Vintage photos show what life was like in London 100 years ago (2024)

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An aerial shot of Trafalgar Square in London shows how parts of the city are still the same, structurally, 100 years later.

In the early 1800s, the square was meant to be a cultural center of the city, and it officially got its name in 1830 after several transformations, according to TrafalgarSquare.com.

At the time, Trafalgar Square was the perfect place for children to frolic in fountains.

The fountains were built in 1845.

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Likewise, Oxford Street hasn't changed much except for the types of cars and buses that fill the street.

Today, Oxford Street is lined with stores, restaurants, and pedestrians.

Piccadilly Circus had a similar scene of hustle and bustle 100 years ago.

If you look closely, you can see the double-decker buses that are still popular today.

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Piccadilly Circus has always been a popular destination in London.

Piccadilly Circus was created in 1819, and in 1920, the area was a popular crossroads. Today, it has become a tourist destination and a must-see when visiting London.

There were even traffic jams on the bridges that stretched across the River Thames back in 1920.

Today, there are 35 bridges across the River Thames.

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Even the pedestrian bridges got crowded.

This image shows men in 1920 crossing a bridge over the River Thames on a windy day.

For those who wanted to avoid the road traffic, the London Underground was always an option.

The London Underground — also known as the Tube — was the first subway system in the world, opening in 1863.

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Bicycles were also a popular way to get around London.

These bikes belonged to the employees who worked at Somerset House, which overlooks the Thames.

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The 1920s also saw the growth of civil aviation as a result of the light-aircraft movement.

In August 1924, the British Air Ministry announced the establishment of 10 flying clubs in response to the development of the light airplane for the Lympne trials.

In December of that year, the Royal Aero Club was selected to form the first club in the London District.

By 1928, there were 21 clubs in operation, more than 3,000 members, and more than 12,000 hours of flight time logged during the year, according to General Aviation News.

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At the time, the River Thames had a largely underdeveloped waterfront.

Today, most people know the waterfront of the River Thames to be a lively place. Most notably, there is the London Eye, which is a 443-foot Ferris wheel, but it wasn't built until 1999.

The Houses of Parliament did, however, stand on the Thames at the time.

The construction of the Houses of Parliament began in 1837.

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The party leaders certainly looked different 100 years ago, though.

Here, the politicians showcased clothing for upper-class men, which included suits, hats, and walking sticks.

Of course, Buckingham Palace was standing a century ago and looked as it does today.

Buckingham Palace was completed in 1705 and has undergone some renovations since. Today, the palace is considered the official home and the headquarters for the royal family.

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But the royal family inside the palace looked very different.

At the time, King George V was sitting on the throne of England. He was King Charles' great-grandfather.

Likewise, 10 Downing Street hasn't changed much over the last 100 years.

Since 1735, 10 Downing Street has acted as the home and office for the British prime minister.

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But at the time, David Lloyd George was calling the famous residence home.

David Lloyd George was the leader of the Labour Party and helped the country win World War I, , according to the UK government website, but he was viewed as a controversial figure.

Families in London that weren't royal or involved in politics had their own distinct culture.

The family size was smaller when compared to families from the Victorian era — most only had three or four children, according to Historic UK.

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In 100 years, women's clothing has changed dramatically — back then, the flapper became a symbol of the '20s.

During World War I, women went to work in place of men and experienced newfound freedoms. In response, a new woman emerged: the flapper. These women cut their hair short, wore loose clothing, and were regarded as reckless, according to Historic UK.

Both men's and women's fashion saw a trend toward casual simplicity.

The trends of 1920s fashions saw women in shorter, simpler dresses and loose-fitting garments, while men wore more casual suits, according to the Museum of London.

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Suffragists fought for women to achieve the same voting rights as men.

It wasn't until 1928 that women over 21 were finally given the same voting rights as men, increasing the number of women eligible to vote to 15 million, according to the UK Parliament.

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The emergence of the automatic telephone was both a technological advancement and an erasure of the first female workforce in Britain.

The late 19th and early 20th centuries led to a booming workforce of "hello girls," or female switchboard operators that connected calls at central telephone exchanges.

However, the introduction of automatic telephone exchanges allowed callers to dial numbers, as shown above, leading to the disappearance of one of the first female workforces in the UK, according to the Science Museum.

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During their leisure time, people enjoyed relaxing at the Chiswick Baths in London.

The Chiswick Baths opened in 1910 and was a place for "promoting freedom, frolicking, and fun," according to the British Film Institute.

Dance halls were purposeful entertainment-centers for people throughout London.

The 1920s are notable for the emergence of dance halls, or "palais de danse," with the first being the Hammersmith Palais (seen above), according to Oxford Academic.

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Most people also loved a game of amateur football.

Football has long been a popular sport in England.

Some children entertained themselves by taking to the streets of London to play fight.

Life for children in the 1920s was simple, and most played out on the streets as few cars existed around that time, according to Historic UK.