Home Front

Home Front

For the first time in history War had a huge impact on life at home, across the nation most families had a member serving their country. Children became members of single parent families with older brothers also enlisting. Women were recruited to support roles at the front and employed to fill the vacancies in the job markets at home in agriculture, trade and industry.

The Parish of Passenham in 1911 had a population of 1001 (Male 526, Females 475) and 238 houses. The village was a mixed economy of farming and a wider range of industry than was usually found in most parishes. Due mainly to the open structure of land ownership and the growth of industry from transport links brought by the Buckingham Branch of the Grand Junction (Union) Canal that ran through the heart of the village.

Employment was focused around farm work and E & H Roberts Ltd Iron Foundry, the Burrows family, John, Harry and Frederick had a threshing–machine hire business up until they enlisted that employed several men; two coal yards were located alongside the canal, and the Royal Condor Motor & Cycle Works built bicycles. Family businesses included the Post Office, shops and bakers. Cottage industries included lace-making, brewing and shoe-making. Men and some women were employed at the nearby Carriage Works of the London and North Western Railway (LNWR) in Wolverton, and some women were also employed at McCorquodale’s printing works, but most young girls entered domestic service working in the larger houses around the area.

Woman sitting on plough drawn by two horses. (LRG/01/036)

Woman sitting on plough drawn by two horses. (LRG/01/036)

A group of men sitting on the Harry S. Roberts Cycle Manufacturers cart, c.1915.

A group of men sitting on the Harry S. Roberts Cycle Manufacturers cart, c.1915.

E & H Roberts Iron Works grew in prosperity throughout the war, due predominantly to the manufacture of agricultural implements most notably their horse-drawn Mephisto plough, a response to the increased demand in food production. Later during 1917 the Works also became a distributor for the Emerson (US) and Mogul (UK) tractors, in an attempt to keep up with modern motorization. Labour shortages led to women being employed for the first time at the Iron Works in 1916 in the moulding shops and then later to other production areas.

A newspaper advert for the sale of E & H Roberts Ltd, Hay Loaders, taken from the Wolverton Express on the 28th June 1917.

A newspaper advert for the sale of E & H Roberts Ltd, Hay Loaders, taken from the Wolverton Express on the 28th June 1917.

A newspaper advert for the sale of E & H Roberts Ltd, 'Emerson' and 'Mogul' tractors and ploughs, taken from the Wolverton Express on the 28th September 1917.

A newspaper advert for the sale of E & H Roberts Ltd, 'Emerson' and 'Mogul' tractors and ploughs, taken from the Wolverton Express on the 28th September 1917.

The Potterspury Tribunal (a committee of local professional men and a military representative) was established to hear cases from local employers and families as to why men should be exempted from Military Service. E & H Roberts Ltd and many local farmers regularly made applications; such was the shortage of farm labourers in the area it was agreed by the Potterspury Tribunal in August 1917 that, unless the Military objected, exemptions would be granted for all agricultural cases. Managers of the Iron Works became so enraged by the failures of their constant appeals, they invited the Tribunal to visit to see the completely idle machines in the ?? shop. During the war Tribunals were generally renowned for being harsh on domestic cases, (illness, last remaining sons & breadwinners and other types of hardship cases). After the war Tribunals were more infamous for their often heavy-handed attitude towards Conscientious Objection, only a couple of these cases were mentioned in Potterspury reports.

Schools and children also did ‘their bit’ in working for the War effort. Boys were recorded as being absent from school at sowing and harvesting times, girls knitted socks, scarves etc to send to serving soldiers. Local schools  had competitions in the autumn for collecting blackberries for jam-making; over 7 tons of jam was sent to the front each month through the war. Children went around the village collecting scrap glass, metal and paper and responded to local press adverts for collecting walking sticks, binoculars, and spectacles amongst many other items. A national egg collecting campaign, aimed at children, awarded certificates for the number of eggs raised for hospitals and convalescent homes.

A newspaper advert from Mrs. Bernard who was trying to collect 1000 pairs of socks to send to soldiers in the 3rd Special Reserve Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, taken from the Wolverton Express on the 28th August 1914.

A newspaper advert from Mrs. Bernard who was trying to collect 1000 pairs of socks to send to soldiers in the 3rd Special Reserve Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, taken from the Wolverton Express on the 28th August 1914.

A newspaper report on the Empire Day celebrations at Deanshanger School, taken from the Wolverton Express on the 26th May 1916.

A newspaper report on the Empire Day celebrations at Deanshanger School, taken from the Wolverton Express on the 26th May 1916.

A local newspaper report and school tables in connection with the blackberry picking scheme, organised by Mr. Bryant, of Preston Bissett, to make jam four the sailors and soldiers, taken from the Wolverton Express on the 26th October 1917.

A local newspaper report and school tables in connection with the blackberry picking scheme, organised by Mr. Bryant, of Preston Bissett, to make jam four the sailors and soldiers, taken from the Wolverton Express on the 26th October 1917.