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“Working for the Yankee Dollar”: Tourism and the Festival of Britain as Stimuli for Recovery

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 December 2012

Mariel Grant
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Journal of British Studies , Volume 45 , Issue 3 , July 2006 , pp. 581 - 601
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Copyright © North American Conference of British Studies 2006

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References

1 Publicity Planning Group, PPG.(49)12, “Draft for Booklet ‘Approach to the Country,’” memorandum by J. Triggs, 6 April 1949, National Archives (hereafter NA, formerly the Public Record Office), WORK 25/57. On festival centers, see Conekin, Becky E., “The Autobiography of a Nation”: The 1951 Festival of Britain (Manchester, 2003), app. 2, 236–67Google Scholar.

2 “Letter from Max Nicholson to the Arts Council,” 20 February 1947, Papers of the Arts Council of Great Britain, Victoria and Albert Museum, EL 6/1.

3 Conekin has also made this point, as has Richard Weight. See Conekin, “The Autobiography of a Nation,” 26–27; Weight, Richard, Patriots: National Identity in Britain, 1940–2000 (London, 2002), 196–97, 204–5Google Scholar.

4 Frayn, Michael, “Festival,” in The Age of Austerity, ed. Sissons, M. and French, P. (London, 1963), 322Google Scholar. Frayn had close ties to satirists such as Alan Bennett of Beyond the Fringe fame. On Frayn, see Sandbrook, Dominic, Never Had It So Good: A History of Britain from Suez to the Beatles (London, 2005), 555Google Scholar.

5 Hennessy, Peter, Never Again: Britain, 1945–1951 (New York, 1993), 425–28Google Scholar; Morgan, Kenneth, The People's Peace: British History, 1945–1989 (Oxford, 1990), 75–76, 109–10CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Arnstein, Walter, Britain Yesterday and Today (Lexington, KY, 1992), 361Google Scholar; Addison, Paul, Now the War Is Over: A Social History of Britain, 1945–51 (London, 1985), 197–216Google Scholar. For the impact on art and architecture, see Marwick, Arthur, Culture in Britain since 1945 (Oxford, 1990)Google Scholar; Ford, Boris, The Cambridge Guide to the Arts in Britain, vol. 9 (Cambridge, 1988)Google Scholar; Spalding, Frances, British Art since 1900 (London, 1986)Google Scholar; Maguire, Patrick J. and Woodham, Jonathan M., eds., Design and Cultural Politics in Postwar Britain: The Britain Can Make It Exhibition of 1946 (London, 1997)Google Scholar. For reminiscences, see Banham, Mary and Hiller, Bevis, eds., A Tonic to the Nation: The Festival of Britain, 1951 (London, 1976)Google Scholar; Marwick, Arthur, “Britain 1951,” History Today 41 (1991): 5–11Google Scholar.

6 Leventhal, F. M., “‘A Tonic to the Nation’: The Festival of Britain, 1951,” Albion 27, no. 3 (Fall 1995): 445–53CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

7 Conekin, “The Autobiography of a Nation.”

8 See Hewison, Robert, Culture and Consensus: England, Art, and Politics since 1940 (London, 1995)Google Scholar; Samuel, Raphael, Theatres of Memory, vol. 1, Past and Present in Contemporary Culture (London, 1994)Google Scholar; Ward, Paul, Britishness since 1870 (London, 2004)Google Scholar; Weight, Patriots, 191–208.

9 W. Astor to R. Boothby, 9 June 1928, and Astor to Churchill, 9 June 1928, NA, T 161/1229/33797/1. Also see NA, BT 61/34/5, BT 61/35/9.

10 Correspondence, NA, T 161/1229/33797/1.

11 “The Development of the Catering, Holiday, and Tourist Services: Report to the Minister of Labour and National Service on an Enquiry by the Catering Wages Commission under Section 2(1)(b) of the Catering Wages Act 1943,” 1945, and L.P.(46)117, “Catering, Holiday, and Tourist Services,” note by the lord president of the council, 14 May 1946, NA, PREM 8/358.

12 L.P.(46)277, “Tourist, Catering, and Holiday Services: Structure of Non-governmental Organization,” 25 November 1946, NA, PREM 8/358.

13 Interdepartmental committee on the functions and powers of the British tourist and holidays board, “Memorandum by the Tourist, Catering, and Holidays Branch, Export Promotions Department,” 8 October 1947, NA, BT 103/721.

14 “Tourism Not to Be Nationalized,” 1947, and M.M.(47)45, “Relationship between the British Tourist and Holidays Board and the Travel Association,” 2 July 1947, NA, BT 64/4053.

15 Memorandum to A. Barlow, 30 March 1946, and H. Dalton to H. Marquand, 3 April 1946, NA, T 161/1229/33791/7.

16 “The 21st Annual Report of the Travel Association for the Year Ended March 1949,” NA, MT 73/114, 12–13.

17 Economic Planning Council, E.P.C.(49)88, Cabinet economic policy committee, “The Expansion of Tourism from North America to the United Kingdom and Europe,” 25 July 1949, NA, CAB 134/222; “Matters to Be Discussed with the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the President of the Board of Trade in Connexion with the Dollar Problem,” undated, NA, BT 64/1150.

18 Cabinet Paper, C.P.(46)66, “Cabinet: The Accommodation of Students and Tourists from the United States during 1946,” 14 February 1946, NA, PREM 8/358.

19 Department secretary to Hill, 28 October 1946, and E. A. Sharp to M. R. Walsh, 8 October 1949, NA, HLG 90/140.

20 L.P.(46)117, “Catering, Holiday, and Tourist Services,” NA, PREM 8/358; E(48)82, Cabinet committee on exports, “Development of Tourism,” 19 August 1948, NA, BT 64/2975; H. Wilson to S. Cripps, 6 September 1948, NA, T 229/393.

21 Postwar export trade committee, Paper no. 32, “Government Practice in Relation to Exhibitions and Fairs,” note by the secretary, 10 October 1942, and 10th meeting, 14 October 1942, NA, T 160/1375/17942/2.

22 This was the Weir committee (1943–44); NA, T 160/1375/17942/3.

23 News Chronicle, 14 September 1945.

24 The Ramsden committee was created 25 September 1945; NA, BT 237/6.

25 “Extract from the Ramsden Committee Report,” 17 December 1945, NA, BT 237/6.

26 “Report of the Committee Appointed by the Secretary for Overseas Trade under the Chairmanship of the Lord Ramsden to Consider the Part Which Exhibitions and Fairs Should Play in the Promotion of Export Trade in the Post-war Era and to Advise on the Policy and Plans to Be Adopted to Derive the Maximum Advantage from Such Displays,” March 1946, Cmd. 6782, NA, CAB 124/1330; Hansard, 3 April 1946, vol. 421, no. 116, col. 1255.

27 Letters of December 1946 in NA, BT 237/7, BT 237/8, CAB 124/1330, CAB 124/1331; and Victoria and Albert Museum, EL 6/1. On Cripps's objections see L.P.(47)47, “Proposals Regarding the 1951 Exhibition,” memorandum by the president of the Board of Trade, 10 March 1947, NA, CAB 132/7.

28 L.P.(47)164, “Proposals Regarding the 1851 Centenary,” memorandum by the lord president of the council, 24 November 1947, NA, CAB 132/8; L.P.(47)28th meeting, 28 November 1947, NA, CAB 132/6; “Speech Made by the Lord President of the Council, the Rt. Hon. Herbert Morrison, M.P., at the Opening Meeting of the Council of the Festival of Britain, 1951, on 31st May 1948,” NA, WORK 25/44.

29 Hansard, 5 December 1947, vol. 445, cols. 691–95. It was a chief aim of the festival: FB(50) 1st meeting, Central Office of Information (hereafter COI), overseas publicity, minutes, 23 January 1950, NA, INF 12/302.

30 “Organization of the Festival of Britain, 1951,” Lord Ismay to Morrison, 19 April 1950, and Ismay to Morrison, 6 December 1950, NA, CAB 124/1216.

31 Donoughue, Bernard and Jones, G. W., Herbert Morrison: Portrait of a Politician (London, 1973), 492–94Google Scholar.

32 Nicholson to Morrison, 7 December 1950, NA, CAB 124/1249; Correspondence, October 1949, NA, CAB 124/1268; Hansard, 5 April 1949, vol. 463, no. 95, cols. 1861–62. Also, correspondence, October–November 1949, NA, T 219/348, T 219/349.

33 Conekin, “The Autobiography of a Nation,” 15.

34 Adrian Forty, “Festival Politics,” in Banham and Hillier, A Tonic to the Nation, 29–30.

35 Wright, “Blueprint for Propaganda,” undated [mid-1948], NA, WORK 25/26.

36 G. Barry to Nicholson, 26 September 1949, NA, CAB 124/1315.

37 On earlier government campaigns, see Grant, Mariel, Propaganda and the Role of the State (Oxford, 1995)Google Scholar.

38 PPG.(48) 1st meeting, minutes, 24 November 1948, app., NA, WORK 25/57.

39 Correspondence, NA, CAB 124/1221. The meeting is also discussed by Conekin, “The Autobiography of a Nation,” 153–54.

40 F.B.(48) 32a final edition, “The Theme: Part II—Implementation,” 20 August 1948, and FB. (49)3, “Supporting Activities of Festival of Britain, Means of Approach and Organization: Memorandum by the Director-General,” 25 January 1949, NA, WORK 25/46; FB.C.(49)19, “Approach to the Country,” note by secretary, 17 June 1949, NA, WORK 25/44.

41 Minutes, NA, WORK 25/59.

42 On Oxford's festival, see NA, WORK 25/240; on Biggleswade’s, see NA, WORK 25/235.

43 Nicholson to W. Douglas, 2 May 1949, NA, CAB 124/1221; J. Lidderdale to L. Crainford, 5 May 1949, Lidderdale, minutes, 17 May 1949, and Wrigley to Nicholson, 30 May 1950, NA, CAB 124/1341; FB.C.(49)19, “Approach to the Country,” NA, WORK 25/44. Also see Conekin, “The Autobiography of a Nation,” 161.

44 Approach to the country committee, 25th meeting, 9 June 1950, 26th meeting, 4 August 1950, and 27th meeting, 6 October 1950, NA, WORK 25/59.

45 On the long-standing nature of this argument, see Grant, Propaganda, 233–36.

46 M.M.(47)45, 2 July 1947, NA, BT 64/4053; J. Balcon to Lidderdale, 2 September 1948, and Nicholson to Morrison, 18 October 1948, NA, CAB 124/1322.

47 P. Wright, “Confidential Paper Regarding Main Lines for Press and Public Relations,” 30 July 1948, NA, WORK 25/26, and “Monthly Report,” 15 January 1950, NA, WORK 25/2.

48 PPG.(48) 1st meeting, 24 November 1948, NA, WORK 25/57.

49 PPG.(48) 2nd meeting, 2 December 1948, NA, WORK 25/57.

50 C. Warner to Nicholson, 4 October 1949, NA, CAB 124/1268. Also see NA, WORK 25/60/A6, WORK 25/61/A6.

51 FB(50) 1st meeting, COI, overseas publicity, 23 January 1950, NA, INF 12/302.

52 FB(50) 5th meeting, COI, overseas publicity, 5 June 1950, NA, INF 12/302.

53 “Report on Visit to the USA by Director, Public Relations,” undated, NA, WORK 25/26.

54 Nicholson to B. Sendall, 9 January 1951, NA, CAB 124/1316; Reply, 27 January 1951, NA, CAB 124/1317.

55 Telegram no. 5773, foreign office to ambassador, Washington, 27 December 1950, Telegram no. 3538, O. Franks to Nicholson, and “America and the Festival of Britain,” Nicholson to Morrison, 1 January 1951, NA, CAB 124/1316.

56 S. C. Leslie to Nicholson, 20 October 1950, NA, CAB 124/1316.

57 C. Slocum to the chancellor of the exchequer, 23 October 1950, NA, T 219/349; Campbell to Slocum, 15 November 1950, NA, T 219/350.

58 M. A. Hamilton to Morrison, 19 December 1950, NA, CAB 124/1316.

59 Triggs, “Estimated Overall Publicity Budget,” 8 August 1949, NA, WORK 25/57. This percentage was computed using the 1949 conversion ratio of £1=$2.80.

60 Nicholson to Leslie, 28 April 1949, NA, CAB 134/1340; P. H. Gore-Booth to Atkinson, 14 May 1949, NA, CAB 124/1292.

61 “1951 Festival and E.R.P.,” Leslie to E. Atkinson, 28 April 1949, NA, CAB 124/1340; Gore-Booth to Atkinson, 14 May 1949, NA, CAB 124/1292; Correspondence, October 1949, NA, CAB 124/1268.

62 Hansard, 26 October 1949, vol. 468, no. 171, col. 1323; “Thomas Beecham Criticizes Festival,” Manchester Guardian, 22 August 1949; D. O’Donovan to Sendall, 15 September 1949, NA, T 219/348.

63 See Conekin, “The Autobiography of a Nation,” 210–11.

64 Nicholson to Barry, 28 July 1950, NA, CAB 124/1316.

65 G.E.C.(48)35, “Supporting Activities: Draft Report to Ministers,” note by the secretary, 22 December 1948, NA, WORK 25/47.

66 R. Makins to J. Troutbeck, 4 January 1950 [1951], NA, FO 953/1068; Wright, “Monthly Report,” 18 September 1950, NA, WORK 25/2; Nicholson to Barry, 1 August 1950, NA, CAB 124/1322; Nicholson to Morrison, 5 January 1951, NA, CAB 124/1216.

67 Troutbeck to A. Platt, 20 January 1951, NA, FO 953/1068.

68 Wright, “Blueprint for Propaganda,” NA, WORK 25/26; PPG.(48) 1st meeting, 24 November 1948, app., and PPG.(49) 8th Meeting, 11 March 1949, NA, WORK 25/57; FB(49) 3rd meeting, COI, overseas publicity, 16 August 1949, NA, INF 12/302.

69 Wright to the chair, 29 March 1950, NA, WORK 25/26.

70 Ibid. Also, FBC(49)35, December 1949, NA, BT 237/20; PPG.(49) 20th Meeting, 8 July 1949, NA, WORK 25/57; Barry to Nicholson, 20 June 1949, NA, CAB 124/1267.

71 FB(49)54, “Overseas Publicity Schedule,” memorandum from Wright, 20 October 1949, NA, WORK 25/46.

72 Life, 22 January 1951, 17–20.

73 See, e.g., the New York Times and the New York Herald Tribune.

74 FB.C.(51) 1st meeting, 21 February 1951, NA, WORK 25/44.

75 See, e.g., Newsweek, 15 January 1951, and 12 February 1951.

76 Wright to the director-general, 8 January 1951, NA, WORK 25/26; Wright, “Monthly Report,” 18 September 1950, NA, WORK 25/2.

77 NAP(51)2 COI, North American publicity committee, “Policy Guidance: Festival of Britain,” note by secretariat, 18 January 1951, NA, INF 12/307; and Life, 22 January 1951, 17–20.

78 See Conekin, “The Autobiography of a Nation,” 16.

79 “Report for the Lord President by the Director-General of the Festival of Britain on His Visit to the USA,” 3 February 1951, NA, CAB 124/1317.

80 Ibid.

81 “BBC: The BBC's Contribution to the Festival of Britain, 1951,” NA, WORK 25/6/A1/A6/5.

82 Wright to the chair, 29 March 1950, NA, WORK 25/26; Approach to the country committee, 18th meeting, 3 October 1949, and FB. Approach to the Country (49) 4, NA, WORK 25/59/A5; PPG.(48) 1st Meeting, 24 November 1948, app., NA, WORK 25/57.

83 Nicholson to Barry, 28 July 1950, NA, CAB 124/1316.

84 E(48)82, 19 August 1948, NA, CAB 124/1322; D. LeB. Jones, “Report on the Festival of Britain, Hotels, and Tourism,” 28 December 1951, NA, CAB 124/1252.

85 Director-general's statement to press conference, 14 October 1948, NA, CAB 124/1315.

86 Nicholson to Barry, 28 July 1950, NA, CAB 124/1316.

87 Barry to Morrison, 19 June 1950, and Nicholson to Morrison, 22 June 1950, NA, CAB 124/1322.

88 Travel organizations protested possible government competition: J. Bridges to Nicholson, 7 July 1950, W. Hughes to Nicholson, 28 July 1950, and Nicholson to Barry, 1 August 1950, NA, CAB 124/1322.

89 Minutes, interdepartmental committee on tourism, NA, MT 73/112, MT 73/113.

90 E(48)82, 19 August 1948, NA, CAB 124/1322.

91 Morrison to M. Webb, 17 March 1950, Reply, 28 March 1950, Ismay to Morrison, 26 April 1950, and J. B. S. to Downes, 29 April 1950, NA, CAB 124/1323.

92 Campbell, “The Story,” NA, WORK 25/3; F.G.Ltd.(50) 8th meeting, 27 April 1950, NA, WORK 25/21.

93 F.G.Ltd.(50) 7th meeting, 23 March 1950, NA, WORK 25/21.

94 E(48)82, 19 August 1948, NA, CAB 124/1322.

95 C.M.(50) 29th Conclusions, 8 May 1950, NA, CAB 128/17.

96 A. France to Mr. Compton, 6 May 1950, NA, T 219/349.

97 T. Weiler to R. Hammond, 24 July 1950, NA, BT 15/343.

98 See NA, BT 15/344, part A.

99 Jones, “Report on the Festival of Britain, Hotels, and Tourism,” NA, CAB 124/1252.

100 Campbell, “The Story,” NA, WORK 25/3.

101 C.M.(50) 29th Conclusions, 8 May 1950, NA, CAB 128/17.

102 C.P.(50)91,“Tourist Accommodation for 1951,” memorandum by the lord president of the council, 3 May 1950, NA, CAB 129/39.

103 “Principles of Public Relations and Publicity,” 3 August 1948, NA, WORK 25/46/A5/B6/31.

104 G.E.C.(48)17, “Procedure for Submission through Board of Trade of Demands for Materials for Festival Exhibition,” 14 June 1948, NA, WORK 25/47.

105 F.B. presentation panel (48) 3rd meeting, 31 August 1948, F.B. presentation panel (48) 8th meeting, 3 November 1948, and F.B. presentation panel (48) 9th meeting, 17 November 1948, NA, WORK 25/47.

106 Correspondence, July 1950, NA, CAB 124/1292.

107 Lidderdale to Sendall, 7 April 1949, NA, CAB 124/1224.

108 Grant, Propaganda, 1–10.

109 Newsweek, 15 January 1951, 37.

110 Franks to Barry, 23 January 1951, NA, CAB 124/1317.

111 NA, BT 64/1185, PREM 8/1292.

112 FB.C.(51) 1st meeting, Council of the Festival of Britain, 1951, 21 February 1951, NA, WORK 25/44.

113 McCullough, David, Truman (New York, 1992), 562Google Scholar.

114 TOU(49)6 appendix, “Section 16: Preliminary Report on the Tourist Trade Considered in Relation to the Joint Recovery Programme,” NA, BT 64/1208.

115 For background, see BTHB, “Annual Report for the Year 1948–49,” NA, BT 13/233, 13–14. On British attitudes, see W.G.T.85, Interdepartmental working group on tourism, 21st meeting, 11 May 1949, and 24th meeting, 8 June 1949, NA, T 229/393.

116 The issue with festival advertising had a cover story on the Korean crisis; Life, 22 January 1951. Neither Life nor Newsweek nor Time published letters relating to coverage of the festival.

117 “Festival—Beacon to Weary Britons,” Newsweek, 28 May 1951, 30.

118 “Festival Despite Austerity,” Newsweek, 14 May 1951, 34.

119 “Great Britain Joyful for a Season,” Time, 14 May 1951, 22.

120 “Festival of Britain: American Press Reaction,” May 1951, NA, FO 953/1068.

121 Campbell, “The Story,” NA, WORK 25/3.

122 Ibid.

123 Ibid.

124 Jones, “Report on the Festival of Britain, Hotels, and Tourism,” NA, CAB 124/1252.

125 Ibid.

126 This is also a conclusion drawn by Weight; see Patriots, 206.

127 E.P.C.(49)88, 25 July 1949, NA, CAB 134/222.

128 Nicholson, “Notes for Festival Report,” 26 October 1951, NA, CAB 134/1322.

129 See Hewison, Robert, The Heritage Industry: Britain in a Climate of Decline (London, 1987)Google Scholar; Cannadine, David, The Decline and Fall of the British Aristocracy (London, 1990), 653–56CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Samuel, Theatres of Memory, 248, 259–71.

130 Weight, Patriots, 206.