In previous collaborative topics, we've asked you to look at what it was like to have lived through the 1960s, '70s and '80s. Now we're really going to test your powers of research. Some of you might have been alive in the years immediately after World War II and can hopefully remember what it was like. For the rest of you, this is the time to speak to older relatives and neighbours.

We want to know what it was like living in Britain in the years 1945 - 1959. BBC Four recently ran a series of programmes on the period they dubbed 'The Lost Decade', so that might help you a little. But we're really keen to hear those personal recollections too.

This is what we want to know:

• Women had taken on so many jobs that had traditionally been reserved for men. Once the men returned home, how difficult was it for them to adjust to women in the workplace?

• How much support was available for those families whose men had been lost in battle?

• How much did everyday things like bread and milk cost back then? How long did it take for rationing to end and which items came off rationing last?

• Who were the big film stars of the day? And which films might have kept audiences on the edges of their seats (or provided a romantic backdrop to a bit of kissing on the back row)?

• The official singles charts began in 1953. But who were the musical faves before then? And how did American acts change the way British people appreciated music?

• 1950s fashions might seem both timeless and quaint to us now. Men wore suits and ties, women seemed to be stuck in floral patterns. Everyone wore hats. But did the fashions noticeably change as the decade rolled on?

• How about technology? Cars and planes changed as a result of the technology of warfare. But what about that other great invention, the idiot's lantern - the television? What was it like to be the first person in your street with a gogglebox? What kind of programmes might people have enjoyed? And how different was it to know that everything you watched was going out live?

While this topic is focused on the UK, we'd also like to hear from Researchers from around the world. Tell us what was happening in your country in the years 1945 - 59. Remind us of world events and how the topics mentioned above might have affected your own relatives.

Tips for Contributing

You contributions may be used for a future Edited Entry, so the more you can give us, the better.

Try to give us as much as you can on one topic at a time, rather than cramming in loads of information on random topics.

Feel free to start your own Conversation or join in on someone else's - you might even find you'll be able to help another researcher fill in the gaps!