So, to remedy this, let's talk about 1932!
The Depression was still in force and unemployment was high, around 20% or more for most countries.
Historical events for 1932 include:
* A massive famine in Russia relating in an estimated 5 million deaths.
* The tragic Lindbergh kidnapping.
* Amelia Earhart becomes the first woman to make a solo air crossing of the Atlantic Ocean.
* The Tenth Summer Olympic Games Opens in Los Angeles.
* The winter of 1932 was so cold that Niagara Falls froze completely solid.
* The Sydney Harbour Bridge opens, taking 10 years to complete.
In popular culture:
* Radio City Music Hall opened on 27th December.
* One of the most iconic photos in the world was taken in 1932, 'Lunch Atop A Skyscraper'. It was taken fom around the 69th floor. Gives me goosebumps just looking at it!
* At the movies, people were watching Grand Hotel, Shanghai Express, Trouble In Paradise, Pack Up Your Troubles and Scarface.
* White Zombie is considered to be the first feature length zombie movie.
* They were listening to Louis Armstrong, Guy Lombardo, Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire.
* The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck won the 1932 Pulitzer Prize for Novels. I remember loving this when I read it in high school and it will be on my re-read list soon as I am reading through all the Pulitzer Prize winners from 1918. (Can you tell I love a good list to work through?!)
* Other books published in 1932 include Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons, Little House In The Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder and The Thirteen Problems by Agatha Christie.
* What things cost (these are US price comparisons):
- Average cost of a new house $6,510 ($122,583 today)
- Average wages per year $1,650 ($31,070 today)
- Average price of a new car $610 ($11,486 today)
- A loaf of bread 7c ($1.32 today)
- A pound of hamburger meat 10c ($1.88 today)
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| New car advertisment from 1932 |
And with many thanks to Barbara from Knitting Now and Then, I have joined the Knitting and Crochet Guild UK with an international online membership. This enables me to access any vintage patterns they have online. They have nearly all the issues of Stitchcraft! Although not many are online currently - maybe they will add more over time. But I was able to get the very first issue, October 1932. I will share from this issue soon. But now to decide what to make!
Such an interesting post, Jayne. I have enjoyed reading all those titbits of information. Wow, who would imagine that Niagra Falls froze solid!! Those were the days of Bing Crosby and Fred Aistare. I love watching these two stars in those old movies.
ReplyDeleteNiagra Falls must have looked spectacular. I love all the old movies too. Such a classy era.
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