An overview of Britain in the early 20th century During the early 20th century in Britain, lives for everyone changed dramatically.

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An overview of Britain in the early 20th century

During the early 20th century in Britain, lives for everyone changed dramatically. The population levels increased. From 1901 – 1911 the population increased from 42 million to 45 million. This meant there was an increase in birth and a decrease in death rates.

There were very distinct social divisions. At the top were the upper and upper middle classes. They earned above £700 a year. They were only 3% of the population yet they earned most the country’s wages. They usually went to public school when young then went onto university. Most would then join the army. Many went abroad during winter and the London house for the ball season in May. They lived in large houses and got most of their money from rents of land and property. If they felt they had to do something, they would attend the army or become a Member of Parliament as they didn’t give wages. They ate well and kept healthy, usually living much longer than the other classes as they had the money to take care of themselves. In the house they would usually have a full set of cooks, servants. The women usually spent most of their time on their social lives.

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Next down the social ladder were the middle class. They earned around under £400 a year. They were usually doctors, business men or lawyers. They also lived comfortable lives even though they had to work. They usually lived in the suburbs in a large house and maybe had one or two domestic servants. They would spend weekends away with friends or in cottages shooting fishing etc and their holidays would be within the continent. The women usually helped charities or kept their social lives in-tact. The children would attend a grammar school and then enter the business world if they ...

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