Figure 1.-- Britain during the inter-War era developed the largest automonile industry in Europe. The lolipop lady/man became a unbiqitous fixture on English streets, helping primary children get to and from school. This looks like a 1960s scene. We are not sure when the lolipops first appeared. Before World War II, road traffic was much less conegsted than what developed after the War. This looks like a 1960s scene.

A factor in going to school was traffic. Most English children walked to school, especially primary-age children. This traffic was a issue for these younger children. There were accidents before cars appeared on streets, but they were relatively rare, because horses and horse-drawn carriages did not go all that fast. The power of the horses and the condition of the streets limited speed. The autmobile changed that, both because of the speed of the cars and improvement of city steets. This began to create real hazzards for children, especially after World War I when we see more cars on the street. Britain was the European country with the highest level of car ownership. Car ownership was more limited than in America, but the highest in Europe. Which meant that parents had to become concerned about their younger children walking to school or riding their bikes. Even in Britain traffic was not heavy in the major cities because cars were still not widely owned. Working-class families could not aford cars and even many middle-class families did not have them. This did not behin to change wntil after World War II when car ownership began to increase on the Continent (only Western Europe) and Britain. It is at this time that Britain began to give more attention to traffic safety.

The 19th Century

England in the 19th century became one of the mot heavily urbamnized countries in the world. Most of the wrbanization occurred in the 19th century as part of Indudtrial Revolution. People moved from the coutry sise into the cities. The ciies grew enormously and Britain had to begin to import food to feed them. Agriculture did not decline, but it did as proprtion of the economy. At the same time that Britain urbamized it began building a public education system. Here England lagged behind other imprtant counties, especially America and Germany. The major commitment was the Educatioin Act of 1870. English scchools were in the cities and villages. There were no rural schools as in America. Children walked to schools as there was usually a primary schools within walking distance, unless the child lived in the country. A factor in going to school was traffic. Englamd made huge advnces in tranports duruing the 19th centyrry, cabnals, railroads, and steamships. None of this ffected school childrem. Vehiculsr traffic was little chnbged during the century. It was primsrily horse sanguggies in 1800 as it was in 1900. Street cars appeared in the larte-19th century, but they were drawn by horses and rarely used by school children. The same was true of the London Outground which did mo ncome impoprtsnt uimntil the turn -of-the 20 cenyury with elctrificstion. Traffic was a issue for younger children. There were accidents before cars appeared on streets, but they were relatively rare. Horses in towns and horse-drawn carriages did not go all that fast. The power of the horses and the condition of the streets limited speed. We have photographic evidence by the late-19tyh century. Images taken in towns and villages show largely deserted streets and roads. Traffic jams were virtually non-existent and outside city centers, the cobbelsdtone streets and roads seem rather placid and non-threatening for childrem.

The 20th Century

The automobile changed that, both because of the speed of the cars and improvement of city steets. This basically occured right after the turn of the 20th centuty with the internal combustion engine when companies began building automobiles. This soon began to create real hazzards for children, especially after World War I when we see more cars on the street. Britain was the European country with the highest level of car ownership. Car ownership was more limited than in America, but the highest in Europe. Which meant that parents had to become concerned about their younger children walking to school or riding their bikes. Even in Britain traffic was not heavy in the major cities because cars were still not widely owned. Working-class families could not aford cars and even many middle-class families did not have them. This did not behin to change wntil after World War II when car ownership began to increase on the Continent (only Western Europe) and Britain. It is at this time that Britain began to give more attention to traffic safety.

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Created: 10:55 PM 4/6/2019
Last updated: 4:46 AM 8/30/2021