Impact of WWI on Everyday Lives

May 14, 2025

Lecture Notes: The Impact of the First World War on Ordinary Lives

Introduction

  • Common perception of WWI: trenches, soldiers, and famous war poets.
  • Alternative narrative: Influence on everyday lives, fought in fields, factories, and kitchens.
  • Focus on how the war shaped lives in Hampshire and surrounding counties.

Economic and Social Impact

  • By 1919, nearly 200,000 war widows and over 1/3 million children received pensions.
  • Excluded:
    • Dependents of men who returned injured and died later.
    • Women who did not qualify due to strict regulations.
  • Consequence: Tens of thousands of families received no support.

Unpreparedness of the British Government

  • Unanticipated social and economic effects on families losing breadwinners.
  • War declared: August 4, 1914.
  • Massive enlistment: 750,000 men by September 1914.
  • Enlistment included many married men expecting quick war and family support.

Government Response and Issues

  • August 10, 1914: PM Asquith announced separation allowances and war widows' pensions.
  • Lack of infrastructure led to hardships.
  • Voluntary organizations like Soldiers and Sailors Families Association (SSFA) stepped in.
  • Unregulated support varied by region and volunteer discretion.

Challenges with Separation Allowances and Pensions

  • War widow pension for a private soldier: 5 shillings/week (inadequate).
  • SSFA gave 7-9 shillings/week based on beneficiaries' circumstances.
  • SSFA volunteers often had middle-class moralistic ideals.
  • Criticism from figures like Sylvia Pankhurst on the SSFA's approach.

Social Attitudes and Control

  • Middle-class concerns about women's morality and behavior.
  • Canon E. A. Burroughs criticized women receiving allowances.
  • Women under police surveillance to monitor moral conduct.

Personal Accounts and Systemic Issues

  • Widows faced inadequate pensions and personal hardships.
  • Example: A widow doing men's washing to support six children after husband's death.
  • Conscription and Somme Offensive (1916) led to state-managed pensions (Ministry of Pensions).

Ministry of Pensions' Policies

  • Pensions considered a reward for service, not a right.
  • Widow's conduct could affect pension eligibility and child custody.
  • Cost-saving measures prevalent due to war expenses.
  • 8,000+ women forfeited pensions due to conduct.

Post-War Challenges

  • Employment scarcity and economic difficulties.
  • Restrictions on pension eligibility (e.g., remarriage, children's birth post-war).
  • Seven-year rule: If a soldier died seven years after injury, death not attributed to service.
  • Ongoing challenges for widows to prove pension eligibility.

Conclusion

  • Life for war widows and their families: remarriage or continued hardship.
  • Many faced lifelong difficulties due to insufficient pension support.

Study Tip: Focus on understanding the social and economic hardships faced by families during and after WWI, especially the role of government and voluntary organizations in managing pensions. Reflect on the changing attitudes towards women and societal responsibilities.

Full transcript