Of course meself has no idea of what the UK was like in the early nineteen fifties. First of all he would have to be able to imagine a small bible belt like town which had no black population and no history of slavery.

Mostly working class, mostly very poor, still living under the restrictions of wartime rationing and certainly no post war boom. That was still ten years in the future.

All over the place there were large areas that had been destroyed by wartime bombing. They were perfect play grounds for us kids, as were the back streets as well with almost no cars on them at all.

Don't forget that the UK had had over five years of severe supply disruption during the war. One of Germany's strategies had been to try and starve the UK into quitting and it nearly worked. America gave grants to Japan and Germany to rebuild their industries after hostilities. Britain got a bill. There were no rebuilt industries here.

For very poor people, reputation becomes more important. It's something you can have when you don't have things. When Dave says there was no prostitution on residential streets he is right. It happened in disreputable enclaves for sure but not elsewhere.