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1953

1948 London Olympics

This page explains why the 1948 Olympics was unique in significant ways, and describes some observations which supported this claim.

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By the webmaster: early recollections of the day

Why the 1948 Olympics was unique

Although no two events are ever quite the same, the 1948 Olympics, that international multi-sport event, can claim to be unique in a number of ways.

In normal circumstances, the Olympics takes place in different countries around the world every four years. However, the 1948 Olympics was different. One reason was that there was a 12-year gap between the previous Olympics in 1936 and this one, due to all resources and energies going into World War Two (1939-1945).

1948 was of course far too close the end of the war not to carry subtexts of it in other ways too.

The last Olympics before the war was in Berlin, Germany, the country that was to cause world-wide havoc and go on to lose the war. Significantly, the country to host the event after the war was Britain, the victorious country. This must have been in the minds of the 1948 organising committee. At that time, the UK was still suffering badly from the effects of the war, but the Government considered it important to provide cheer and pride to its citizens by running a mjor global feature.

Viewing the 1948 Olympics

During the euphoria of the London Olympics of 2012, I was proud to say that I had seen the 1948 London Olympics.

Yet anyone a few years younger than me was not particularly impressed. After all, anyone could see any event by simply turning on the television. So it was just assumed that the same was true for the 1948 games. It wasn't of course. Televisions did not start getting into homes until the early 1950s. So the vast majority of the population saw nothing of the games other than what was in the newspaper or on cinema newsreels. To see something of them live really was special.

What I saw live of the 1948 Olympics

I did not come from a wealthy family. So tickets for an Olympic event were out of the question. What I saw was the Olympic men's marathon, and I saw it by standing with thick crowds, along the route which passed near where I lived in Edgware. I was only nine years old at the time and small for my age, so people let me stand in front of them, and I had a good view.

The athletes: my impressions

I still have clear memories of the marathon runners. What strikes me now, looking back, is how thin and small they were. That must have been due to the austerity and suffering of the war but it didn't occur to me at the time as I had nothing else to compare it with.

The Royal family: my impressions

At the same spot, I also saw the King, Queen and Princesses sweep by in a car. What struck me about them was how quietly magnificent they looked. I realise now that this was because I had never before seen clothes colour-coordinated - due to the austerity and 'make do and mend' policies of all my young years.

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