The Southbank Centre has launched a nationwide appeal for memories of the Festival of Britain, which took place on London’s South Bank and at events across the country in 1951.
The Festival of Britain was a four-month national exhibition and fair intended to be a “tonic for the nation” following years of war and hardship.
Six years on from the Second World War, Britain was still experiencing austerity and rationing. The Labour government led by Clement Attlee was beginning to lose support, and the Festival was designed to showcase Britain’s achievements in the arts and science.
Now, the Southbank Centre is inviting anyone who attended the Festival, either at the South Bank site or at one of the many regional celebrations, to share their memories as part of a 75th anniversary project.
Eight million people visited London during May to September 1951 as the country embraced modern art and architecture.
The Royal Festival Hall is the last surviving structure from the original festival site and was the reason why the Southbank Centre itself was built.
Completed on 3 May 1951, the hall was finished just in time for the Festival’s opening, with further additions made during the 1960s as the site developed into a major cultural hub.
In 1987, it became the first post-war building to be granted Grade I listed status, recognising its architectural and historical importance.
To mark the Festival’s 70th anniversary in 2021, the building’s listing was revised to Grade II. More recently, the rest of the Southbank Centre complex has also been recognised, with the Hayward Gallery, Purcell Room and Queen Elizabeth Hall all granted Grade II listed status.
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Among those contributing recollections of the festival is Dame Jacqueline Wilson, who recalls that “my parents and I went to the South Bank because there was dancing after dark, which was one of the most exciting things ever.”
PoeT Roger McGough has said, “I remember when I was 14 being brought to London by my parents and being overawed by the Festival of Britain celebrations.
“Until then I thought only Liverpudlians knew how to enjoy themselves.”
To submit a memory, head to the Southbank Centre website: www.southbankcentre.co.uk/festivalofbritain.
