Recommendations for starting point to research British life during WWII?

[Flicka]

Here's the thing. I'm supposedly a writer, but I haven't written anything for ages and I keep procrastinating on picking a new project. After much, much thinking, I have settled on a story set in the British countryside during WWII as one possibility. But truth is, I don't know all that much about the specifics of British civilian life during the war (beyond a rudimentary knowledge derived from novels and tv documentaries and such). Now, maybe that should put me off, but if I'm sure I can learn – so hit me, what are your best recommendations? Non-fiction books, online sources (including digital newspapers) etc? I have to start somewhere even though I realise it's a huge task I'm setting myself up for.

Oh, and I post in here because it's mainly a book about women and I know there are some very knowledgeable ladies around here.

Thank you in advance!

 

[Alice Blue]

I've just scratched the surface of British home life during WWII - it seems as if the material is endless. If your novel is set in the countryside you might enjoy Wartime Farm (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6tVEo5wAP4) and the wartime kitchen and garden, which has a little dramatization of how families from the cities were billeted with country families (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EeIQcWex5w&list=PLaW2L70J5MKPb5ykQN5nTHDL4RJr0PVzW). And of course there were the Land Girls.

So far the closest I've come to time travel is reading Nella Last's War, which is an edited version of a diary kept as part of the Mass Observation Project. Several other books have been published based on those diaries as well.

These are just some things that I've enjoyed - I'm sure you'll get more in-depth suggestions from the more knowledgeable members of the forum.

 

[Shangas]

The TV series "1940 House" might also be helpful. Although it's set in LONDON rather than in the countryside.

 

[melancholy baby]

Coal House at War can be found on Youtube. Though it is set in Wales it is small town Wales and what people experience might be useful for you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aICzcTUd-go
1940's House has a compainion book that is more useful than the show since it goes into depth about what day to day life for women and children were like. Gas masks, corsets and rationing are all covered
.

 

[GHT]

Britain at War is a treasure trove. It's a pictorial history of Britain from the outbreak of hostilities, through to the ultimate victory in Europe. Written by Maureen Hill, it draws on over 800 photos from the archive of The Daily Mail.
It doesn't specifically deal with war in the countryside, but as Alice said, Wartime Farm is perhaps your best starting place for that. It was extremely well researched, it does have moments of perhaps, unnecessary drama. But it is highly watchable.
On a lighter note, my wife and her business partner did the hair for the extras on Wartime Farm, there were four camera operators. My wife is not exactly star-struck, and spent the whole time, during filming, dodging the camera.
In the finale, in episode eight, there is a gathering of everyone involved, to recreate a 'Field Day.' During this scene, the impish young, camerawoman, caught my wife a treat, got her in full view. In the shot she's looking at the back of her hand, as though examining her fingernails. "You were looking at your phone," I teased. She got all indignant, it nearly caused a domestic.
If you want to see the incident, scroll along the bottom to: 51 minutes & 44 seconds, she's the lady on the left.
[video=youtube;SG-j79XJqxI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SG-j79XJqxI[/video]
A final footnote. When that went out on BBC2, she swore me to secrecy, hoping no-one would see her. She got more phone calls and text messages than she had ever had.

 

[Stray Cat]

Coal House at War can be found on Youtube. Though it is set in Wales it is small town Wales and what people experience might be useful for you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aICzcTUd-go

HOW on earth did I manage to not watch this so far?!
Thank you for posting it! :nod:

If you want to see the incident, scroll along the bottom to: 51 minutes & 44 seconds, she's the lady on the left.

Your wife has got an amazing hair style - be sure to tell her that for me, please.
Wartime Farm is a great way to start exploring WWII (not only in Britain). :thumb:

 

[Jannie]

Here's the thing. I'm supposedly a writer, but I haven't written anything for ages and I keep procrastinating on picking a new project. After much, much thinking, I have settled on a story set in the British countryside during WWII as one possibility. But truth is, I don't know all that much about the specifics of British civilian life during the war (beyond a rudimentary knowledge derived from novels and tv documentaries and such). Now, maybe that should put me off, but if I'm sure I can learn – so hit me, what are your best recommendations? Non-fiction books, online sources (including digital newspapers) etc? I have to start somewhere even though I realise it's a huge task I'm setting myself up for.

Oh, and I post in here because it's mainly a book about women and I know there are some very knowledgeable ladies around here.

Thank you in advance!

Have a look here: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/firstworldwar/aftermath/brit_after_war.htm

 

[GHT]

Your wife has got an amazing hair style - be sure to tell her that for me, please.

Thank you for the compliment. My wife lurks on here, but she's not one to post. That's just the way she is.
When the silver threads started to appear in her hair, she had two options. Accept it gracefully, or go for it, disgracefully.
She calls the hair colour: Kick Ass Red, With Attitude. I call it: Jessica Rabbit.

 

[Stray Cat]

When the silver threads started to appear in her hair, she had two options. Accept it gracefully, or go for it, disgracefully.
She calls the hair colour: Kick Ass Red, With Attitude. I call it: Jessica Rabbit.

Eather way: I like it.
Red suits her.
Maybe she should start posting onto Ladies part of the Forum? We would appreciate the company. :nod:

Here's one more resource:
BBC Archive - WWII: Outbreak Collection

 

[esteban68]

're Bella Last there is an excellent film called IIRC 'Housewife 42' based on the book , Victoria Wood plays Bella....it's a great little film.....another decent film to get a feel for the period is 'Millions like us' which I think was made during the war.

 

[Two Types]

I would second the commetn made about 'Millions Like Us'. I think it's a splendid film and gives an indication of the breakdown of social barriers in wartime.

The memoirs of evacuees living in the countryside are a good starting point. But it is worth remembering that they give an outsiders view of countryside life in that period. This book is quite good: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1408800934

If setting a story in the countryside there is an important thing to consider: which area is the book to be set? The experiences of one region will be very different to another. Thus, if setting the book in East Anglia, the arrival of US airman will have a major impact on life, but if set in the south west US soldiers had a greater impact (I realise this is a generalisation but it is a good starting point). Whilst in parts of Hampshire it was the arrival of Canadians that had the greatest impact.

If you plan to cover the impact of US servicemen on UK society it might be worth reading this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Over-Here-G...F8&qid=1374749062&sr=1-4&keywords="over+here"

'I saw two Englands' by HV Morton is interesting because it discusses the changes that occured in certain areas at the outset of war. Such as businesses relocating to the countryside resulting in the sudden arrival of hundreds of people, all working for one company, in a small town. Or how the women who moved from the towns would happily enter pubs without a male escort, which was not so common in the countryside. If i can find my copy i will try to copy the relevant pages for you.

I will try to think of some more.

 

[Two Types]

Further points to consider:

The issue of sex in the UK in wartime is often covered in a way that misses out some of the most interesting aspects:

such as the increase in sexual disease in small country towns (caused by the arrival of prostitutes in small towns to cater for the demand casued by the establishment of new military bases, combined with the increased sexual activity among younger women). I am not aware of much research having been done on this although the relatively small town of Bedford was in the top-four towns for sexual disease among US servicemen, after London (obviously) and Bristol and Liverpool (both port cities). Though a small market town, Bedford was ringed by US airfields and was a leave centre, thus increased sexual activity and increased disease.

the media portrayal of women having children by other men, whilst their husbands were away in wartime, is also misleading. There tends to be an emphasis on husbands returning from war and being hostile to wives who had illegitimate children. Yet anecdotal evidence would suggest that plenty of men accepted what had happened and were sympathetic to their wives. Of course, evidence on this is hard to find because families chose never to discuss the matter.

I hope this is useful.

 

[Two Types]

Mass Observation Archive

An essential research resource would be the Mass Observation Archive held at the University of Sussex.
http://www.massobs.org.uk/searching_collections.htm

I ran a search for diaries of married women covering 1940 and got 98 hits:
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/library/spe...tion=&residence=&year=FORTY&respondentnumber=

There are also the replies to monthly questionnaires:
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/library/specialcollections/massobssearch/directives

These would also be useful because they held to show the changing attitudes of women throughout the war.

 

[Two Types]

The Second World War Experience Centre is also interesting.
You can search for accounts by civilians: http://www.war-experience.org/index.html

As is the BBC's 'People's War' archive: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/

 

[Miss Sis]

I say go for primary sources written or made at the time or by people who were there such as Two Types has recommended above rather than programmes or films made now.

Whilst modern films can be entertaining, it can be that they make mistakes or 'fudge' things when making for a modern audience which then become accepted as 'fact' and rehashed inadvertently by people who say 'Oh, well I saw it on ......, so it must be true/have happened/been like that'. I am always wary of this - seen too many mistakes in the past!