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116-674: The 1948 Summer Olympics , officially the Games of the XIV Olympiad and officially branded as London 1948 , were an international multi-sport event held from 29 July to 14 August 1948 in London , United Kingdom. Following a twelve-year hiatus caused by the outbreak of World War II , these were the first Summer Olympics held since the 1936 Games in Berlin . The 1940 Olympic Games had been scheduled for Tokyo and then for Helsinki , while

232-616: A bipack colour filming process – dubbed "Technichrome" – whereby hundreds of hours of film documented the events in colour, without having to use expensive and heavy Technicolor cameras. Multi-sport event The Ancient Olympic Games , first held in 776 BC, was the precursor to the Modern Olympic Games , although its first edition only featured a footrace and the number of sporting competitions expanded at later editions. There were several other "games" held in Europe in

348-881: A duodenal ulcer , for which he had an operation in November 1917. In February 1918 Albert was appointed Officer in Charge of Boys at the Royal Naval Air Service 's training establishment at Cranwell . With the establishment of the Royal Air Force Albert transferred from the Royal Navy to the Royal Air Force. He served as Officer Commanding Number 4 Squadron of the Boys' Wing at Cranwell until August 1918, before reporting for duty on

464-470: A U.S. team represented by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at the Empire Stadium. Only one modern pentathlon event was contested, the five component sports– riding, fencing, shooting, swimming, and running- being held over six days. Scoring was by point-for-place system across the five phases with the winner being the athlete with the lowest combined ranking. The sport's international federation,

580-632: A candidate for 1948. Great Britain almost handed the 1948 games to the United States due to post-war financial and rationing problems, but King George VI said that this could be the chance to restore Britain from World War II . The official report of the London Olympics shows that there was no case of London being pressed to run the Games against its will. It says: In June 1946 the IOC, through

696-570: A divorced woman with two living ex-husbands. He abdicated and Albert, though he had been reluctant to accept the throne, became king. The day before the abdication, Albert went to London to see his mother, Queen Mary. He wrote in his diary, "When I told her what had happened, I broke down and sobbed like a child." On the day of Edward's abdication, the Oireachtas , the parliament of the Irish Free State , removed all direct mention of

812-528: A gold medal in Helsinki , won bronze in the team jumping event. Seven events were contested, six for men and one for women. Ilona Elek , who had won the women's foil competition in Berlin , was one of only two competitors to successfully defend an Olympic title in London. Elek's sister, Margit, placed sixth in the same event. Edoardo Mangiarotti won three medals, two silver and a bronze, having previously won

928-639: A gold medal in the 1936 Games. Throughout his career the Italian won 13 Olympic fencing medals and 27 world championship medals, both of which remain records. Thirteen nations participated in the field hockey competition. The tournament was ultimately won by India, who defeated Great Britain to claim the country's first gold medal as an independent nation under captain Kishan Lal and Vice-Captain Kunwar Digvijay Singh . Eighteen teams entered

1044-578: A low ebb. During his reign, his people endured the hardships of war, and imperial power was eroded. However, as a dutiful family man and by showing personal courage, he succeeded in restoring the popularity of the monarchy. The George Cross and the George Medal were founded at the King's suggestion during the Second World War to recognise acts of exceptional civilian bravery. He bestowed

1160-410: A medal sport, appearing as an indoor competition for the first time after poor weather disrupted the matches at the 1936 Berlin Games . The event, for men only, was contested by 23 nations split into four pools for the preliminary round; the top two in each pool advanced to the quarterfinals with the other teams entering playoffs for the minor placings. The United States and France reached the final which

1276-514: A member of the Hungary's world champion pistol shooting team in 1938 when a grenade shattered his right hand – his pistol hand. Takács taught himself to shoot with his left hand and, 10 years after his injury, he won an Olympic gold medal in the rapid-fire pistol event. Eleven events were contested, six for men and five for women. The United States won eight gold medals, including all six men's events, and 15 medals in total. Eighteen nations fielded

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1392-491: A member of the royal family. In the words of Lady Strathmore, Albert would be "made or marred" by his choice of wife. After a protracted courtship, Elizabeth agreed to marry him. Albert and Elizabeth were married on 26 April 1923 in Westminster Abbey . Albert's marriage to someone not of royal birth was considered a modernising gesture. The newly formed British Broadcasting Company wished to record and broadcast

1508-467: A postal vote, gave the summer Games to London and the winter competition to St Moritz . London was selected ahead of Baltimore , Minneapolis , Lausanne , Los Angeles , and Philadelphia . London, which had previously hosted the 1908 Summer Olympics , became the second city to host the Olympics twice; Paris hosted the event in 1900 and 1924. London later became the first city to host the Olympics for

1624-659: A selected group of athletes, rather than everybody, which was the case with the Olympic Games. The Soviets organized the first Spartakiad in 1920, a communist alternative to the 'bourgeois' Olympic Games, and in 1922 the University Olympia was organizedor in Italy , the forerunner of the World University Games , meant for students only. Regional games were another kind of multi-sport event that

1740-548: A shift standing guard over their father's body as it lay in state , in a closed casket, in Westminster Hall . As Edward was unmarried and had no children, Albert was the heir presumptive to the throne. Less than a year later, on 11 December 1936, Edward abdicated in order to marry Wallis Simpson , who was divorced from her first husband and divorcing her second. Edward had been advised by British prime minister Stanley Baldwin that he could not remain king and marry

1856-699: A social function in 1944, the Chief of the Imperial General Staff , Field Marshal Alan Brooke , revealed that every time he met Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery , he thought Montgomery was after his job. George replied: "You should worry, when I meet him, I always think he's after mine!" In 1945, crowds shouted "We want the King!" in front of Buckingham Palace during the Victory in Europe Day celebrations. In an echo of Chamberlain's appearance,

1972-607: A speech emphasising "the free and equal association of the nations of the Commonwealth". The trip was intended to soften the strong isolationist tendencies among the North American public with regard to the developing tensions in Europe. Although the aim of the tour was mainly political, to shore up Atlantic support for the United Kingdom in any future war, the King and Queen were enthusiastically received by

2088-466: A team in these games, which were ultimately won by Italy, who were undefeated throughout. The tournament was conducted in a mult-tier bracket, with the best four teams from the group stages participating in a final round-robin bracket. Silver was claimed by Hungary, and bronze by the Netherlands. Six events were contested, all for men only. These games marked the addition of the bantamweight class to

2204-622: A teenager and served in the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force during the First World War . In 1920, he was made Duke of York . He married Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923, and they had two daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret . In the mid-1920s, he engaged speech therapist Lionel Logue to treat his stutter , which he learned to manage to some degree. His elder brother ascended the throne as Edward VIII after their father died in 1936, but Edward abdicated later that year to marry

2320-781: A third time when the city hosted the 2012 Summer Olympics . Lord Burghley , a gold medal winner at the 1928 Olympics , member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and president of the Amateur Athletics Association was named Chairman of the Organising and Executive Committees. The other members of the committees were: Colonel Evan Hunter, General Secretary of the British Olympic Association , and Chief de mission for Great Britain; Lord Aberdare ,

2436-405: A total of 102 goals were scored; an average 5.66 goals per match. The joint top scorers with seven goals each were Gunnar Nordahl of Sweden and Denmark's John Hansen . Nordahl and Swedish teammates Gunnar Gren and Nils Liedholm went on to play for A.C. Milan and together were nicknamed Gre-No-Li . This was the first international football tournament ever to be broadcast on television, with

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2552-408: A tour of the empire with his wife in 1927. Their journey by sea to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji took them via Jamaica, where Albert played doubles tennis partnered with a black man, Bertrand Clark , which was unusual at the time and taken locally as a display of equality between races. The Duke and Duchess had two children: Elizabeth (the future Elizabeth II, called "Lilibet" by the family) who

2668-878: Is the only extant first-hand account of these conversations. Throughout the war, George and Elizabeth provided morale-boosting visits throughout the United Kingdom, visiting bomb sites, munitions factories, and troops. George visited military forces abroad in France in December 1939, North Africa and Malta in June 1943, Normandy in June 1944, southern Italy in July 1944, and the Low Countries in October 1944. Their high public profile and apparently indefatigable determination secured their place as symbols of national resistance. At

2784-522: The 1944 Olympic Games had been provisionally planned for London. This was the second time London hosted the Olympic Games, having previously hosted them in 1908 , making it the second city to host summer olympics twice (after Paris). The Olympics would return again to London 64 years later in 2012 , making London the first city to host the games thrice, and the only such city until Paris , who hosted their third games in 2024 , and Los Angeles , who will host theirs in 2028 . The 1948 Olympic Games were also

2900-635: The British Empire Exhibition at Wembley on 31 October 1925, one which was an ordeal for both him and his listeners, he began to see Lionel Logue , an Australian-born speech therapist. The Duke and Logue practised breathing exercises, and the Duchess rehearsed with him patiently. Subsequently, he was able to speak with less hesitation. With his delivery improved, Albert opened the new Parliament House in Canberra , Australia, during

3016-508: The Government of India . Rising Indian nationalism made the welcome that the royal party would have received likely to be muted at best, and a prolonged absence from Britain would have been undesirable in the tense period before the Second World War. Two overseas tours were undertaken, to France and to North America, both of which promised greater strategic advantages in the event of war. The growing likelihood of war in Europe dominated

3132-642: The International Olympic Committee but appeared on the 1948 Official Report as springboard diving and highboard diving , respectively. All four gold medals, and 10 out of 12 awarded in total, were won by the United States. Victoria Manalo Draves , who won both gold medals in the women's events, and Sammy Lee , who took a gold and a bronze in the men's events, became the first Asian Americans to win gold medals at an Olympic Games. Six gold medals were awarded in equestrian, individual and team dressage , individual and team eventing and individual and team show jumping . Harry Llewellyn and Foxhunter , who would claim

3248-672: The International Paralympic Committee (IPC). Arranged for the first time in 1960 in Rome , Italy . The number of sports, initially only a few, is still growing. The first Special Olympics International Summer Games were held in Chicago , Illinois, in 1968. The most recent Special Olympics World Winter Games in Schladming, Austria involved 25 sports and approximately 2,277 athletes from 133 countries. At

3364-711: The King and Queen toured Canada and the United States; it was the first visit of a reigning British monarch to North America, although George had been to Canada prior to his accession. From Ottawa , George and Elizabeth were accompanied by Canadian prime minister Mackenzie King , to present themselves in North America as King and Queen of Canada . Both Mackenzie King and the Canadian governor general, Lord Tweedsmuir , hoped that George's presence in Canada would demonstrate

3480-469: The Royal Family , at 2.45 pm. Fifteen minutes later the competitors entered the stadium in a procession that took 50 minutes. The last team was that of the United Kingdom. When it had passed the saluting base, Lord Burghley began his welcome: After welcoming the athletes to two weeks of "keen but friendly rivalry", he said London represented a "warm flame of hope for a better understanding in

3596-583: The Royal Naval College, Dartmouth . When his grandfather Edward VII died in 1910, his father became King George V. Prince Edward became Prince of Wales, with Albert second in line to the throne. Albert spent the first six months of 1913 on the training ship HMS  Cumberland in the West Indies and on the east coast of Canada. He was rated as a midshipman aboard HMS  Collingwood on 15 September 1913. He spent three months in

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3712-661: The Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, during the reign of his great-grandmother Queen Victoria . His father was Prince George, Duke of York (later King George V ), the second and only surviving son of the Prince and Princess of Wales (later King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra ). His mother, the Duchess of York (later Queen Mary ), was the eldest child and only daughter of Francis, Duke of Teck , and Princess Mary Adelaide, Duchess of Teck . His birthday, 14 December 1895,

3828-493: The Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne was founded during the Games, on 3 August 1948. Sweden won two medals in the event; William Grut won the gold, with a final points total of 16, and Gösta Gärdin took bronze. American George Moore won the silver medal. Seven rowing events were contested, all open to men only. Great Britain and the United States each claimed two gold medals. The events were held on

3944-667: The University of Cambridge with impressive Olympian good looks. Mark ran a lap of the track – created with cinders from the domestic coal fires of Leicester – and climbed the steps to the Olympic cauldron. After saluting the crowd, he turned and lit the flame. After more speeches, Donald Finlay of the British team (given his RAF rank of Wing Commander ) took the Olympic Oath on behalf of all competitors. The National Anthem

4060-723: The Wembley area instead of an Olympic Village , as were the 1936 Games and the subsequent 1952 Games in Helsinki. A record 59 nations were represented by 4,104 athletes, 3,714 men, and 390 women in 19 sport disciplines . Germany and Japan were not invited to participate in the games; the Soviet Union was invited but chose not to send any athletes, sending observers instead to prepare for the 1952 Olympics. Israel requested to participate (symbolically represented by Raya Bronstein and Frieda Berson-Lichtblau  [ he ] ) but

4176-691: The Women's World Games and Olympics of Grace were held to allow women to engage in sport on the international stage. Though short-lived, events such as these led to greater inclusion of women at multi-sport events over the course of the 20th century. Although the modern tradition commemorates the 1921 revolution , the Naadam festival in Mongolia is a continuation of ancient sporting practises amongst Mongolians. The three events of wrestling, horse racing and archery are thought to date back centuries and represent

4292-839: The classical era : Other multi-sport festivals emerged in the Middle Ages in Europe, including the Cotswold Olimpick Games in England in the 1600s, the Highland Games in Scotland , and the Olympiade de la République in France in the 1800s. In the late 19th and early 20th century, athletes at multi-sport events were almost exclusively male. As international women's sport began to develop, events such as

4408-478: The decathlon , Bob Mathias of the United States became the youngest male ever to win an Olympic track and field gold medal at the age of seventeen. The most individual medals were won by Veikko Huhtanen of Finland, who took three golds, a silver and a bronze in men's gymnastics. The United States won the most gold and overall medals, having 300 athletes compared to the United Kingdom's 404. France fielded

4524-419: The independence of India and Pakistan in 1947. George relinquished the title of Emperor of India in June 1948 and instead adopted the new title of Head of the Commonwealth. He was beset by smoking-related health problems in the later years of his reign and died at Sandringham House , aged 56, of a coronary thrombosis . He was succeeded by his elder daughter, Elizabeth II. Albert was born at York Cottage , on

4640-406: The regnal name "George VI" to emphasise continuity with his father and restore confidence in the monarchy. The beginning of George VI's reign was taken up by questions surrounding his predecessor and brother, whose titles, style and position were uncertain. He had been introduced as "His Royal Highness Prince Edward" for the abdication broadcast, but George VI felt that by abdicating and renouncing

4756-624: The 15th. He was interred initially in the Royal Vault until he was transferred to the King George VI Memorial Chapel inside St George's on 26 March 1969. In 2002, fifty years after his death, the remains of his widow, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and the ashes of his younger daughter, Princess Margaret, who both died that year, were interred in the chapel alongside him. In 2022, the remains of Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, were also interred in

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4872-467: The BBC's Television Newsreel programme do also still exist. The 1948 Summer Olympics featured 136 medal events, covering 23 disciplines in 17 different sports and in arts. In the list below, the number of events in each discipline is noted in parentheses. These Games also included Lacrosse and Swedish (Ling) gymnastics as demonstration sports. Empire Stadium was the venue for 33 athletics events at

4988-627: The Blitz on London, on 7 September 1940, killed about one thousand civilians, mostly in the East End . On 13 September, the couple narrowly avoided death when two German bombs exploded in a courtyard at Buckingham Palace while they were there. In defiance, the Queen declared: "I am glad we have been bombed. It makes me feel we can look the East End in the face." The royal family were portrayed as sharing

5104-487: The Channel to Autigny . For the closing weeks of the war, he served on the staff of the RAF's Independent Air Force at its headquarters in Nancy, France . Following the disbanding of the Independent Air Force in November 1918, he remained on the Continent for two months as an RAF staff officer until posted back to Britain. He accompanied King Albert I of Belgium on his triumphal re-entry into Brussels on 22 November. The prince qualified as an RAF pilot on 31 July 1919 and

5220-431: The Commonwealth leaders issued the London Declaration , which laid the foundation of the modern Commonwealth and recognised George as Head of the Commonwealth . In January 1950, he ceased to be King of India when it became a republic. He remained King of Pakistan until his death. Other countries left the Commonwealth, such as Burma in January 1948, Palestine (divided between Israel and the Arab states) in May 1948 and

5336-418: The Games was watched by at least one viewer in the Channel Islands . The BBC's official report on the coverage estimated that an average of half a million viewers watched each of their Olympic broadcasts. The BBC paid £ 1,000 for the broadcasting rights. Of the live television coverage, only a small section of the opening ceremony broadcast still exists in the archives. However, various filmed reports shot for

5452-513: The Games; 24 for men and nine for women. Of these, four were making their Olympic debut – the men's 10 km walk, and the women's 200 metres, long jump and shot put. A total of 754 athletes from 53 countries participated in athletics. Fanny Blankers-Koen of the Netherlands, a 30-year-old mother of two children nicknamed "The Flying Housewife", won four gold medals, in the 100 metres, 200 metres, 80 metre high hurdles, and 4 x 100 metre relay. As world record holder in

5568-412: The George Cross on the entire " island fortress of Malta " in 1943. He was posthumously awarded the Order of Liberation by the French government in 1960, one of only two people (the other being Churchill in 1958) to be awarded the medal after 1946. Colin Firth won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as George VI in the 2010 film The King's Speech . As Duke of York, Albert bore

5684-436: The King invited Churchill to appear with the royal family on the balcony to public acclaim. In January 1946, George addressed the United Nations at its first assembly, which was held in London, and reaffirmed "our faith in the equal rights of men and women and of nations great and small". George VI's reign saw the acceleration of the dissolution of the British Empire . The Statute of Westminster 1931 had already acknowledged

5800-435: The King's initial dismay over Churchill's appointment of Lord Beaverbrook to the Cabinet, he and Churchill developed "the closest personal relationship in modern British history between a monarch and a Prime Minister". Every Tuesday for four and a half years from September 1940, the two men met privately for lunch to discuss the war in secret and with frankness. George related much of what the two discussed in his diary, which

5916-409: The King, with the promise of the dukedom of York, persuaded Albert to stop seeing her. That year, he met for the first time since childhood Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon , the youngest daughter of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore . He became determined to marry her. Elizabeth rejected his proposal twice, in 1921 and 1922, reportedly because she was reluctant to make the sacrifices necessary to become

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6032-457: The Mediterranean, but never overcame his seasickness. Three weeks after the outbreak of World War I he was medically evacuated from the ship to Aberdeen, where his appendix was removed by Sir John Marnoch . He was mentioned in dispatches for his actions as a turret officer aboard Collingwood in the Battle of Jutland (31 May – 1 June 1916), the great naval battle of the war. He did not see further combat, largely because of ill health caused by

6148-505: The Olympic Flag at the Richmond Park camp at an opening ceremony in July as Minister of Works , Charles Key , declared the camp open. These were the first games to be held following the death of Pierre de Coubertin , founder of the International Olympic Committee , in 1937. They were also the last to include an arts competition , which took place at the Victoria and Albert Museum . Nicknamed "relay of peace" due to crossing through several countries in Europe to represent their union after

6264-402: The Olympic Games, organised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) (est. 1894) for the first time in 1896 in Athens , Greece . After some celebrations (1900, 1904), the Olympics became very popular nowadays. The number of sports, initially only a few, is still growing. The Paralympic Games is the largest multi-sport event involving athletes with physical disabilities and is organized by

6380-412: The Olympic programme, the first change to the programme since 1920. The United States won four gold medals, and eight overall; the remaining two gold medals were claimed by Egypt. Rodney Wilkes won the first medal for Trinidad and Tobago in an Olympic games, winning silver and Mohammad Jafar Salmasi won the first medal for Iran in an Olympic games, winning bronze in the featherweight division; gold medal

6496-419: The Republic of Ireland in 1949. In 1947, George and his family toured southern Africa. The prime minister of the Union of South Africa , Jan Smuts , was facing an election and hoped to make political capital out of the visit. George was appalled, however, when instructed by the South African government to shake hands only with whites, and referred to his South African bodyguards as "the Gestapo ". Despite

6612-447: The River Thames at Henley, over the same course as the Henley Royal Regatta . The sailing events at the Games took place in Torquay , in the southwest of Great Britain. Five events were contested, with the United States winning four total medals. One of host nation Great Britain's three gold medals at the Games came in the Swallow class from Stewart Morris and David Bond . In the Firefly class Danish sailor Paul Elvstrøm won gold

6728-410: The Second World War, the torch relay for these games took place from 17 to 29 July 1948, with a distance of 3,160 kilometres (1,960 mi) and 1,416 torchbearers. The torch was designed by Ralph Lavers. There were three types of torches: the standard one made of aluminum and powered by solid fuel , a special one powered by butane gas (used aboard HMS  Whitesand Bay ) and a third one used in

6844-461: The United States and the United Kingdom through the ensuing war years. Following the German invasion of Poland in September 1939, the United Kingdom and the self-governing Dominions other than Ireland declared war on Nazi Germany . The King and Queen resolved to stay in London, despite German bombing raids . They officially stayed in Buckingham Palace throughout the war, although they usually spent nights at Windsor Castle . The first night of

6960-466: The Wembley stadium, made of stainless steel and powered by a magnesium candle. The journey began with the lighting of the flame in Olympia . Due to the civil war in Greek soil , the Greek part of the relay went directly to Corfu , where HMS Whitesand Bay picked the flame to transport it to Bari . From there, the flame crossed Italy, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg and Belgium. After a boat trip from Calais to Dover (aboard of HMS  Bicester ),

7076-472: The beginning of the 20th century, another multi-sport event, the Nordic Games were first held. These Games were held in Scandinavia , and the sports conducted were winter sports such as cross-country skiing and speed skating . The Nordic Games were last held in 1926, after which the 1924 Winter Sports Week in Chamonix was declared the first Olympic Winter Games . In the 1920s, all kinds of other multi-sport events were set up. These were usually directed for

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7192-414: The boy will ruin himself in twelve months" and "I pray God that my eldest son will never marry and that nothing will come between Bertie and Lilibet and the throne." On 20 January 1936, George V died and Edward ascended the throne as King Edward VIII. In the Vigil of the Princes , Prince Albert and his three brothers (the new king, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester , and Prince George, Duke of Kent ) took

7308-405: The chapel. In the words of Labour Member of Parliament (MP) George Hardie , the abdication crisis of 1936 did "more for republicanism than fifty years of propaganda". George VI wrote to his brother Edward that in the aftermath of the abdication he had reluctantly assumed "a rocking throne" and tried "to make it steady again". He became king at a point when public faith in the monarchy was at

7424-431: The despite the Danish Olympic Committee having misgivings about sending him to compete as the 18-year-old could speak no English. This was the first of four consecutive Olympics with a gold medal for Elvstrøm. Four events were contested, all open to both men and women, although all medals were won by men. In the 50 metre rifle, prone position, only two points separated the top three competitors. Károly Takács had been

7540-466: The early reign of George VI. The King was constitutionally bound to support British prime minister Neville Chamberlain 's appeasement of Hitler . When the King and Queen greeted Chamberlain on his return from negotiating the Munich Agreement in 1938, they invited him to appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with them. This public association of the monarchy with a politician was exceptional, as balcony appearances were traditionally restricted to

7656-405: The event on radio, but the Abbey Chapter vetoed the idea (although the Dean , Herbert Edward Ryle , was in favour). From December 1924 to April 1925, the Duke and Duchess toured Kenya , Uganda , and the Sudan , travelling via the Suez Canal and Aden . During the trip, they both went big-game hunting . Because of his stutter, Albert dreaded public speaking. After his closing speech at

7772-497: The evolution of the Dominions into separate sovereign states. The process of transformation from an empire to a voluntary association of independent states, known as the Commonwealth , gathered pace after the Second World War. During the ministry of Clement Attlee , British India became the two independent Dominions of India and Pakistan in August 1947. George relinquished the title of Emperor of India , and became King of India and King of Pakistan instead. In late April 1949,

7888-446: The first Games for deaf athletes. The Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Games , incepted in 1948 in England, were the first Games for wheelchair athletes. In 1960, the first Paralympic Games were held, connected with the Olympic Games . The Special Olympics World Games , for athletes with intellectual disabilities, were first held in 1968. George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952)

8004-459: The first of two summer Games held under the IOC presidency of Sigfrid Edström . The 1948 Olympics came to be known as the "Austerity Games" due to the difficult economic climate and rationing imposed in the aftermath of World War II. No new venues were built for the games (with events taking place mainly at Wembley Stadium , also known as Empire Stadium, and the Empire Pool at Wembley Park ), and athletes were housed in existing accommodation at

8120-569: The first time that a women's canoeing event had been contested in the Olympics. Sweden won four gold medals (two by Gert Fredriksson ) and Czechoslovakia three. Six events were contested – two road bicycle racing events and four track cycling events. No women's cycling events were contested. France won three gold medals and Italy two, while Great Britain captured five medals overall, but none were gold. Four diving events were contested, two for men, and two for women. The events are labelled as 3  metre springboard and 10  metre platform by

8236-403: The first time. There were twenty of them—one for each Olympic sport and three separate pictograms for the arts competition, the opening ceremony and the closing ceremony. They were called "Olympic symbols" and intended for use on tickets. The background of each pictogram resembled an escutcheon . Olympic pictograms appeared again 16 years later, and were used at all subsequent Summer Olympics. At

8352-644: The flame traveled to several towns in Southeast England until the arrival at Wembley for the Opening ceremony. The cities and towns visited by the Olympic flame were as follows: The Games opened on 29 July. Army bands began playing at 2 pm for the 85,000 spectators in Empire Stadium at Wembley Park . The international and national organisers arrived at 2.35 pm and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth , with Queen Mary and other members of

8468-488: The football competition at these Olympics. Due to the rise of the professional game during the 12 years since the Berlin Olympics the number of talented amateurs for teams to select from was reduced. The gold medal was won by Sweden, who defeated Yugoslavia 3–1 in the final. Denmark defeated hosts Great Britain, managed by Matt Busby of Manchester United , 5–3 to win the bronze medal. In the tournament's 18 matches

8584-457: The line for the bronze. The decathlon was won by 17-year-old Bob Mathias of the United States. He became the youngest ever Olympic gold medallist in athletics and when asked how he would celebrate he replied: "I'll start shaving, I guess." Categories: sports-related architecture, literature, music, painting, and sculpture. These Olympics were the last time art competitions were considered Olympic events. Basketball made its second appearance as

8700-412: The long jump and high jump Blankers-Koen may have been able to win further medals but, at this time, female athletes were limited to three individual events. Duncan White won the first medal of any kind for Sri Lanka (then Ceylon ) when he finished second in the 400 metre hurdles. Arthur Wint became the first Jamaican to win an Olympic gold medal, in the men's 400 metres; he also won silver in

8816-592: The loss of the leg and was treated with a right lumbar sympathectomy in March 1949. His elder daughter and heir presumptive, Elizabeth, took on more royal duties as her father's health deteriorated. The delayed tour was re-organised, with Princess Elizabeth and her husband, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , taking the place of the King and Queen. George was well enough to open the Festival of Britain in May 1951, but on 4 June it

8932-401: The men's 800 metres. Audrey Patterson became the first African-American woman to win a medal, winning bronze in a track and field event. A few days later Alice Coachman became the first woman of colour in the world and the first African-American woman to win a gold medal in track and field in the history of the modern Olympics with a jump of 1.68 m (5' 6 1 ⁄ 4 "). She also

9048-631: The monarch from the Irish constitution . The next day, it passed the External Relations Act , which gave the monarch limited authority (strictly on the advice of the government) to appoint diplomatic representatives for Ireland and to be involved in the making of foreign treaties. The two acts made the Irish Free State a republic in essence without removing its links to the Commonwealth. Across Britain, gossip spread that Albert

9164-562: The new queen consort , with the Order of the Garter . George VI's coronation at Westminster Abbey took place on 12 May 1937, the date previously intended for Edward's coronation . In a break with tradition, Queen Mary attended the ceremony in a show of support for her son. There was no Durbar held in Delhi for George VI, as had occurred for his father, as the cost would have been a burden to

9280-466: The nickname of the "Industrial Prince". His stutter, and his embarrassment over it, together with a tendency to shyness, caused him to appear less confident in public than his older brother, Edward. However, he was physically active and enjoyed playing tennis. He played at Wimbledon in the Men's Doubles with Louis Greig in 1926, losing in the first round. He developed an interest in working conditions, and

9396-573: The other British member of the IOC; Sir Noel Curtis-Bennett ; Alderman H.E. Fern; E.J. Holt; J. Emrys Lloyd, who became the committee's legal advisor; C.B. Cowley of the London Press and Advertising; R.B. Studdert, managing director of the Army & Navy Stores ; A.E. Porritt , a member of the IOC for New Zealand who resided in London; S.F. Rous , Secretary of The Football Association ; and Jack Beresford . Olympic pictograms were introduced for

9512-734: The principles of the Statute of Westminster 1931 , which gave full sovereignty to the British Dominions . On 19 May, George personally accepted and approved the letter of credence of the new U.S. ambassador to Canada, Daniel Calhoun Roper ; gave royal assent to nine parliamentary bills; and ratified two international treaties with the Great Seal of Canada . The official royal tour historian, Gustave Lanctot , wrote "the Statute of Westminster had assumed full reality" and George gave

9628-479: The public. The fear that George would be compared unfavourably to his predecessor was dispelled. They visited the 1939 New York World's Fair and stayed with President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the White House and at his private estate at Hyde Park, New York . A strong bond of friendship was forged between Roosevelt and the royal couple during the tour, which had major significance in the relations between

9744-457: The royal family. While broadly popular among the general public, Chamberlain's policy towards Hitler was the subject of some opposition in the House of Commons , which led historian and politician John Grigg to describe George's behaviour in associating himself so prominently with a politician as "the most unconstitutional act by a British sovereign in the present century". In May and June 1939,

9860-591: The same dangers and deprivations as the rest of the country. They were subject to British rationing restrictions, and the U.S. first lady Eleanor Roosevelt remarked on the rationed food served and the limited bathwater that was permitted during a stay at the unheated and boarded-up Palace. In August 1942, the King's brother, the Duke of Kent, was killed on active service. In 1940, Winston Churchill replaced Neville Chamberlain as prime minister, though personally George would have preferred to appoint Lord Halifax . After

9976-404: The second largest team, with 316 athletes and finished third in the medal standings. The host nation ended up twelfth. In June 1939, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarded the 1944 Olympic Summer Games to London, ahead of Rome , Detroit , Budapest , Lausanne , Helsinki , Montreal and Athens . World War II stopped the plans and the Games were cancelled so London again stood as

10092-611: The staff of the RAF's Cadet Brigade at St Leonards-on-Sea and then at Shorncliffe . He completed a fortnight's training and took command of a squadron on the Cadet Wing. He was the first member of the British royal family to be certified as a fully qualified pilot. Albert wanted to serve on the Continent while the war was still in progress and welcomed a posting to General Trenchard 's staff in France. On 23 October, he flew across

10208-591: The succession, Edward had lost the right to bear royal titles, including "Royal Highness". In settling the issue, George's first act as king was to confer upon Edward the title " Duke of Windsor " with the style "Royal Highness", but the letters patent creating the dukedom prevented any wife or children from bearing royal styles. George VI was forced to buy from Edward the royal residences of Balmoral Castle and Sandringham House , as these were private properties and did not pass to him automatically. Three days after his accession, on his 41st birthday, he invested his wife,

10324-409: The three most important pursuits of a strong man in nomadic society. Alongside these sporting events there are other cultural activities such as dances and parades. Since the establishment of the Olympics, most serial multi-sport events have been organized for specific audiences and participating countries or communities. These affiliations include: The first modern multi-sport event organised were

10440-772: The time of the Games, food, petrol and building were still subject to the rationing imposed during the war in Britain; because of this the 1948 Olympics came to be known as the " Austerity Games". Athletes were given the same increased rations as dockers and miners, 5,467 calories a day instead of the normal 2,600. Building an Olympic Village was deemed too expensive, and athletes were housed in existing accommodation. Male competitors stayed at RAF camps in Uxbridge and West Drayton , and an Army camp in Richmond Park ; female competitors in London colleges. Lord Burghley unfurled

10556-743: The total medals given. London was the first Olympics to have a political defection. Marie Provazníková , the 57-year-old Czechoslovak President of the International Gymnastics Federation , refused to return home, citing "lack of freedom" after the Czechoslovak coup in February led to the country's inclusion in the Soviet Bloc . For the 1948 Olympics, the Technicolor Corporation devised

10672-488: The tour, Smuts lost the election the following year , and the new government instituted a strict policy of racial segregation . The stress of the war had taken its toll on George's health, made worse by his heavy smoking , and subsequent development of lung cancer among other ailments, including arteriosclerosis and Buerger's disease . A planned tour of Australia and New Zealand was postponed after George developed an arterial blockage in his right leg, which threatened

10788-581: The trip had been delayed for a week due to George's illness. At the State Opening of Parliament in November, the Lord Chancellor , Lord Simonds , read the King's speech from the throne . The King's Christmas broadcast of 1951 was recorded in sections, and then edited together. On 31 January 1952, despite advice from those close to him, George went to London Airport to see Elizabeth and Philip off on their tour to Australia via Kenya. It

10904-589: The twice-divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson . As heir presumptive to Edward VIII, Albert became king, taking the regnal name George VI. In September 1939, the British Empire and most Commonwealth countries— but not Ireland — declared war on Nazi Germany , following the invasion of Poland . War with the Kingdom of Italy and the Empire of Japan followed in 1940 and 1941, respectively. George VI

11020-487: The two semi-finals, the bronze medal match and the final all being shown live in full by the BBC. Nine events were contested, eight for men, and one for women. In the men's pommel horse, a tie was declared between three competitors, all Finns, and no medals other than gold were awarded in this event. Finland won six gold medals overall, and Switzerland three. Lacrosse was an exhibition sport at these Olympics. An English team composed of players from various universities played

11136-630: The world which has burned so low." At 4 pm, the time shown on the clock tower on the London Games symbol, the King declared the Games open, 2,500 pigeons were set free and the Olympic Flag raised to its 35 ft (11 m) flagpole at the end of the stadium. The Royal Horse Artillery sounded a 21-gun salute to welcome the last runner in the Torch Relay: John Mark , a British track and field sprinter and student at

11252-722: Was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of India from 1936 until the British Raj was dissolved in August 1947, and the first head of the Commonwealth following the London Declaration of 1949. The future George VI was born during the reign of his great-grandmother Queen Victoria ; he

11368-412: Was His Highness Prince Albert of York; within the royal family he was known informally as "Bertie". The Duchess of Teck did not like the first name her grandson had been given, and she wrote prophetically that she hoped the last name "may supplant the less favoured one". Albert was fourth in line to the throne at birth, after his grandfather, father and elder brother, Edward . Albert was ill often and

11484-401: Was announced that he would need immediate and complete rest for the next four weeks, despite the arrival of Haakon VII of Norway the following afternoon for an official visit. On 23 September 1951, his left lung was removed in a surgical operation performed by Clement Price Thomas after a malignant tumour was found. In October 1951, Elizabeth and Philip went on a month-long tour of Canada;

11600-605: Was born in 1926, and Margaret who was born in 1930. The close family lived at White Lodge, Richmond Park , and then at 145 Piccadilly , rather than one of the royal palaces. In 1931, the Canadian prime minister , R. B. Bennett , considered Albert for Governor General of Canada —a proposal that King George V rejected on the advice of the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs , J. H. Thomas . King George V had severe reservations about Prince Edward, saying "After I am dead,

11716-582: Was denied as the International Olympic Committee did not yet recognize the country, while the Olympic mandate of Palestine expired. This in turn shifted the view of the Arab countries who had intended to boycott the event and now decided to take part. One of the star performers at the 1948 Games was Dutch sprinter Fanny Blankers-Koen . Dubbed the "Flying Housewife", the thirty-year-old mother of two won four gold medals in athletics. In

11832-433: Was described as "easily frightened and somewhat prone to tears". His parents were generally removed from their children's day-to-day upbringing, as was the norm in aristocratic families of that era. He had a stutter that lasted for many years. Although naturally left-handed , he was forced to write with his right hand, as was common practice at the time. He had chronic stomach problems as well as knock knees , for which he

11948-760: Was established, such as the Far Eastern Championship Games (1913), the Central American and Caribbean Games (1926) or the Pan American Games (1951). The Olympic Games are still the largest multi-sport event in the world in terms of worldwide interest and importance (though no longer in participation), but several others also have significance. Other Games are intended for handicapped or disabled athletes. The International Silent Games , first held in Paris in 1924, were

12064-429: Was forced to wear painful corrective splints. Queen Victoria died on 22 January 1901, and the Prince of Wales succeeded her as King Edward VII. Prince Albert moved up to third in line to the throne, after his father and elder brother. Beginning in 1909, Albert attended the Royal Naval College, Osborne , as a naval cadet . In 1911 he came bottom of the class in the final examination, but despite this he progressed to

12180-583: Was his last public appearance. Six days later, at 07:30 GMT on the morning of 6 February, he was found dead in bed at Sandringham House in Norfolk. He had died in the night from a coronary thrombosis at the age of 56. His daughter flew back to Britain from Kenya as Queen Elizabeth II. From 9 February George's coffin rested in St Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringham, before lying in state at Westminster Hall from 11 February. His funeral took place at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle , on

12296-432: Was mollified by the proposal to name the new baby Albert, and wrote to the Duchess of York: "I am all impatience to see the new one, born on such a sad day but rather more dear to me, especially as he will be called by that dear name which is a byword for all that is great and good." Consequently, he was baptised "Albert Frederick Arthur George" at St Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringham on 17 February 1896. Formally he

12412-409: Was named Albert at birth after his great-grandfather Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and was known as "Bertie" to his family and close friends. His father ascended the throne as George V in 1910. As the second son of the king, Albert was not expected to inherit the throne. He spent his early life in the shadow of his elder brother, Edward , the heir apparent . Albert attended naval college as

12528-412: Was physically and psychologically incapable of being king. No evidence has been found to support the contemporaneous rumour that the government considered bypassing him, his children and his brother Prince Henry, in favour of their younger brother Prince George, Duke of Kent. This seems to have been suggested on the grounds that Prince George was at that time the only brother with a son . Albert assumed

12644-570: Was president of the Industrial Welfare Society . His series of annual summer camps for boys between 1921 and 1939 brought together boys from different social backgrounds. In a time when royalty were expected to marry fellow royalty, it was unusual that Albert had a great deal of freedom in choosing a prospective wife. An infatuation with the already-married Australian socialite Lady Loughborough came to an end in April 1920 when

12760-485: Was promoted to squadron leader the following day. In October 1919, Albert attended Trinity College, Cambridge , where he studied history, economics and civics for a year, with the historian R. V. Laurence as his "official mentor". On 4 June 1920 his father created him Duke of York , Earl of Inverness and Baron Killarney . He began to take on more royal duties. He represented his father and toured coal mines, factories, and railyards. Through such visits he acquired

12876-508: Was seen as sharing the hardships of the common people and his popularity soared. Buckingham Palace was bombed during the Blitz while the King and Queen were there, and his younger brother the Duke of Kent was killed on active service. George became known as a symbol of British determination to win the war. Britain and its allies were victorious in 1945, but the British Empire declined. Ireland had largely broken away , followed by

12992-413: Was sung and the massed athletes turned and marched out of the stadium, led by Greece, tailed by Britain. The 580-page official report concluded: The opening ceremony and over 60 hours of Games coverage was broadcast live on BBC television , which was then officially available only in the London area. However, the BBC's transmissions could be received much further away in the right conditions, and some of

13108-473: Was the 34th anniversary of the death of his great-grandfather Albert, Prince Consort . Uncertain of how the Prince Consort's widow, Queen Victoria, would take the news of the birth, the Prince of Wales wrote to the Duke of York that the Queen had been "rather distressed". Two days later, he wrote again: "I really think it would gratify her if you yourself proposed the name Albert to her." The Queen

13224-449: Was the only American woman to win an athletics gold medal during the 1948 Olympics. The marathon saw a dramatic finish with the first man to enter the stadium, Etienne Gailly of Belgium, exhausted and nearly unable to run. While he was struggling, Argentinian athlete Delfo Cabrera and Tom Richards of Great Britain passed him, with Cabrera winning the gold medal and Richards obtaining the silver. Gailly managed to recover enough to cross

13340-408: Was won by Egyptian Mahmoud Fayad , with a new Olympic and World record of 332.5 kg. Sixteen wrestling events were held, eight Greco-Roman and eight freestyle. All were open to men only. Both categories were dominated by two nations. Turkey was the most successful nation with six gold medals followed by Sweden receiving 5 gold medals. These two teams claimed 24 total medals, in other words half of

13456-571: Was won by the Americans 65–21 to claim the gold medal. This was the second of the United States' seven consecutive gold medals in Olympic men's and women's basketball. Brazil defeated Mexico 52–47 to claim bronze. Eight different classifications were contested ranging from flyweight , for boxers weighing less than 51 kg, to heavyweight , for boxers over 80 kg. South Africa, Argentina and Hungary each won two gold medals. Nine events were contested, eight for men and one for women. This marked

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