Chester is well known as a Roman city, and has seen significant change over the centuries. This has been done sympathetically for the most part, and in keeping with the general antiquity of the surrounding buildings and streets. Chester in the 1950s was a time of reawakening following the dark years of the Second World War. The city was lucky to miss much damage during the conflict, but like the rest of Britain the residents suffered from privation and rationing, not to mention the boys and men who would never return to their hometown. From post-war austerity to the threshold of consumer society, Chester embraced the 1950s as a decade of renewal and opportunity.