...and what’s better now
All in all, half of those aged 50-plus say the past is preferable compared to just 19 per cent who rate a modern lifestyle higher.
Four in 10 of people miss classic TV shows such as Morecambe and Wise, while 36 per cent think music – including bands like The Beatles – was better in the past.
Animal charity Society for Protection of Animals Abroad (Spana) carried out the research ahead of International Working Animal Day this Thursday to raise awareness of the role working animals, such as horses and donkeys, played in Britain’s relatively recent past.
On the flip side, one in five of the over-50s believe modern day living should be celebrated.
The fact that drink-driving is illegal, there are laws for wearing seat belts in cars and infectious diseases are largely treatable were the top reasons given by those who think that life is better today. They also embrace the fact you can do so much online – such as banking and booking holidays.
One thing that almost 75 per cent agreed on was that people in Britain 1. Drink-driving is illegal 2. Infectious diseases are treatable 3. It’s law to wear a seat belt 4. The internet 5. Smoking in public is banned 6. Fewer clothes need handwashing 7. Indoor toilets 8. Email 9. More cures for things that would have killed you 10. Online banking today do not appreciate the standard of living they enjoy.
Geoffrey Dennis, chief executive of Spana, which helps working animals in developing countries, said: “It’s clear many people are nostalgic about the past – and, whether it’s for music stars like Bowie or a lost sense of community spirit, some people wish they could turn back the clock.
“Life in Britain has changed beyond recognition in the past century and it’s easy to forget that working animals were a familiar part of everyday life. From plough horses to pit ponies, our streets, fields and workplaces were filled with working animals, even for large parts of the last century.
“The situation is no different in developing countries today, where one billion of the world’s poorest people depend entirely on working animals to earn a small income.”