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A Country at War: Mass-Observation and Rural England, 1939–45.

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 October 2008

Alun Howkins
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Extract

The … history of the rural areas during the Second World War is virtually unstudied. There is some work on agriculture and agricultural policies, but the extent to which these rely on K.A.H.Murray's ‘official’ history, published in 1955, is testimony both to the quality of Murray's work and the general paucity of more recent published research. Moving away from the directly official, or economic history, we move into the field of memoir and reminiscence. Good as many of these are, they obviously seldom make any attempt at sustained analysis. Crucially, the rural areas have been left out of accounts of the social history of the war, such as Angus Calder's magisterial studyThe People's War, first published in 1971.

Type
Research Article
Information
Rural History , Volume 9 , Issue 1 , April 1998 , pp. 75 - 97
Copyright
Copyright © Edinburgh Mathematical Society 1998

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References

Notes

* This article has been presented as a paper to a number of seminars over the past months. My thanks then to the Graduate Seminar at the Institute of Historical Research; the Department of History at the University of Essex; the Media Arts Faculty at Southampton Institute and the Department of History at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. I would like to thank the Trustees of the Mass-Observation Archive, the University of Sussex, for their permission to use material from the archive. My thanks also to Pat Thane, Dorothy Sheridan and Linda Merricks who read versions of the paper. The research for this paper was supported by a British Academy Research Leave Award.

1. Murray, Keith A.H., Agriculture: History of the Second World War. United Kingdom Civil Series (London, 1955).Google Scholar For more recent studies see Brown, Jonathan, Agriculture in England: A Survey of Farming, 1870–1947 (Manchester, 1987)Google Scholar; Holdeness, B.A., British Agriculture since 1945 (Manchester, 1985)Google Scholar; Newby, Howard, Country Life: A Social History of Rural England (London, 1987)Google Scholar, all of which are openly reliant on Murray's work. Similarly Armstong's, Alan, Farmworkers: A Social and Economic History 1770–1980 (London, 1988)Google Scholar, although using local material, also relies on Murray for general developments.

2. Calder, Angus, The People's War: Britain 1939–1945 (London, 1992)Google Scholar see also Calder, Angus, The Myth of the Blitz (London, 1991).Google Scholar

3. There are several accounts of the origin of Mass-Observation. This account derives mainly from Stanley, N.S., ‘“The Extra Dimension”: A Study and Assessment of the Methods Employed by Mass-Observation in its First Period, 1937–40’, Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, Birmingham Polytechnic, 1981.Google Scholar See also Stanley, Liz, Sex Survey 1949–1994: From Mass-Observation's ‘Little Kinsey’ to the National Survey and Hite Reports (London, 1995), pp. 11–19Google Scholar; Calder, Angus and Sheridan, Dorothy, Speak for Yourself: A Mass-Observation Anthology, 1937–1949 (London, 1984)Google Scholar; Finch, Janet, Research and Policy: The Use of Qualitative Methods in Social and Educational Research (Lewes, 1986), pp. 86–92.Google Scholar

4. For an excellent discussion of the ‘panel’ in current Mass-Observation practice but which is very useful for the 1937—49 period see, Bloome, David, Sheridan, Dorothy and Street, Brian, Reading Mass-Observation Writing: Theoretical and Methodological Issues in Researching the Mass-Observation Archive, Mass-Observation Archive Occasional paper no 1 (University of Sussex, 1993).Google Scholar

5. Mass-Observation, The First Years Work, 1937–38 (London, 1938).Google Scholar

6. Harrisson, Tom, ‘Preface’ to The Pub and the People: A Worktown Study (London, 1943).Google Scholar

7. ibid.

8. Madge, Charles and Harrisson, Tom, Britain by Mass Observation (Harmondsworth, 1939), p. 10.Google Scholar

9. Turner, W.J., Exmoor Village (London, 1947).Google Scholar Although the name Turner appears on the title page he did little more than collate writings by two Mass-Observation observers, Désinée Ivey and Nina Masel.

10. Madge and Harrison, Britain, chapter 2, passim.

11. Jennings, Humphrey and Madge, Charles, May the Twelfth: Mass-Observation Day-Surveys 1937 (London, 1937).Google Scholar

12. Middlesex, Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Essex, Hertfordshire.

13. Stanley, , ‘The Extra-Dimension’, p. 167.Google Scholar

14. Hynes, Samuel, The Auden Generation: Literature and Politics in England in the 1930s (London, 1976), pp. 282–286.Google Scholar For a careful, and moderate, refutation of Hynes see Stanley, ‘The Other Dimension’, pp. 164–70.

15. There are huge problems with this data, and the figures should be taken as indicative rather than precise. When Mass-Observation has its material on data-base in 1999 it will be easier. This will not however deal with relating the self description of panell ists to census categories! See Stanley, ‘The Extra Dimension”, pp. 155–167 First Years Work, pp. 64—165.

16. Mass-Observation Archive, University of Sussex (hereafter M-O Archive) File A.4 Leaflet ‘A Thousand Mass-Observers’, Summer 1937.

17. Mass-Observation Archive, Town and District Survey, Box 10, File A.

18. Mass-Observation Archive, Town and District Survey, Box 3, File F and Box 4 File F.

19. Mass-Observation Archive, File A.25, ‘Crisis Directive, September 1939’.

20. Mass-Observation Archive, File 6A, ‘War-Time Directive no. 2’ October 1939.

21. Mass-Observation Archive, File A.25 ‘War-Time Directive No 1.’

22. Mass-Observation Archive, File 11C ‘War-Time Directive No 3’

23. Mass-Observation Archive, Mary Adams paper (A) Box 4. File F.

24. See for example Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries H5337, housewife, Fritwell, Oxfordshire, 30.11.1945.

25. See particularly the diary of Nella Last published as Richard Broad and Suzie, Fleming (eds.), Nella Last's War, (London, 1982).Google Scholar

26. McLaine, Ian, Ministry of Morale: Home Front Morale and the Ministry of Information in World War II (London, 1979), p. 23.Google Scholar

27. Mass-Observation Archive, File No A.22 Report/memo on the importance of Mass-Observation by Harrisson to Ministry of Information. For a discussion of this relationship see Finch, , Research and Policy, pp. 95–105Google Scholar and McLaine, , Ministry of Morale, pp. 23–24 and 49–52.Google Scholar

28. Mass-Observation Archive, File No 6A, ‘War-Time Directive No 2’.

29. Mass-Observation Archive, Adams paper, Box 4, File F.

30. Harrisson, Tom and Charles, Madge, War Begins.Google Scholar

31. McLaine, Ministry of Morale, p. 53Google Scholar.

32. See Finch, Research and Policy, pp. 103–105Google Scholar.

33. Mass-Observation Archive, Adams Papers, Box 4, File A.

34. Stanley, ‘x The Extra Dimension’, p. 14.Google Scholar

35. See Calder, The People's War, pp. 204–221Google Scholar and Calder, The Myth, pp. 131–134Google Scholar, for Mass-Observation's blitz reports.

36. Finch, Research and Policy, p. 105Google Scholar.

37. Britain, pp. 89–91.

38. Mass-Observation Archive, Diary no A5010, journalist, Chelmsford, 24.8.1939.

39. ibid., 31.8. 1939.

40. Mass-Observation Archive, Diary no D5054, tea merchant, Essex, 31.8.1939

41. Britain, p. 90.

42. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries no H5324, Garage worker, Snettisham, Norfolk, 29.8.1939

43. ibid., 27.8.1939

44. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries no P3596, writer/artist Port Isaac, Cornwall, 17.9.39.

45. All names are changed, except those of full time Mass-Observation workers. This was guaranteed at the time and remains the case now.

46. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries no M5366, housewife, Great Wilbraham Cambs., 4.9.1939.

47. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries no F5313, housewife, Hassocks, Sussex.

48. There is a large literature on evacuation, but see the brief account in Finch, , Research and Policy, pp. 91–94Google Scholar and Crosby, T.L., The Impact of Civilian Evacuation in the Second World War, London, 1986.Google Scholar There were also published contemporary studies carried out most notably in Oxford and Cambridge.

49. War Begins at Home, p. 305.

50. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries no M5376, school-teacher, Burwash, Sussex 8.9.1939.

51. War begins at Home, pp. 315–317.

52. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries no H5324, Garage worker, Snettisham, Norfolk, 24.10.39.

53. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries no M5376, school-teacher, Burwash, Sussex. 28.9.1939.

54. Mass-Observation Archive, Town and District Survey, Box 24, File A.

55. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries no H5324, Garage worker, Snettisham, Norfolk, 11.10. 1940.

56. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries no M5376, school-teacher, Burwash, Sussex, 8.4.1940.

57. The word is interesting. There was a wide-spread refusal by authority of those involved to use the word ‘refugee’.

58. Mass-Observation Archive, Town and District Survey, Box 14, File C.

59. Mass-Observation Archive, Town and District Survey, Box 24 File A and Box 23 File D.

60. Mass-Observation Archive, Town and District Survey, Box 24, File B.

61. Mass-Observation Archive, Town and District Survey, Box 19.

62. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries no H5324, Garage worker, Snettisham, Norfolk, 24.10.39.

63. Mass-Observation Archive, Town and District Survey, Box 19.

64. Mass-Observation Archive, Town and District Survey, Box 20.

65. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries no M5376, school-teacher, Burwash, Sussex. 13.9.39.

66. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries no M5366, housewife, Great Wilbraham Cambs., 26.11.39.

67. Mass-Observation Archive, Town and District Survey, Box 19.

68. See Reynolds, David, Rich Relations: The American Occupation of Britain, 1942–1945 (London, 1996).Google Scholar

69. ibid.

70. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries no H5324, Garage worker, Snettisham, Norfolk, 18.6.1940.

71. Mass-Observation Archive, Town and District Survey, Box 19. Letter dtd. 7.6.1940.

72. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries no M5376, school-teacher, Burwash, Sussex, 29.5. 1940.

73. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries no M5376, school-teacher, Burwash, Sussex, 24.6.1940.

74. Information from John Lawrence of Lewes, Sussex who was evacuated from Bexhill on 22 July 1940 to Letchworth in Hertfordshire.

75. Mass-Observation Archive, File Reports, File 170 Suffolk Village Report 6.6.1940.

76. Mass-Observation Archive, Town and District Survey, Box 22 File B.

77. Mass-Observation Archives, Town and District Survey, Box 22 File G.

78. Mass-Observation Archives, ‘Air-Raids’ Box 10 File K.

79. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries no M5376, school-teacher, Burwash, Sussex, 14.12.1940.

80. ibid., 18.9.39.

81. ibid., 23.1.1940.

82. ibid., 5.10.42.

83. ibid., 22. 9. 43.

84. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries, No H 5337, housewife, Fritwell, Oxon.

85. ibid. 4.2.44

86. ibid., Oct-Nov 1944.

87. ibid., 1.2.45.

88. Mass-Observation Archive, Town and District Survey, ‘Worcestershire Village’ Box 22, File G.

89. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries, No C5045, nursery man, Newick, Sussex.

90. Mass-Observation Archive Diaries, no M5376, school-teacher, Burwash, Sussex. 12.2.41.

91. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries, No M 5139, farm worker, Stoney Stratford, Bucks. 18.41.

92. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries no M5376, school-teacher, Burwash, Sussex. 9.3.1940.

93. Mass-Observation Archive, Town and District Survey, ‘Western Village’ (Sherridge? Malvern?), Worcs. 5.1.1941. Box 24, File F.

94. Mass-Observation Archives, Directives, Food Situation, Feb. 1942, no 2783, nonconformist minister, Taunton.

95. ibid., no 2866, unemployed women, Newick, Sussex

96. ibid., no 2830, commercial traveller, Wellington, Somerset.

97. ibid., no 2431, farmers son/leather worker, Market Harborough, Leics.

98. ibid., no 2924, book illustrator, Wormingford, nr. Colchester, Essex.

99. ibid., no 2778, man, unknown occupation, Yealington, S. Devon; no 2862, Unemployed women, Wood Stanway, Glos.

100. Mass-Observation Archive, Town and District Survey, Box 24 File D.

101. See ibid.; Mass-Observation Archives, Directives, Food Situation, Feb. 1942, no 2856 woman, unknown occupation, Cambridge; and Rationing, 1943 no 3336 farm worker Macclesfield, Ches.

102. The most famous of these were a series of posters of the rural south of England by Frank Newbould, and issued by ABCA with the slogan ‘Your Britain. Fight for it now’.

103. Mass-Observation Directives, Post War Problems, Sept. 1942, no 2954, male, unknown occupation, Preston, Lanes.

104. ibid., no 3013, housewife, Berkhampstead, Herts.

105. ibid., no 2457, civil servant, Newcastle.

106. ibid., no 3095, bank clerk, Swindon, Wilts.

107. ibid., no 2925, clerk, Oswestry, Shrops.

108. ibid., nos. 2737; 2844; 2845 and 3090.

109. See Morgan, Kenneth O., Labour in Power, 1945–51 (Oxford, 1984), pp. 32–33.Google Scholar

110. Mass-Observation Directives, Post War Problems, Sept. 1942, no 2830, commercial traveller, Wellington, Somerset.

111. ibid., no 2695, Royal Navy rating, Plymouth, Devon.

112. ibid., no 2873, housewife, Sheringham, Norfolk.

113. Mass-Observation Diaries no. Y5464, poultry worker, Peterborough, Hunts.

114. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries, No H 5337, housewife, Fritwell, Oxon., 1.4.44.

115. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries no M5376, school-teacher, Burwash, Sussex. August 1943.

116. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries, No H 5337, housewife, Fritwell, Oxon., 3.8.44.

117. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries no M5376, school-teacher, Burwash, Sussex. 25.1.44 for example.

118. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries no H5324, Garage worker, then gardener, Snettisham, Norfolk, 21.4.41.

119. ibid., 29.10.41.

120. ibid., 29.12.41.

121. ibid., 13.4.42.

122. ibid., 30.1.43.

123. ibid., 3.9.43 and 10.9.43

124. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries, No M 5139, farm worker/forester, Stony Stratford, Bucks.

125. Mass-Observation Archive Directives Rationing, 1943, no 3336, farm servant, Macclesfield, Ches.

126. Mass-Observation Archive, Town and District Survey, Box 10, File F.

127. Mass-Observation Archive Diaries no M5376, school-teacher, Burwash, Sussex. 13.9.45.

128. Mass-Observation Archive, Town and District Survey, Box 10, File F.

129. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries, G 5089, postman/farm worker, Looe, Cornwall 18.2.1941.

130. ibid., 15.4.41.

131. Mass-Observation Archive Directives Rationing, 1943, no 3075, market garden worker, Oxford.

132. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries, No H 5337, housewife, Fritvvell, Oxon.

133. ibid., 18.8.45.

134. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries, No M 5376, school teacher, Burwash, Sussex. 21.6.44.

135. ibid., 14.7.44. For the return of children see 5–31. 12. 44.

136. ibid., 4.8.44

137. ibid., 29.7.44.

138. ibid., 6.9.44.

139. For a good example of this see Harman, Tony, Seventy Summers: The Story of a Farm (London, 1986), pp. 173–179.Google Scholar

140. Morgan, , Labour in Power, p. 41.Google Scholar

141. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries, No H 5337, housewife, Fritwell, Oxon., 27.7.45.

142. Mass-Observation Archive, Diaries no H5324, Garage worker, then gardener, Snettisham, Norfolk, 15.8.45.