Not all contributions to the war effort took place on the front lines. The SED recordings also shed light on the crucial role played by those who kept the home fires burning.
Farmer's wife holding a rake. Farmer standing with a mower drawn by a single horse for cutting hay in Widdale (Wensleydale), 1962.
Much of this work related to farming and food production. In Appledore, Kent, Fred recalled the restrictions on travel during World War I, but also remembered helping local farmers thresh corn and peas to keep food production going.
Amy and Madge from Humshaugh, Northumberland, discussed attending Air Raid Precautions meetings, learning first aid, and making preparations to take in refugee children – a stark reminder of the fear and uncertainty that gripped the nation during wartime.
Mrs. Newman of Eynsham, Oxfordshire, shared memories of milking cows and helping with foaling and calving during and immediately after the war.
These stories, captured by the SED, paint a vivid picture of life on the home front – a world of rationing, hard work, and quiet resilience in the face of adversity.
Mrs. Fothergill using a wooden hayrake to rake dry cut hay together in a field near Dent (Dentdale), 1962.
