Chronology: Key Events in Britain 1906–1951

• 1906    ‘Liberal Landslide’ in general election.
• 1907    Start of Liberal social reforms: Education Act.
• 1908    Children’s Act. Old Age Pensions Act.
• 1909    Rejection of the ‘People’s Budget’.
• 1910    Death of Edward VII and accession of George V. Outbreak of constitutional crisis over the House of Lords.
• 1911    Powers of the House of Lords reduced by Parliament Act. National Insurance Act.
• 1912    Start of Ulster Crisis.
• 1913    Death of Emily Davison at the Derby.
• 1914    Height of the Ulster crisis. Start of the First World War. Defence of the Realm Act.
• 1915    Formation of Liberal–Conservative coalition government. Introduction of conscription.
• 1916    Asquith replaced as Prime Minister by Lloyd George. Battle of the Somme. Secret report to George V concerning the national financial crisis due to the war.
• 1917    Russian revolution. US entry into the war. Battle of Passchendaele.
• 1918     Armistice to end the First World War. The ‘coupon election’. Representation of the People Act grants women the vote.
• 1919    Irish War of Independence. Treaty of Versailles signed.
• 1921     Miners’ strike. Anglo-Irish treaty and proclamation of Irish Free State.
• 1922    ‘Geddes Axe’ spending cuts. Fall of Lloyd George coalition. Conservative government under Bonar Law.
• 1923     Bonar Law succeeded as Prime Minister by Baldwin. Conservatives defeated in general election.
• 1924     Minority Labour government under Ramsay MacDonald. Victory for Baldwin and Conservatives in October general election.
• 1925     Britain returns to the Gold Standard.
• 1926     The General Strike.
• 1928     Extension of votes for women by the Suffrage Act.
• 1929     Formation of Second Labour government under MacDonald. Wall Street Crash.
• 1931    Major financial crisis and collapse of Labour government. Formation of National Government under Ramsay MacDonald. Gold Standard abandoned. Massive victory for National Government in general election.
• 1932     Protective tariffs introduced. Formation of BUF led by Oswald Mosley.
• 1934    ‘Battle of Olympia’ marks high point of Mosley and the BUF.
• 1935     Victory of National Government in general election. Stanley Baldwin Prime Minister. Death of George V and accession of Edward VIII.
• 1936    Abdication of Edward VIII. Public Order Act passed.
• 1937     Coronation of George VI. Neville Chamberlain Prime Minister after resignation of Baldwin.
• 1938     Hitler achieves Anchluss with Austria. Munich conference accepts German annexation of the Sudetenland. Increased rearmament in Britain.
• 1939     Start of the war in Europe after German invasion of Poland. The ‘Phoney War’.
• 1940     Resignation of Neville Chamberlain. Formation of Churchill’s wartime coalition. Fall of France. Battle of Britain.
• 1941     Lend-Lease agreement with the USA. German invasion of USSR. Widening of the world war to involve Japan and USA following Pearl Harbor.
• 1942     Fall of Singapore. Battle of El Alamein. Beveridge Report issued.
• 1943     Victory achieved in the Battle of the Atlantic and in North Africa. Invasion of Fascist Italy and downfall of Mussolini.
• 1944     D-Day landings and liberation of France. Butler Education Act.
• 1945     End of Second World War. Landslide victory for Labour in general election and complete collapse of Liberal vote. Failure of post-war treaty negotiations at Potsdam. Massive loans to Britain by USA.
• 1947     Severe winter and major financial crisis. Introduction of ‘austerity’ policies. Nationalisation of the coal industry. Start of US aid through Marshall Plan. British withdrawal from India.
• 1948     National Health Service established by Aneurin Bevan. ‘Austerity’ Olympic Games held in London. Start of Berlin Blockade.
• 1949     End of Berlin Blockade. Formation of NATO and confirmation of ‘Cold War’. Devaluation of the pound sterling.
• 1950     Start of the Korean War. Attlee’s Labour government re-elected with small majority after general election.
• 1951     Festival of Britain. New general election called by Attlee. Election of
  Conservative government under Churchill. Start of 13 years of Conservative rule.