In September 1960, the central London district of St Pancras was convulsed by rioting. What had begun months before as a peaceful protest about the lack of decent housing spiralled into some of the worst street-fighting ever seen in the capital. The violence shook the nation. All Metropolitan police leave was cancelled, MPs demanded an emergency debate in the House of Commons and a horrified Home Secretary used draconian measures to quell the unrest. The popular image of post-war Britain is one of peace and prosperity, but the disturbances in St Pancras reveal a very different history. This book explains the full story behind the riots as one ordinary community in the metropolis struggled to recover from the devastation of the Blitz and the Second World War. The events were driven by a cast of colourful characters drawn from a remarkable generation forged by war, poverty and the relentless ambition to build a more just society. Radical London in the 1950s demonstrates how many of the issues at the centre of the storm, such as inequality, turmoil in the Labour Party, migration and affordable housing, remain at the centre of our political debates today.
- ISBN:
- 9781445661032
- 9781445661032
- Category:
- General & world history
- Format:
- Paperback
- Publication Date:
- 15-10-2016
- Language:
- English
- Publisher:
- Amberley Publishing
- Country of origin:
- United Kingdom
- Dimensions (mm):
- 234.95x155.96x17.78mm
- Weight:
- 0.33kg
Click 'Notify Me' to get an email alert when this item becomes available
Great!
Click on Save to My Library / Lists
Click on Save to My Library / Lists
Select the List you'd like to categorise as, or add your own
Here you can mark if you have read this book, reading it or want to read
Awesome! You added your first item into your Library
Great! The fun begins.
Click on My Library / My Lists and I will take you there
Click on My Library / My Lists and I will take you there
Reviews
Be the first to review Radical London in The 1950s.
Share This Book: