Rule Britannia: A Celebration of Heritage

Rule Britannia A Celebration of Heritage
Adam Bettley
BRITANNIA
A Celebration of Heritage
RULE
Published in 2013 by Adam Bettley all right reserved Text Adam Bettley 2013 Photography Adam Bettley 2013 Adam Bettley has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Design Adam Bettley 2013 Printed and bound in Nottingham, UK by John E. Wright & Co. Ltd
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3
For Charles Bettley Rafferty
CONTENTS
PREFACE 6 PHOTOGRAPHS 8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 56
PREFACE
Although this piece of work started its life as a genealogy study, it has in turn, developed into something quite different.
Rule Britannia: A Celebration of Heritage
through the ages. This book was created so that it could be used as a source of education, aswell as a tool of inspiration. Quite significant events occurred during the time which these images span across. The introduction of food rationing was seen during the early 1940s, as well as the great speeches of Winston Churchill, the Battle of Britain, or WWI and WWII as it is more commonly known. The photographs within this book also document the men of Her Majesties Services during WWII, upon the Destroyers regiment within the Royal Navy. These soldiers gave their lives to protect our country, and I am proud to say that my Grandfather served valiantly with The Royal Navy for over 10 years.
The study of family trees has always intrigued me; the ability to discover long lost relatives and family friends gives a great sense of accomplishment. I suppose the urge to delve into the past was inspired by my Grandfather. After he had passed on, my Mother gave me a stack of photographs, each with its own handwritten message and date appearing on the back. It wasnt until I began to read a lot of the notes on the rear of these images that I began to take interest. Dating from the 1850s onwards, the images represented within this publication depict Britain within a different limelight. Stepping away from the patriotic views and stereotypes, these images show a more personal, private Britain. From the lives of middle-class hard working individuals, to the upper-class wealthy families, these images document both relevant and irrelevant events. From family portraiture, to war documented photographs, these images will take you on a journey
WITH WITH THOUGHTS THOUGHTS OF OF THE THE PAST PAST

-We Greet In The PresentWe Greet In The Present
1800s: VICTORIANS
This book begins at the peak of Victorian culture, the 19th Century. The population of England in 1850 was 16.8 million, but by the end of the century it had nearly doubled. A quarter of the entire Victorian population was living in poverty, with 40% of the countrys wealth, being owned by only a mere 5% of its population. The upper-middle classes were made up of financiers and merchants, whilst the lower-middle class compromised of shopkeepers, teachers, clerks and managerial officials. These middle class occupations accounted for around 7% of Britains population. Income and class were not always directly related; it was usually a determination of skill that would decide that persons wage.
FAST FOWARD
Moving forward a century, we find ourselves in the 1900s. The earliest document images depict Britain within the late 1930s, which then move into the 1940s. During this decade, multiple significant events occurred. Edward VIIIs younger brother, the Duke of York, was crowned George VI. He and his wife Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother), became inspirational figures for Britain during World War Two. A year later, 10,000 Jewish children between the ages of five and 17 were sent from Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia to Britain between December 1938 and the outbreak of war in September 1939. Many were given homes by British families, or lived in hostels. Very few of them saw their parents again.
10
11
MEN AT WAR
Rule Britannia: A Celebration of Heritage Rule Britannia: A Celebration of Heritage
12
From 1939-1945, the men of Britain left their wives and children to fight in one of the most populated wars to date, WWII. The Second World War saw the inclusion of multiple territories such as Britain, Germany, Japan, China, Poland and the United States. The battle between the Axis and Allies was fought for 6 years, resulting in the collapse of the German Reich and the creation of the United Nations
13
14
15
16
EXCURSIONS
My Grandfather served with The Royal Navy upon the destroyers regiment. Throughout his service, he ventured into many different territories, one of which was Egypt. The images documented within this page show my Grandfather (above) and his Navy comrades (left) at Alexandria, Egypt.
17
SOLDIERS SWEETHEART
For many men, the war put almost all future plans on hold. The idea of finding a partner and settling down felt like a million miles away, but this didnt mean that soldiers couldnt have fun. Overseas sexual liaisons were considered the norm during the Second World War, and my Grandfather wasnt one to sniff at the opposite sex. Here we have a set of photographs sent to my Grandfather from a lady named Dot. She was an American, whom he may have met whilst still in deployment with the Navy. It was commonplace for many men to have these liaisons during this time, and they continued to keep in touch by sending one another photographs or postcards with notations on the rear.
18
19
LIPSTICK & CURLS

The 1940s look was one of the most distinctive of the past decades. This was the decade that saw women working in a male environment whilst the men were deployed at war. Fashion during this time was inspired by many pinup models, and a lot of women looked to Hollywood for inspiration. Women wore their hair fairly short with pin curls, and their makeup was usually pale with red lipstick.
20
21
PORTRAITURE
During the 1940s, photographic portraiture began to bloom. Iconic photographers such as Ansel Adams, Henri Cartier Bresson and Cecil Beaton had a large influence on other budding photographers, and dominated the industry. The signature Noir style of photography was made further recognisable by Alfred Hitchcocks early films such as Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Shadow of a Doubt. Looking at the image to the right, we can see the Noir influence within this photographers portraiture, as well as the signature 40s fashion previously mentioned.
22
23
24
25
LIFE AFTER WAR

After the Second World War, the time had come for many soldiers to return home, and begin to contemplate how they were going to live the rest of their lives. For most men, the time had come to settle down, find a partner and become married. This was most certainly the case with my Grandfather, Charles. After his discharge from the Royal Navy, he returned to Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. During this time, rationing was still in place and many people still couldnt afford the luxuries of life. Overleaf, an official Certificate of Discharge book shows the times and dates of his discharge.
26
27
TIE THE KNOT

Rule Britannia: A Celebration of Heritage Rule Britannia: A Celebration of Heritage
28
Dating from 1945-1955, the following photographs depict different weddings from different eras. From military weddings to full expense church matrimonys, the contrast between yesteryears ceremonies and todays is quite drastic. Weddings were more difficult to fund during this period, as well as divorce and gay marriage was also unheard of back then, unlike today.
29
30
31
FAMILY
As we progress further into this book, we move onto family, the most important thing to many of us. Once the men had settled down with their spouses, the time had come to start a family. Life began to get simpler day by day, as the worries of the war were over. It was now time to attain a regular nine to five job and to lead a normal life to support their offspring.
32
33
THRIVING FIFTIES
The 1950s. A time when children would walk to school and feel safe, families would have open fires in their households and there was no need to lock the front door. It was a time when children would play out in the street, graze their knees, fight one another, yet nobody sued anybody. The fifties was described as the best of times as employment was booming and many people shared a sense of certainty about life.
34
35
36
37
38
39
THE BRITISH INVASION

The Sixties was an era which sought the introduction of new trends and events, which would have a long term impact upon the globe for years to come. One of which was The British Invasion. The British Invasion was a phenomenon that occurred during the mid 1960s when music acts, as well as various other aspects of British culture became popular in the U.S. Acts such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones would have a vast influence upon young mens fashion and lifestyle choices. The following photographs depict life during the sixties; notice how happy everyone was during this decade.
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
48 47
THE SEVENTIES
The 1970s was an iconic decade. Although it was full of protests, miners strikes and the drought of 76, there were numerous innovations introduced to help keep people occupied. Technical marvels such as digital watches, personal computers, email, digital cameras and the mobile phone were all generated during this time, probably making it the most technically productive decade ever. Here, my Grandfather, my Mother and my Uncle are on a family getaway in Spain. This was the last set of photographs in my Grandfathers possession before the introduction of colour photography.
48
49
BURST INTO COLOUR

During the Seventies, both photography and television had undergone some drastic changes. The introduction of colour televisions astounded most, and very little could afford them at the time of their release. Colour photographic film also began to increase in popularity. The following set of images are the latest which my Grandfather had taken and the ones which I feel are most relevant. It is here which we begin to see modern codes and conventions coming into effect. School portraits of my Mother and Uncle, household photography, and DIY portraits all play a part within British culture.
50
51
52
53
54
55
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First and foremost, thank you to those individuals whom have helped me stay inspired whilst working on this publication. You know who you are.
An extension of gratitude to both Suzanne Underwood Vardy and her Mother Jill, without the images provided to me by these generous people, this book would not have been possible.
Finally, a sincere thank you to my family. My Mother, Naomi for running around trying to find these long lost documents. You have helped me more than you realise. My Grandfather, Charles and my Grandmother, Eileen. Thank you for providing me with these wonderful memories, although you are no longer on this Earth, I can keep your memories safe.
56
Adam

Rule Britannia: A Celebration of Heritage

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Rule Britannia: A Celebration of Heritage

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Rule Britannia A Celebration of Heritage

For Charles Bettley Rafferty

PREFACE 6 PHOTOGRAPHS 8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 56

WITH WITH THOUGHTS THOUGHTS OF OF THE THE PAST PAST