Festival of Britain
festival britain national exhibition fair reached million visitor throughout united kingdom summer labour party cabinet member herbert morrison prime mover started original plan celebrate centennial great exhibition however another world fair international theme absent british commonwealth instead festival focused entirely britain achievement funded chiefly government budget £ million labour government losing support implicit goal festival give people feeling successful recovery war devastation well promoting british science technology industrial design architecture art festival centrepiece london south bank thames event poplar architecture – lansbury estate battersea festival pleasure garden south kensington science glasgow industrial power festival celebration took place cardiff stratforduponavon bath perth bournemouth york aldeburgh inverness cheltenham oxford norwich canterbury elsewhere touring exhibition land sea festival became beacon change proved immensely popular thousand elite visitor million popular one helped reshape british art craft design sport generation journalist harry hopkins highlight widespread impact festival style called contemporary clean bright new caught hold quickly spread first across london across englandin island hitherto largely given gravy brown dull green contemporary boldly espoused strong primary color historian kenneth morgan say festival triumphant success people flocked south bank site wander around dome discovery gaze skylon generally enjoy festival national celebration land lesser festival enlisted much civic voluntary enthusiasm people curbed year total war halfcrushed austerity gloom showed lost capacity enjoying itselfabove festival made spectacular setting showpiece inventiveness genius british scientist technologist first idea exhibition came royal society art considered international exhibition held commemorate centenary great exhibition government appointed committee lord ramsden consider exhibition fair could promote export committee reported year later decided continue idea international exhibition cost time reconstruction high priority herbert morrison took charge labour government decided instead hold series display art architecture science technology industrial design title festival britain morrison insisted politics explicit implicit result laboursponsored programme nationalisation universal health care workingclass housing excluded instead allowed town planning scientific progress sort traditional modern art craft much london lay ruin model redevelopment needed festival attempt give briton feeling recovery progress promote betterquality design rebuilding british town city festival britain described one united act national reassessment one corporate reaffirmation faith nation future gerald barry festival director described tonic nation festival council advise government set general lord ismay responsibility organisation devolved upon lord president council herbert morrison deputy leader labour party london county council leader appointed great exhibition centenary committee consisting civil servant define framework festival liaise government department festival organisation march festival headquarters set nucleus festival britain office government department budget festival project northern ireland undertaken government northern ireland associated festival britain office art council great britain council industrial design british film institute national book league addition council architecture council science technology specially created advise festival organisation committee christian church set advise religion government grant made art council council industrial design british film institute national museum wale work undertaken part festival gerald barry operational charge longtime editor leftleaning middlebrow view energetic optimistic eye would popular knack motivate others unlike morrison barry seen labour ideologue barry selected next rank giving preference young architect designer collaborated exhibition wartime ministry information thought along line socially aesthetically middleclass intellectual progressive sympathy thanks barry collegial sentiment prevailed minimised stress delay art displayed series countrywide musical dramatic performance achievement architecture presented new neighbourhood lansbury estate planned built occupied poplar district london festival centrepiece south bank exhibition waterloo area london demonstrated contribution made british advance science technology industrial design displayed practical applied form background representing living working world day display elsewhere intended complete yet part one single conception festival pleasure garden set battersea three mile river south bank heavy engineering subject exhibition industrial power glasgow certain aspect science fall within term reference south bank exhibition displayed south kensington linen technology science agriculture exhibited farm factory belfast smaller exhibition south bank story put festival ship campania toured coast britain throughout summer land travelling exhibition industrial design london transport ordered first batch postwar rf single deck bus fitted roof light provide fleet sightseeing coach festival university brighton design archive digitised many design council file relating planning festival exhibition south bank london may – september science south kensington may – september architecture poplar may – september book south kensington may – september centenary exhibition south kensington may – october festival british film london june – june festival pleasure garden battersea park london may – november london season art may – june art festival stratforduponavon march – october bath may – june bournemouth wessex june – june york june – june aldeburgh june – june norwich june – june cheltenham july – july oxford july – july brighton july – august canterbury july – august liverpool july – august cambridge july – august worcester september – september pageant wale sophia garden cardiff st fagans folk festival cardiff welsh hillside farm scheme dolhendre art festival exhibition industrial power glasgow contemporary book glasgow living tradition – scottish architecture craft edinburgh th century book edinburgh art festival gathering clan edinburgh scot poetry competition masque st andrew st andrew ulster farm factory belfast art festival festival ship campania england scotland wale northern ireland southampton may – may dundee may – may newcastle may – june hull june – june plymouth july – july bristol july – july cardiff july – august belfast august – september birkenhead september – september glasgow september – october land travelling exhibition england manchester may – may leeds june – july birmingham august — august nottingham september – october construction south bank site opened new public space including riverside walkway previously warehouse workingclass housing layout south bank site intended showcase principle urban design would feature postwar rebuilding london creation new town included multiple level building elevated walkway avoidance street grid south bank building international modernist style little seen britain war architecture display south bank exhibition planned festival office exhibition presentation panel whose member gerald barry directorgeneral chairman cecil cooke director exhibition deputy chairman misha black g campbell director finance establishment hugh casson director architecture ian cox director science technology hippisley coxe council industrial design james gardner james holland hartland thomas council industrial design ralph tubbs peter kneebone secretary theme exhibition devised ian cox exhibition comprised upstream circuit land dome discovery downstream circuit people display architect misha black theme ian cox display design james holland exhibit comprised land britain architect h cadburybrown theme convener kenneth chapman display design vrotter natural scene architect brian ororke theme convener kenneth chapman display designer f h k henrion country architect brian ororke theme convener thomas peter b collins display designer f h k henrion mineral island architect architect cooperative partnership theme convener sonia withers display designer beverley pick power production architect george grenfell baines h j reifenberg theme convener c j whitcombe display design warnett kennedy associate sea ship architect basil spence partner theme convener c hamilton elli nigel clayton display designer james holland basil spence transport architect designer arcon theme direction george williams architect ralph tubbs theme ian cox display design research unit exhibit focused scientific discovery included land theme convener penrose angwin display designer stefan buzas ronald sandiford earth theme convener sonia withers display designer robert gutman polar theme convener quinitin riley l p macnair display designer jock kinneir sea theme convener c hamilton elli nigel clayton display designer austin frazer elli mile sky theme convener arthur garratt display designer ronald sandiford outer space theme convener penrose angwin display designer austin frazer eric towell living world theme convener kenneth chapman display designer austin frazer stirling craig physical world theme convener arthur garratt jan read display designer ronald ingles clifford hatts architect hugh casson theme mhartland thomas display design james gardner exhibit comprised people britain architect h cadburybrown theme convener jacquetta hawkes display design james gardner lion unicorn architect r russell robert goodden theme convener hubert phillips peter stucley display designer robert goodden r russell richard guyatt commentary laurie lee home garden architect bronek katz reginald vaughan theme convener ahippisley coxe cooke new school architect maxwell fry jane drew theme convener b w rowe display designer nevile conder patience clifford health theme convener sheldon dudley nigel clayton display designer peter ray sport architect designer gordon bowyer ursula bowyer theme convener b w rowe seaside architect designer eric brown peter chamberlain theme convener hippisley coxe television architect designer well coates theme malcolm baker smith telecinema architect well coates programme presentation j ralph r j spottiswoode centenary pavilion architect hugh casson display designer james gardner shot tower architecture design treatment hugh casson james gardner design review display designer nevile conder patience clifford skylon unusual cigarshaped aluminiumclad steel tower supported cable skylon vertical feature abiding symbol festival britain base nearly metre foot ground top nearly metre foot high frame clad aluminium louvre lit within night designed hidalgo moya philip powell felix samuely fabricated painter brother hereford england westminster bridge hungerford bridge steel latticework frame pointed end supported cable slung three steel beam partially constructed skylon rigged vertically grew taller situ architect design made possible engineer felix samuely time lecturer architectural association school architecture bedford square bloomsbury skylon scrapped order winston churchill saw symbol preceding labour government demolished sold scrap toppled thames royal festival hall designed leslie martin peter moro robert matthew lccs architect department built holland hannen cubitts london county council foundation stone laid prime minister clement attlee site former lion brewery built martin appointed lead design team late designed structure egg box term used describe separation curved auditorium space surrounding building noise vibration adjacent railway viaduct sir thomas beecham used similar imagery calling building giant chicken coop building officially opened may inaugural concert conducted sir malcolm sargent sir adrian boult april designated grade listed building first postwar building become thus protected minor feature festival administration building maxwell fry jane drew edward mill festival pleasure garden created present lighter side festival britain erected battersea park mile south bank exhibition attraction included amusement park would outlast entertainment included big dipper became battersea fun fair staying open mids miniature railway designed rowland emett ran yard along south garden station near south east entrance another snack bar western end line west end restaurant terrace overlooking river facing cheyne walk foaming fountain later restored wine garden surrounded miniature pavilion wet weather pavilion stage facing two way performance could take place open air mural designed film set designer ferdinand bellan amphitheatre seating people opening show featured music hall star lupino lane company later turned circus majority building pavilion site designed john piper also whimsical guinness festival clock resembling three dimensional version cartoon drawing pleasure garden received many visitor south bank festival managed speciallyformed private company financed loan festival office london county council attraction failed cover cost decided keep open rest festival closed festival architect tried show design layout south bank festival could achieved applying modern town planning idea festival style also called contemporary combining modernism whimsy englishness influenced architecture interior design product design typography william feaver describes festival style braced leg indoor plant lily valley spray lightbulb aluminium lattice cotswoldtype walling picture window flying staircase blond wood thorn spike molecule influence festival style felt new town coffee bar office block fifty harlow new town rebuilding coventry city centre said show influence festival style light structure picturesque layout incorporation work art coventry cathedral designed basil spence one festival architect dubbed festival britain prayer exhibition building research town planning architecture live architecture exhibit building open space street lansbury estate poplar named former labour party leader george lansbury plan social housing area commenced end war nearly quarter building part east london destroyed badly damaged architecture council decided poplar site would make good exhibition partly near festival exhibition despite funding problem work began december may well advanced wet winter – delayed work first house completed occupied february exhibition opened may along festival exhibition visitor first went building research pavilion displayed housing problem solution town planning pavilion large redandwhite striped tent town planning pavilion demonstrated principle town planning urgent need new town including mock imaginary town called avoncaster visitor saw building lansbury estate attendance disappointing people visiting compared million visited south bank exhibition reaction development industry professional lukewarm criticising small scale subsequent local authority concentrated highrise highdensity social housing rather lansbury estate model estate remains popular resident among remaining building trinity independent chapel festival inn festive briton callaghans pub misha black one festival architect said festival created wide audience architectural modernism common currency among professional architect design festival innovative design writer reyner banham questioned originality englishness festival style indeed extent influence young architect said despised festival britain architecture equated contemporary style editorial new brutalism architectural design carried epigraph hear word contemporary reach revolver south bank exhibition included design review presented illustrated record contemporary achievement british industry showing high standard design craftsmanship reached wide range british product exhibit based stock list council industrial design coid chosen appearance finish workmanship technical efficiency fitness purpose economy production selecting promoting design way festival influential advocate concept good design rational approach product design accordance principle modern movement advocacy good design grown partly standard utility furniture created war gordon russell director coid chairman utility furniture design panel partly coids britain make exhibition coids stock list retained inherited successor design council design science industry came together festival pattern group commissioned textile wallpaper domestic object festival exhibit based xray crystallography idea using molecular pattern revealed xray crystallography surface pattern first suggested dr helen megaw leading cambridge university crystallographer hearing presentation dorothy hodgkin society industrial artist mark hartland thomas chief industrial officer coid took idea formed festival pattern group hartland thomas member festival britain presentation panel coordinating coids stock list secured regatta restaurant one temporary restaurant south bank experiment pattern design based crystal structure haemoglobin insulin wareite china clay mica molecule used surface pattern restaurant furnishing design sponsored festival pattern group chimed display dome discovery structure matter festival emphasis progress science technology science museum london hold collection festival fabric donated dr megaw also includes official souvenir book mark hartland thomas lettering type design featured prominently graphic style festival overseen typography panel including lettering historian nicolete gray typeface festival festival titling specially commissioned designed philip boydell based condensed sansserif capital threedimensional form making suitable use exhibition display typography said bear vague resemblance bunting lettering royal festival hall temporary festival building south bank bold sloping slab serif letter form determined gray colleague including charles hasler gordon cullen illustrated gray lettering building derived part typeface used early th century described turn jauntier decorative visual language part wider move towards appreciation vernacular art peculiarity english culture lettering lion unicorn pavilion designed john brinkley graphic designer festival abram game created emblem festival star south bank exhibition showed work contemporary artist william scott including mural victor pasmore john tunnard feliks topolski barbara jones john piper sculpture barbara hepworth henry moore lynn chadwick jacob epstein reg butler art festival held throughout summer part festival britain aberdeen festival july – august aldeburgh festival music art – june bath assembly may – june belfast festival art may – june bournemouth wessex festival – june brighton regency festival july – august cambridge festival july – august canterbury festival july – august cheltenham festival british contemporary music july – august dumfries festival art – june inverness highland festival – june liverpool festival july – august llangollen international eisteddfod – july llanrwst royal national eisteddfod wale – august norwich festival – june oxford festival – july perth art festival may – june stratforduponavon shakespeare festival april – october st david festival music worship – july swansea festival music – september worcester three choir festival – september york festival including revival york mystery play london season art comprised exhibition specially arranged festival britain included exhibition sixty large painting commissioned festival britain painting suffolk gallery organised art council prize awarded william gear exhibition work hogarth henry moore tate gallery openair international exhibition sculpture battersea park modern british painting new burlington gallery exhibition exhibition royal society art two exhibition whitechapel art gallery black eye lemonade east end barbara jones tom ingram organised black eye lemonade exhibition british popular traditional art association society education art art council year surveyed popular art influential book unsophisticated art included taxidermy fairground canal boat seaside riverside tattooing decoration food waxwork toy rustic work shop festival funeral said popular art made people without professional training art appreciation made people professional work taste festival occasion first performance steelpan music britain trinidad steel percussion orchestra british film institute asked herbert morrison consider contribution film could make festival set panel including michael balcon antony asquith john grierson harry watt arthur elston became committee sponsorship distribution dozen sponsored documentary film made festival including air parade sponsored shell film unit family portrait made humphrey jennings david short film based life david rees griffith appeared made wide picture welsh committee water time made international realist film sponsored port london authority forward century sponsored petroleum film bureau several feature film planned one completed time namely magic box biopic concerning pioneer william friesegreene made festival film production purposebuilt film theatre south bank telecinema sometimes called telekinema designed well coates showed documentary experimental film exploiting stereophony stereoscopy new invention television one popular attraction festival visitor festival ended telecinema handed bfi use membersonly repertory cinema club reopening national film theatre film integral south bank exhibition used explain manufacturing science technology dome discovery exhibition science south kensington travelling festival exhibition made extensive use educational explanatory film film festival including edinburgh film festival bath glasgow participated festival britain local authority put film festival helped bfi pamphlet put film show commercial cinema chain independent cinema also joined gaumont odeon chain programming season british film finally festival visitor tired medium could purchase colour mm film britain’s historic building pageantry filmstrips festival britain london souvenir one british broadcasting corporation contribution festival television musical entitled golden year broadcast june july new wing built science museum hold exhibition science first part exhibition showed physical chemical nature matter behaviour element molecule second part structure living thing dealt plant animal third part stop press showed latest topic research science emergence idea illustrated earlier section exhibition included penetrating ray reach u outer space go space star range subject electronic brain process structure life based claimed festival britain created confusion heart subsequent discussion amongst administrator educationalist concerning place science british life thought whole particularly education role britain’s postwar greatness hundred event associated festival selection trowell nottinghamshire village middle england festival village redesign parliament square george grey wornum preparation festival britain year commemorative postage stamp many souvenir official unofficial commemorative crown coin presented certificate either red green presentation box crown coin featured reverse st george dragon design benedetto pistrucci best known place british sovereign coin certificate state first english silver crown piece minted four hundred year later occasion festival britain royal mint issued crown piece bearing edge latin inscription mdcccli civium industria floret civitas mcmli industry people state flourish noncirculating cupronickel coin million minted prooflike condition remains inexpensive restoration moot hall elstow bedfordshire county council first performance robert mclellans play mary stewart glasgow citizen theatre first performance ralph vaughan williams opera pilgrim progress april royal opera house exhibition sherlock holmes part owned westminster library part sherlock holmes pub william shakespeare merchant venturer two daily excursion train run western region british railway london site british history stratford upon avon bristol william shakespeare proved financially unviable ran summer festival merchant venturer remained service festival highly popular every part britain richard weight estimate national population million half participated festival largely ignored foreign tourist visitor continent expatriate briton ten million paid admission six main exhibition period five month popular event centrepiece south bank exhibition almost million visitor half outside london festival pleasure garden million visitor threequarters london festival ship campania docked ten city visited almost people travelling land exhibition went four english city attracted half million specialised event term attracting visitor architecture exhibition poplar visitor exhibition book south kensington idea holding festival became party political issue although herbert morrison said want festival seen political venture became associated labour party general election opposed conservative party hugh casson said churchill like rest tory party festival quite rightly believed advanced guard socialism churchill referred forthcoming festival britain threedimensional socialist propaganda essay festival yearold michael frayn characterised enterprise radical middleclasses dogooders reader news chronicle guardian observer signer petition backbone bbc called herbivore frayns view festival last virtually posthumous work herbivore britain bbc news crown film unit sweet ration ealing comedy uncle mac sylvia peter making festival herbivore earned contempt carnivore – reader daily express evelyn waugh cast directory director prominent member labour government considered festival labour undertaking would contribute future electoral success clement attlee labour leader wrote morrison saying election autumn would enable labour party benefit popularity event labour lost autumn election guide book festival described legacy word leave behind record thought year fair community founded slum avenue tree work art reminder done write single adventurous year national local history idea festival worked government london county council time planning redevelopment south bank site including number great building form part coordinated design first royal festival hall festival hastened reclamation four half acre land river transformed familiar patchwork rubble halfderelict building long monopolised propect north bank festival site following thirty year developed south bank centre art complex comprising royal festival hall national film theatre queen elizabeth hall purcell room national theatre office building oxford street london designed ronald ward partner grade ii listed building incorporates image festival facade festival cost £ million apart loan festival garden revenue £m net cost £ million equivalent £ million today festival britain office abolished record taken ministry work well material legacy festival gave rise new tradition particular performance medieval mystery play york chester explosion interest play regular performance continued city ever since prime minister theresa may announced government planning festival great britain northern ireland held proposed festival intended unite united kingdom brexit widely criticised coincided centenary irish civil war risked inflaming tension northern ireland graphic designer richard littler creator scarfolk created satirical poster festival based cover original guide reimagining profile nation symbolic figurehead britannia shooting head several image south bank exhibition found internet including many released national archive th anniversary festival filmed retrospective south bank exhibition brief city special reference design architecture made richard massingham observer newspaper film comedy happy family made workingclass resistance demolition festival required festival featured early portion film prick ear archive design council held university brighton design archive includes several hundred image festival searched via visual art data service vads britain make great exhibition world fair list world fair saint mungo cup football tournament glasgow held coincide event millennium dome atkinson harriet festival britain land people ib tauris banham mary hillier bevis tonic nation festival britain thames hudson isbn casey andrew ceramic festival britain selection objection journal decorative art society present – clark adrian british irish art war festival paul holberton pub conekin becky autobiography nation exhibition britain representing britain postwar world manchester forgan sophie festival science two culture science design display festival britain british journal history science – online goodden henrietta lion unicorn symbolic architecture festival britain norwich unicorn press pp hillier bevis mary banham ed tonic nation festival britain thames hudson hoon festival britain living legacy department history art design manchester metropolitan university leventhal f tonic nation festival britain albion – jstor lew nathaniel g tonic nation making english music festival britain routledge rennie paul festival britain london antique collector club ltd isbn isbn richardson r c cultural mapping festival britain regional guidebook literature history pp – turner barry beacon change festival britain shaped modern age london aurum press weight richard patriot national identity britain – london pan macmillan pp – wilton iain galaxy sporting event sport role significance festival britain sport history – festival britain design council archive university brighton festival britain society internet archive film festival london brief city collection fabric inspired crystallography held science museum london souvenir book festival archive festival britain held archive art design victoria albert museum london