1921 - 1930

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1921

Census: Pop. E&W 37.9M, Scot 4.9M, NI 1.25M

December 6: Irish Free State and Northern Ireland formed

Irish Regiments of British Army disbanded

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1922

BBC begins transmissions

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1923

Mussolini becomes dictator of Italy

First Wembley cup final (West Ham 0, Bolton 2) – "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" popular song of the time, became West Ham anthem

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1924

First Labour government, headed by Ramsay MacDonald

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1926

April 26: General Strike begins, till May 12 (mine workers for 6 months more)

First public demonstration of television (TV) by John Logie Baird

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1927

he innovation of sound allowed audiences to hear an actor’s voice for the first time as Al Jolson spoke a few lines in The Jazz Singer (1927). The huge success of the film led to the costly transition of all films to sound, resulting in greater plot complexity and the development of whole new genres, such as the musical. Full-colour cinematography was realised in the 1930s with Technicolor, used to full advantage in Gone With the Wind (1939).

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1928

Women over 21 get vote – same qualification for both sexes

Walt Disney begins his 'Mickey Mouse' pictures

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1929

Abolition of Poor Law system in Britain

Minimum age for a marriage (which had been 14 for a boy and 12 for a girl) now 16 for both sexes, with parental consent (or a licence) needed for anyone under 21

Sir Alexander Fleming accidentally discovers penicillin

Wall Street crash on 'Black Tuesday'

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1930

October 5: R101 airship disaster

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