Social benefits of electricity

Electricity plays such a vital role in homes, shops, factories and transport that it is difficult to imagine life without it, yet as recently as 50 years ago only half the homes of Britain were connected to the public supply. Practical electric lighting was developed towards the end of the 19th century. By the early years of the 20th century a wide range of domestic electrical appliances were available. Between the two world wars, the supply industry, manufacturers and the IEE conducted a vigorous publicity campaign to promote electricity. Advertisers promoted the all-electric home, and the IEE heard papers with titles such as `The electrical equipment of artisan dwellings¿¿ and `Electricity on the farm¿¿, in which our predecessors worked out the technology that is now commonplace.