Saturday 27 February 2016

Life In A City During The First World War

Pre-war city life was almost split in half between the haves and the have-nots. Many of the wealthy had a home not only in the city but in the country as well whilst the poorer people struggled to keep a roof over their heads with the majority of families sharing just a couple of rooms in slum areas. 

The outbreak of war changed city-life and it would never be the same again. As men volunteered and were later conscripted to fight, you could see more and more women filling the jobs men used to do such as bus/tram conductors. This was more noticeable in city areas as there were more jobs to fill. With an ever-increasing amount of jobs available, some of those living in the city slums found themselves with more opportunities to work, including working in factories to help the war effort, where the paid was high. This meant that families could afford to buy the basic food items which in turn started to improve their health. 

One thing that affected those living in the city, no matter how much wealth a person had was the danger of an attack from the enemy. Cities were being heavily bombed during Zeppelin raids and many coastal places also found themselves being shelled by the German navy. This brought out a new determination in cities across Britain. They wanted to prove that they could stand strong in the fight against evil and to do this was to all muck in together, despite the difference in class. I feel this was also the start of the British stiff upper lip. 

Even though people now had more money to spend, there was very little in the shops to supply demand. Food was becoming more difficult to find and it wasn't until rationing was brought in early in 1918 that this started to improve. Unlike rural areas, people just didn't have the resources to be able to swap food items and many didn't have the space to grow their own. 

The thing that stands out to me the most during my researching the result in the change of people's lives. For the soldier's, after being outside in trenches, some for a few years, the tight proximity of city life was a strain for them and many returning soldiers moved into more rural areas for space. Not only that, but those suffering for shell shock and PTSD (although this condition was really known at this point), found the loud noises of the city to difficult to live with and so they sought quieter areas. 

For the women, they had achieved great things during the war and had proved that they could fill the roles that men normally undertook. This created a vicious circle that went on for quite a few years after the war had ended. The women felt it unfair and were resentful of the fact that they were given the sack so that they returning soldiers could take up where they left off. After having a taste of freedom for so long, they were no longer willing to go back to being just housewives and mothers and "delicate creatures". The war really gave a push towards gaining the vote for women and for women's rights in general.

For the men, they were resentful that they had fought a long and hard battle to win the war and had come back to find women caring out the jobs they had done before. The cost of the war had been high and there was a severe decline in the number of jobs available. Newspapers of the time reported that unemployed men could be seen grouped together in the street, many of them drinking, which of course always spelt trouble. 

Pre-war city life had been a divide of wealth, however, post-war was more of a divide between man and women and this would be the case for years to come. 

Sunday 21 February 2016

Love Letters During The First World War

With valentine's day just gone I thought it would be the perfect time to reflect on what love was like during the first world war. Although I have been lucky enough so far to not have gone through a wartime, I have heard people over the years say that in war your feelings are stronger. People learn to live for the moment, for who knows what is around the corner. 

During the first world war, letters played an huge and important part in communication. Phone lines were expected to be used to help the war effort only and not for personal conversations. With many of Britain's men fighting in the trenches of a foreign land, it was the letters written that kept people together. 

Women would often write to there sweethearts, telling them all the news from home, in return, soldiers would thank them for the gifts they had received and would ask for news of certain family members or friends. For the women, it felt like their responsibility to inform their loved ones that they were thought of at home and not forgotten. 

When many of us think of love letters today, we think of the of the top type usually shown in movies. However, the love letters of the first world war were more than that. They contained dreams and hopes for the future, of something to look forward to when the war was over. They created a bridge between peace and war, they made the horrors of war soldiers were witnessing more just. 

Yet these letters were not only read between two sweethearts. They would also be read by somebody else who would censor each and every letter to ensure no news or plans would reach the enemy.  often meant that letters were even more shortened than they originally were and some sentences were often broken and hard to understand. 

Over the last couple of years, many of the love letters written during the first world war have been made public, either in books, tv programmes and online. By reading these letters you can get a real sense of what life was like to be in love during wartime. From the happy times to the sad times, these letters can make you feel like you are living alongside them. 

If there is one thing you do this month, I would recommend researching some wartime love letters (they aren't hard to find) and read them. They really put things into perspective and show us that all the money spent and tackiness of valentine's day is not needed. All that matters in that the one you love is safe and well.

Sunday 7 February 2016

Life In Rural Britain During World War 1

The outbreak of World War 1 changed the lives of British people throughout the country. In rural Britain, small tight communities could often be found. The indirectly led to the surge in young men volunteering to fight - after all, they didn't want to be seen as a Shirker.With men volunteering in their flocks, farms and local businesses were left without a huge amount of their workforce. This was to become more serious as it was left to farmers to feed the nation as U-boats sunk more and more ships carrying much needed supplies to Britain. 

Not only did farms loose they menfolk, they also lost their horse power with most horses become requisitioned by the War Office. Without this huge strength, it would take on average a minimum of 15 people to harvest a field full of crop. By 1915, the Women's Land Army was set up with women joining from all around the country to do something new and different to help the war effort. Although thousands volunteered for the Land Army, farmers were reluctant to allow women to farm their land as 'it wasn't there place' and they 'wouldn't be strong enough' to cope with the physical work. 

Farms now had the workers to cope with demand which is great as by 1917, the Cultivation Of Lands Order meant that the government could demand that farmers plough new land to increase food production. At vast amount of this land had never been ploughed before and so the work was strenuous and the hours long. As much as farmers hated to admit it, without the help of the Women's Land Army, they would have been hugely behind with their quoter. 

It wasn't just farms that the war effected, but family homes as well. People that had gardens were encouraged to start a vegetable garden which helped vastly when rationing was introduced. By growing their own vegetables they were able to add to their allotted amount. Women were encouraged not to waste food and could face a hefty fine if they were found to be wasting food. By living in the country, anything that would have normally been wasted could be given to local farms to use as pigs swill. 

Many neighbours in rural areas pulled together to help each other. Whether it was swapping food and other items to being there for someone when they receive the devastating news war can bring. Reports can be found post-war where firm friends and local groups had been formed through their experiences of the war. 

Join me next time when I explore what life was like for those that live in the City.