There have been other changes too. The Tory Government's privatisations and the demutualisation of a number of building societies has increased the numbers of people owning shares.

The way the City is run has changed too. Instead of traders shouting their offers in the "open outcry" system to being computerised after "big bang".

Let's take a look at some of these changes.

The 1950s
May 1952 - Commons votes for equal pay for women
17 April 1956 - Premium bonds introduced
20 July 1957 - Prime Minister Harold Macmillan announces "Most of our people have never had it so good."
20 November 1959 - New banknotes announced - the first to feature the monarch's head
4 August 1959 - Barclays become the first British Bank to order a computer for its accounting
November 1959 - Duty free wine and spirits introduced for passengers flying overseas

The 1960s
9 April 1962 - Purchase tax on cars, washing machines, TV sets and refrigerators cut
10 September 1963 - American Express launches its sterling credit card in Britain. The joining fee is £3 12s 0d
July 1964 - With the largest rise for 10 years - 9.1% average weekly earnings for men is £17 12s
1965 Corporation tax and Capital Gains Tax introduced 29 June 1966 - The first British credit card is launched - Barclaycard
20 July 1966 - Prime Minister Harold Wilson announces six-month wage rise freeze
1967-68 - Special charge imposed. For investment income over £8,000, the rate was 45% which - with income tax at 41.25% and surtax at 50% - meant a total rate of 136.25%.
1 April 1967 - First Ombudsman starts work
19 November 1967 - The pound is devalued against the dollar from $2.80 to $2.40
27 June 1967 - Barclays launches Britain's first cash dispensing machine

The 1970s
4 February 1971 - Rolls Royce is bankrupt
30 March 1971 - The end of purchase tax is announced - it will be replaced in two years by Value Added Tax
15 Februay 1971 - Britain goes decimal
22 January 1972 - Treaty of Brussels: Britain set to join European Community
23 June 1972 - Chancellor Anthony Barber announces decision to float the pound on money markets
6 November 1972 - Prime Minister Edward Heath imposes wage, price and rent freezes
1973 - VAT replaces purchase tax
1973 - Surtax - introduced as super-tax by Lloyd George in 1909 was removed, but replaced by higher rates of income tax for those with high incomes. 1 February 1973 - Women allowed on to the Stock Exchange
17 October 1973 - Oil states put up prices by 70%
26 November 1973 - Government prints 16 million petrol ration books - they are never used
17 December 1973 - Britain goes onto a three day week - following industrial disputes in the coal, rail and power industries
May 1975 - A 3.9% rise in inflation pushes annual UK inflation over 30%
6 June 1975 - Britain votes yes to joining European Common Market
8 November 1975 - Labour government borrows £975 million from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) because of the size of the national debt
December 1975 - Equal pay act comes in to force - but the Act does not give women equality in pensions, taxes or social security benefits
January 1976 - It is announced that 1975 was a record year for bankruptcies 1,875 winding up orders were made in the High Court
29 September 1976 - Labour government applies to borrow £2.3 million from the IMF
26 September 1977 - Freddie Laker launches his £59 fare with Skytrain to New York
January 1979 - The Winter of Discontent with widespread industrial action