I can't say if it was the norm in 1921 but it was definitely the norm during my childhood and then when I lived in London. I think it was part necessity and part convenience, someone always on hand to look after the kids and a way of making poor wages go further.
My great grandfather is living with his married daughter in 1921, no shortage of money there so it would have been helpless male syndrome. After WW1, another great grandfather has his three spinster sisters in law living with him, again helpless widower, but also gave them a much nicer middle class home that they could never have afforded on their own. I know this is not the same as multi generationfamilies living together, but I think many of the reasons are the same.
OC
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