On the 3rd September 1939 the Nottingham Evening Post announced ‘Britain At War With Germany’ and it printed a summary of Chamberlain’s speech to the country. The talk follows the progress of civil defence measures in the city of Nottingham and the county, evacuation, war work and the construction of air raid shelters. In Nottingham alone 24,000 Anderson shelters were constructed. The first fatality in Nottingham occurred was a baby killed in a raid on 30-31st August 1940. A succession of bombs fell on Newark in March 1941, aimed at the Ransome & Marles ball bearings factory. In May 1941 Nottingham suffered a major raid that became known as the May blitz, with 49 alone killed when 3 bombs fell on the Co-op bakery on Meadow Lane. A letter written after the raid described how ‘all the damage is down our end. St Christopher and St Johns are burnt out and Meadow Lane has suffered badly.’
Other aspects of the ‘People’s War’ include campaigns like ‘Dig For Victory!’ and the impact of rationing. The talk looks at the role of women working in munitions, factories, offices and in organisations like the Land Army and also how women managed their households in the face of increasing hardships.
But the lighter side of life is also featured. The importance of a visit to the picture house to see films like ‘Strike Up The Band’ with Judy Garland, reading the newspaper and listening to the Rumbalero Orchestra on the radio.
The Home Front was a vital front line in maintaining families, communities and organisations - this talk remembers how Nottinghamshire battled day-after-day fighting The People’s War.
