This is a table to show what the rations people were allowed: -
Dig for victory was started by the government to get people to grow their own fruit and vegetables. The government told people that it would be better for them because they wouldn’t be queuing at shops or for food. People grew their own fruit and vegetables in public places even allotments. People used every spare place to grow them.
Clothes were also rationed in June 1941. Each person got 66 coupons a year. But in 1942 this was reduced to 48. Manual workers and miners were given extra coupons to buy working coupons. This was because the clothing industry was much smaller than before the war as they were busy making uniforms. The government wanted to make sure that there were enough clothes so people could afford them. So they introduced ‘ Utility Clothes’. Utility clothes were made from cloth, which were made by using as little material as possible. People could now afford these. Another campaign, which the government started, was ‘Make do and mend’. People started to recycle old clothes, unpicking the wool from socks and pullovers so they could reuse the material to make newer clothes from their old clothes. “ Many people were left with just the clothes they stood up in.” (Sheffield Blitz).
The bomb damage made people homeless. Their family unit was destroyed as the husband was at war, children been evacuated so the woman was left at home all alone. But the house would be destroyed, as there was no gas, water or electricity from the heavy bombing. “And came out owning no where and nothing” (Sheffield Blitz).
Personal life was also affected as the war went up. The way it was affected that at the beginning of the war there was a rush in case they never saw them again if they died. But the wedding would be very different because the dresses couldn’t be made, as people couldn’t afford them. Wedding cakes were plain because food was on ration. Many children didn’t know their fathers were. Couples grew apart from each other after long periods of separation. So at the end of the war the divorce rate rocketed. There was a lot grief for the loved ones “ My baby lay dead in my arms, my husband lay dead…” (Sheffield blitz).
Working life had been changed also because women could have jobs. While the men were fighting for their country. Mostly single women started to do factory work. There was also military work. Most women enjoyed it because it increased independence and self-confidence. Women who joined the land army were known as “Land Girls”. Some women were sent off to live and work on farms. This was to replace the male workers who joined the war. For women this widened their horizons and job opportunities.
There were many jobs available here are a few of them: -
- Women in the Territorial service (A.T.S)
- Women auxiliary Air- force (W.A.A.F)
- Air transport auxiliary (A.T.A)
Women were getting as good as men. “ Women of Britain did men work.” History file- Home front. But equal pay for equal work established, as was idea of married women working. But at the end of the war women lost their jobs when men came back home. They were made redundant.
Leisure time was also restricted due to the effects of the war. May problems were coming as the petrol was rationed and bus queues were long so it was hard to travel. There were still many entertainment venues, which people could still go to. People could go to the cinema to see many films. People went to dances at the A.R.P centres.
Leisure times was good as a morale booster for people as they were able to get away from home. But it can also be dangerous like when the Marples Hotel collapsed. “To hell with Hitler, I’m going to the pictures.” (Sheffield Blitz). This is a popular expression in Sheffield.
As we know there were a lot of effects on people’s lives during and after the war.
The effects on home life was greatly improved by the rationing some of the fruits like banana’s were unavailable because they were shipped into Britain, but they made up for it because ‘Utility clothes’ started and a lot of fashions started.
The effects on leisure time were quite hard because there wasn’t a lot of transport available. But they could still go to places like the cinema. Which kept the morale up. But it was greatly affected.
The work life for women wasn’t really affected because they had the chance to work, which they didn’t have the chance to do before. But they did loose their job when the war ended and men came back.
Personal life was affected badly as couples had a long period of time separated as the men were at war. A lot of husbands were killed or never came back. But there were a lot of marriages and divorces.
So there was a lot effects some of them were for the good and some for the bad.