Wife and Mother
The Home Front
As part of their everyday lives, women endured, rationing, sleepless nights in air raid shelters, fuel shortages and long queues. They were resilient and resourceful, making tasty, nourishing meals using offal such as, pig's heads, and cutting down old clothes to fit growing children.
Women became the backbone of this country, and for many their lives would never be the same. Even women with young children, or those who were too old to work, could do their bit for the war effort through voluntary work.
By 1944, The WVS (Women's Voluntary Service) had one million members. Their motto was 'never say no', and they did everything from running canteens and rest centres, undertaking air-raid shelter duty, giving first aid and helping with the evacuation of children. The Women's Institute made jam, and in addition collected scrap metal, for use as raw material for munitions
News from the Home Front
Rationing
The Kitchen
Evacuees
Widows
Housework
Make Do and Mend
Cissie Ewen remembers
