What was Belfast like in the 1950's?

Question

I'd love as many details as possible: politics, standard of living, heritage, etc.

Answer 1

Here are a few illustrations:
http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:go4PwQkg1fsJ:www.digitalfilmarchive.net/dfa/doBrowse.asp%3FthisBrowse%3D1950s+belfast+1950s&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1

The 1950's were a time of quiet prosperity in Northern Ireland. The Welfare State had been introduced by the Labour government after the war and many poor people in Northern Ireland saw their standard of living rise dramatically. The Stormont government also took advantage of the war damage in Belfast to build better council housing. In 1946 the Health Service was made completely free and unemployment allowances were introduced in 1948. The Labour government also rapidly nationalised most of British infrastructure but Stormont was unhappy about the changes in Northern Ireland. The Unionists were generally right wing and did not like socialist policies. They even proposed forming an independent Northern Irish country until the Labour government agreed to fund the welfare state in Northern Ireland. However this increased Northern Ireland's economic dependence on Britain.
In 1951 the Conservatives regained power in Britain, and generally left Stormont to manage Northern Ireland. Problems existed in Northern Ireland at this time - 94% of the top 740 civil servant posts were held by Protestants (if equal opportunities were in force it should have been nearer 65%) and favouritism was often given to Protestants when council housing was given out. This policy persisted all through the 1950s and 1960s.
In 1956 the IRA regrouped and began a terrorist campaign in Northern Ireland. They blew up border posts and electricity installations. However the IRA did not have enough weapons, and they met nationalist apathy and even opposition in Northern Ireland and their campaign went out with a whimper in 1962. In the early 1960s it seemed as if nobody in either part of Ireland was really interested in reunification.

Answer 2

The Orange versus Green feud is a deep seeded one that turned family members against one another. Prejudices and discrimination was rooted throughout the society along with nationalism that was fueling the fire. This fact even transcend the Irish Whiskey were the Catholics couldn't get job's with the Bushmill Distillery and the Protestants would be beat up by the Jameson drinkers.

Answer 3

standard of living lower even with more employment. more social housing. a hell of a lot less crime. more ill health due to poor sanitation. and a time when you would never have seen a millie walk down the street in her pyjamas drinking a bottle of wkd

Answer 4

Pissing down with rain I would think. Why would the 1950s be any different to now.

Answer 5

a warzone of provos against orangemen

the economy declined after WW2 as the shipbuilding went down