life

Limited Home Amenities and Rationing

Many homes lacked bathrooms and indoor toilets; families often used a portable tin bath in the kitchen and an outside toilet. To save fuel, authorities advised limiting bath water to a depth of five inches, a rule famously adopted even at Buckingham Palace.