by Susie Hodge
“Let us not forget the toil and efforts that lie ahead”
When Churchill made his radio broadcast on 8th May, he had also said:
“We may allow ourselves a brief period of rejoicing, but let us not forget for a moment the toil and efforts that lie ahead.”
The toil and efforts were indeed going to be enormous. Half a million homes had been destroyed, thousands more severely damaged; thousands of civilians had been killed and millions of lives disrupted. Many – particularly children and the elderly – experienced nightmares and nervous problems for years to come; most mourned loved ones and the realisation that austerity was to continue was difficult to bear. By 15th August, when Victory in Japan was declared, World War Two was truly, finally over. A victory parade had been held in London on 10th August, when once again huge crowds of cheering, flag-waving crowds took to the streets, but compared to VE Day, VJ Day was more subdued. Although the troops abroad rejoiced as they would be returning home, conscription would continue until 1963 and many returned to damaged or obliterated homes. Britain desperately needed money to pay for reconstruction and also to import food for a country that continued to suffer severe shortages. Women who had worked in “proper” jobs for the first time in their lives and gained independence and a sense of self-worth through it, would have to give up those jobs and return to pre-war passivity when the men returned. For many, after the initial jubilation came a feeling of deflation. Jackie Watson commented: “In some ways, after the end of the war it was worse because we had won, but there was still rationing for years, which felt so harsh. After the initial euphoria, everything went flat – we were still struggling and under harsh restrictions.”
The disenchantment continued. In 1938 there had been 10,000 divorces in Britain, but in 1945 there were 25,000 as people tried to return to the family life they had before the war or the expectations they had hoped for during the war. But everyone had changed. The anxieties, suffering and long separations had taken their toll, many had learned to live independently from their spouses, experiencing enormous events separately, and the strain was just too much for many. It was a case of adjusting to a new normality, but it was almost unrecognisable from the time before the war.
Rationing actually worsened at some points after the war. When the Labour government was elected to power, America stopped sending supplies of powdered egg, Spam and sausage meat. In 1946 bread was rationed for the first time and remained rationed for two years, which at the time was seen as the height of austerity. Those who still had homes had to carry on living with their shabby furnishings and depleted wardrobes for some time, while gardens and parks remained churned up for growing vegetables. Rationing of clothing, fabric and knitting wool that had started in June 1941 continued until 1949. The basic petrol rationing was restored, but it continued to be rationed until 1950, while food rationing continued until 1954.
Restructuring the country
The war had brought out the best in the British people. They had responded to the challenges with fortitude, adaptability and resolve, generating a shared sense of solidarity that continued in the aftermath of the war. In the first few years, resourcefulness and endeavour were needed almost as much as they had been during the conflict. After the surprise landslide result against Churchill’s Conservative government in the General Election of 1945, Clement Attlee’s Labour government struggled to deal with the problems caused by the war. The Labour Party had promised to rebuild the country with the campaign message “Let us face the future”, but it was an enormous task. Living standards had to be improved, the armed forces had to be maintained to face the new threat from Communist Russia, food and other essential goods had to be eked out, the medical profession needed organising to meet the overwhelming post-war demand and the idea of “cradle-to-grave” social security was aimed for.
Health
The threat of German bombing of civilians compelled the government to reorganise hospital services in London in February 1939, seven months before the war started. The Emergency Medical Service (EMS) was established, ensuring that London hospitals and medical staff were ready to care for anyone injured by enemy action and to arrange for patients’ treatment in whichever hospital was nearest and available to them. In spite of the enormous number of casualties however, the EMS was never placed under the stress that had been expected. Yet the organisation of the EMS became part of the basis of the National Health Service after the war. At the end of 1942, the economist and social reformer William Beveridge had published a paper: Social Insurance and Allied Services, which became known as the Beveridge Report. Based on social surveys that had been carried out between 1918 and 1939, the report provided a summary of principles that Beveridge believed were necessary to eliminate poverty from Britain. He frequently repeated the phrase “abolition of want”, arguing for social progression and proposing a system of social security to be operated by the government after the war. He stated: “Want is one only of five giants on the road of reconstruction and in some ways the easiest to attack. The others are Disease, Ignorance, Squalor and Idleness.” After the war Aneurin (Nye) Bevan was appointed Minister of Health with the task of tackling the country’s severe housing shortage. In 1948, Bevan instituted the National Health Service as well; a free service that was paid for directly through public taxes. The NHS aspired to give everyone equal medical attention and to blur class boundaries. Initially, most doctors were opposed to the NHS, believing that they would lose money through it, but eventually, 95 per cent of all of the medical profession joined. Despite its great ambitions, from its earliest days the NHS was short of money. For instance, Attlee’s government had estimated that it would cost £140 million a year by 1950. In actuality, it was costing £358 million by 1950. But it remained a remarkable achievement for all those who had not been able to afford healthcare.
Education
Education was another area desperately in need of reform. Before and during the war, the minimum school leaving age was 14 and costly university fees meant that higher education was only experienced by the rich, but the Education Act of 1944 steered through Parliament by Richard Austen Butler, meant that a good education became more accessible for all after 1945. The Education Act provided free secondary education for all pupils and the school leaving age was raised to 15, though the intention that it should be 16 was not realised until 1972.
Housing
The desperate housing shortage called for desperate measures. After the war over four million council houses and high-rise apartment blocks were built across the country and by the mid-1950s; nearly three million people were re-housed in these estates. Meanwhile, more than 156,000 prefabricated homes were built between 1945 and 1948 as a temporary measure, although many remained for decades. Prefabs were single-storey houses, with no staircases, cellars or lofts. Each had two bedrooms, a living room and a kitchen and bathroom at the back. Most people who moved into them loved these secure, convenient, little detached bungalows. In 1946 the New Towns Act was introduced to deal with the problem of overcrowded city centres and slums. Over the next 20 years several new towns were planned and built, containing all facilities needed by a community. After 1945 higher wages and easier to obtain mortgages meant that more people began buying their own homes
Culture and clothing
In June 1945 the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts, the CEMA, would continue as a permanent organisation, but would be called The Arts Council of Great Britain. This happened in spring 1946. The policy of the new Council was to remain as it had been with the CEMA: “to encourage the best British national arts, everywhere, and to do it as far as possible by supporting others rather than by setting up state-run monopolies.” The government-funded body sought to promote the performing, visual and literary arts to spread the best of culture even further than the CEMA had done so successfully during the war, enabling public money to be used to support the arts and culture across Britain. Also i
n 1946 the BSI, or British Standards Institute, which set emergency standards during the war to assist uniform and utility clothing production, brought together manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers to resolve the general disorder that occurred with clothes sizing. The fashion trade agreed on one system of sizes for both women’s outerwear and children’s clothing, which was subsequently replaced by a standard for size marking across all clothes, enabling all manufacturers to cater for different figure shapes and for shoppers to be able to purchase readymade clothes more easily.
The invisible chain
In 1941 George Orwell wrote an essay entitled England your England, describing the patriotism of the war as an “invisible chain” that bound Britain together through a sense of comradeship that transcended class boundaries. In spite of everyone’s hardships and anxieties, the collective morale and commitment to the war effort remained firm throughout the war years and even beyond, in a spirit of stoical endurance and good humour. Although this morale fluctuated through particularly difficult periods, in general, everyone faced the state of emergency with ingenuity, pride and determination, regardless of their ages, backgrounds, capabilities or beliefs, maintaining a team spirit and inventing new solutions for a wide range of problems.
Women in particular learned a lot from rationing and the invisible chain that supported them throughout the war. Margaret Arthur affirmed: “I learnt to sew and knit, and to cook with limited supplies. Even though I was a child in the war, the whole rationing experience made me appreciate things a lot more and the habit of making do and mending has remained with me for life.” Mirrie Hull said: “Everybody helped each other. If a neighbour ran out of something, we all shared what we had even when we were so constrained with rationing. We just made the most of it.” The majority of those who grew up in the war years continue to salvage and use whatever they can rather than simply discard things and most are exceptionally careful with all resources. This enterprising, supportive attitude that emerged as the legendary wartime or Blitz spirit was mentioned by everyone who shared their memories for this book. Eric Brown summed it up when he said: “It was a terrible time for sure, but I will never forget the sense of comradeship and companionship, shared by everyone who went through it.”
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books
Bédoyère, Guy de la, The Home Front, Shire Books, 2005
Brown, Mike, A Child’s War, Sutton Publishing Ltd, 2000
Brown, Mike, Wartime Britain, Shire Books, 2011
Brown, Mike and Harris, Carol, The Wartime House, The History Press, 2001
Chase, Joanna, Sew and Save, Literary Press, 1941
Cooksley, Peter G., The Home Front, Civilian Life in World War Two, Tempus, 2007
Craig, Elizabeth, Cooking in Wartime, Literary Press, 1940
Eating For Victory: Healthy Home Front Cooking on War Rations, Michael O’Mara, 2007
Evans, Paul and Doyle, Christopher, The 1940s Home, Shire Books, 2011
Food Facts for the Kitchen Front, Collins, 1941
Good Housekeeping, the Best of the 1940s, Anova, 2008
Goodall, Felicity, The People’s War, Readers Digest, 2010
Harris, Carol, Women at War 1939-1945, The History Press, 2000
Horth, Lillie B. and Arthur C., 101 Things to do in Wartime, Batsford, (originally 1940)
Hylton, Stuart, Careless Talk: The Hidden History of the Home Front, The History Press, 2003
Hylton, S., Their Darkest Hour, Sutton Publishing, 2000
Knitting for All, Odhams Press, 1941
Longmate, N., How We Lived Then: A History of Everyday Life during the Second World War, Arrow Books, 1973
Make Do and Mend, Ministry of Information, 1943
Maloney, Alison, The Forties Good Times Just Around the Corner, Michael O’Mara, 2005
Middleton, C. H., Digging for Victory:Wartime Gardening with Mr Middleton, Aurum Press Ltd, 2008
Middleton, C. H., Your Garden in Wartime, Aurum Press Ltd, 2010
Patten, Marguerite, We’ll Eat Again, Hamlyn, 1985
Patten, Marguerite, Victory Cookbook: Nostalgic Food and Facts from 1940-1954 , Bounty Books, 2002
The British Home Front Pocket Book, Ministry of Information, 1940-42
The Home Workshop, Odhams Press, c.1945
Leaflets
Civil Defence Leaflets
Dig for Victory Leaflets
Grow More Food, 1939
Potato Pete’s Recipe Book, 1945
Places to visit
Bletchley Park, The Mansion, Bletchley Park, Milton Keynes, MK3 6EB. Website: www.bletchleypark.org.uk Telephone: 01908 640404
Chartwell, Mapleton Road, Westerham, TN16 1PS. Website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/chartwellTelephone: 01732 868381
Chislehurst Caves, Old Hill, Chislehurst, Kent, BR7 5NL. Website: www.chislehurstcaves.co.uk Telephone: 020 8467 3264
Churchill War Rooms, Clive Steps, King Charles Street, London SW1A 2AQ. Website: cwr.iwm.org.uk Telephone: 020 7930 6961
Clifford Road Air Raid Shelter, Clifford Road Primary School, Clifford Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP4 1PJ. Website: www.cliffordroadshelter.org.uk
Eden Camp Modern History Theme Museum, Malton, North Yorkshire, YO17 6RT. Website: http://www.edencamp.co.uk Telephone: 01653 697777
Geffrye Museum Trust, 136 Kingsland Road, London, E2 8EA. Website: www.geffrye-museum.org.uk Telephone: 020 7739 9893
Home Front Experience, New Street, Llanduduno LL30 2YE. Website: www.homefrontmuseum.co.uk Telephone: 01492 871032
Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road, London SE1 6HZ. Website: www.iwm.org.uk Telephone: 020 7416 5000
Imperial War Museum North, The Quays, Trafford Wharf Road, Manchester M17 1TZ. Website: www.iwm.org.uk Telephone: 0160 836 4000
Stockport Air Raid Shelters, 61 Chestergate, Stockport, Cheshire SK1 1NE. Website: www.stockport.gov.uk/airraidsheltersTelephone: 0161 474 1940
Winston Churchill’s Britain at War Experience, 64-66 Tooley Street, London Bridge, London SE1 2TF. Website: www.britainatwar.co.uk Telephone: 020 7403 3171
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank everyone who shared their stories of the war with me. So many people, so many memories! Thank you in particular to Stan Bell, Yvonne Gilan, Mirrie Hull, Anne Maltby, John Maltby and Jackie Watson, who spent time patiently relating their fascinating experiences.
This book is dedicated to Maisie Walker who was an incredible source of information and shared so much with me, never tiring of answering my questions. She epitomises the positive British spirit! I would also like to dedicate it to the memory of my mum Jean, and my grandmother Kitty, who told me their stories as I grew up and ultimately inspired me to write the book in the first place.
INDEX
A
Abbess, Margaret
Ack-ack guns (anti-aircraft guns)
Air Raid Precautions (ARP),
Air raid shelters
Air Raid Wardens
Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA)
Airy, Anna
Adams, Emily
Allotments
America
Amies, Hardy
Anderson shelters,
Anderson, Sir John
Animals
Anti-Aircraft Command
Appliqué
Arden, Elizabeth
Armed Forces
Arthur, Margaret
Artists
Arts Council of Great Britain
Arts and Crafts movement
Assisted Private Evacuation Scheme’
Attlee, Clement
Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS)
Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS)
B
Bailey, Alf
Baker, Jack
Baker, Lord John Fleetwood
Barrage balloons
BBC
Beano, The
Beaverbrook, Lord
Belasco, Sadie
Belfrage, Bruce
Bell, Stan
Berketex
&n
bsp; Bevan, Aneurin (Nye)
Beveridge Report
Beveridge, William
Bevin, Ernest
Bicycles
Birmingham
Black market
Black propaganda
Blackpool
Blackout
Bletchley Park
Blitz, the
Blyton, Enid
Board of Trade
Bombs
Books
Bow
British Restaurants
British Standards Institute (BSI)
British War Relief Society (BWRS)
‘British Welcome Clubs’
Brown, Eric
Buckingham Palace
Buckinghamshire
‘Bundles for Britain’
Butler, Ralph
Butler, Richard Austen
Butterfly bombs
Butterworth, Chris
C
Campin, Rose
Carrots
Catchphrases
CC41 (Civilian Clothing)
Central Price Regulation Committee (CPRC)
Chamberlain, Neville
Charlton
Children’s Hour
Children’s Overseas Reception Board (CORB)
Chislehurst Caves
Christie, Agatha
Christmas
Churchill, Clementine
Churchill, Winston
Cinema
Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB)
Civil Defence
Clapton Common
‘Clothing Coupon Quiz’
Communism
Community Feeding Centres
