What was it like to be unemployed? Life in the 1930s

Aims of the lesson In this lesson you will learn about Experiences of the unemployed Evaluating the utility or reliability of sources

Background 3 million unemployed in 1932 Had to “sign on” at an Employment Exchange once a week in order to get the dole Some twice a day No NI – means test. Would reduce dole if you had any money

Life on the dole BMA survey 1933 – 5s 1d to feed a person % on dole below this threshold Should you stick to your trade or take a casual job? How would you feed your family? What about beer and cigarettes? Savings clubs prospered – saving up in case of unemployment

Alfred Smith and his family In 1939 the magazine Picture Post did a feature on Alfred Smith and his family Lived in Peckham (South London) and had a wife and four children Out of work for four years Signed on three times a week Lived in a basement flat Showed middle class people what life was like on the dole

Your task Look at sources A and B and do a DAMMIT analysis on them How reliable are they – think about who wrote them and what their purpose was Answer the 10 mark question – look at your laminated sheet to help you to structure it. Remember that no source is completely useless – some are just more useful than others