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During the First World War white feathers were given to men deemed to be cowards.

Britain: British Society 1890-1918 - Women And Civilians In The Great War

Discover how women and civilians in Britain supported the war effort during the First World War, from factory work and fundraising to coping with air raids at home.

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Fascinating Fact:

Women also worked as bus and tram conductors, clerks, and police auxiliaries. Their presence in public roles became a common sight in towns and cities.

In GCSE History, this topic looks at how the First World War affected life on the Home Front in Britain. You explore how women took on new jobs, how civilians coped with shortages and air raids, and how government controls such as censorship and rationing changed everyday life. The topic also examines how these experiences influenced attitudes to class, gender and democracy in the years after the war.

Key Terms

Home Front: The part of a country where civilians live and work while its soldiers are fighting overseas.
Rationing: A system that limits how much food or fuel each person can buy so supplies last during wartime.
War work: Jobs done to support the war effort, such as making weapons, growing food or working in military-related services.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What roles did women have in Britain during the First World War?

Women in Britain worked in munitions factories, on farms, in offices, hospitals and public services. Their work helped keep industry, transport and administration running while many men were away fighting.

What was life like for civilians on the Home Front in the Great War?

Civilians faced rising prices, food shortages, rationing and new government controls. Many experienced air raid warnings, fundraising drives and constant reminders that the war affected everyday life.

How did the First World War change attitudes to women in Britain?

The war showed that women could do skilled, responsible work and manage public duties. This helped shift opinions and contributed to some women gaining the parliamentary vote in 1918.

Try These Related Quizzes

1 .

Women workers were especially appreciated in the munitions industry, and many thousands served there. How many women were employed in this way at the peak?

500,000

1.5 million

850,000

300,000

The main task was filling shells, which was dangerous work. However the work was well paid, and sometimes women went on strike for better conditions

2 .

DORA was an Act of Parliament passed in August 1914, that curbed the rights of citizens under wartime conditions. What does DORA stand for?

Defence of the Realm Act

Defence Orders Revision Act

Defence Objectives Register Act

Defence of the Regular Army

Civilians had to accept that their everyday movements and actions could now be curbed by law

3 .

Women tried to shame male civilians into joining up. How precisely did they do this?

By threatening to publish the names of men of military age who had not yet joined up

By forcing men in civilian clothes to try on military kit

By refusing to go on dates with their boyfriends until they agreed to sign up

By distributing white feathers to any man wearing civilian clothes who seemed to be of military age

Many men felt humiliated by such treatment

4 .

Many women served near the front line as nurses. One such nursing unit were the FANY's, founded by Kitchener in 1907, What does FANY stand for?

Front Army Nursing Yeomanry

First Army Nursing Yeomanry

First Aid Nursing Yeomanry

First Aid Nurses Yeomanry

Nurses were of course badly needed at the front, but women did not get involved directly in combat

5 .

British propaganda made much of atrocities committed by the Germans against civilians in the early weeks of the war. Which country was said to have suffered especially badly from this?

France

Russia

Belgium

Holland

These accounts of mistreatment were reinforced by the stories related by refugees

6 .

London received air raids in 1915 from German airships. By what name were these craft known?

Dirigibles

Hindenburgs

Luftzeuge

Zeppelins

Such raids terrified civilians, who felt that they were now fighting in the front line as well as enlisted troops

7 .

Men were expected to join up in the forces: either voluntarily or by conscription. Some men, however, were not allowed to leave their jobs, which were considered vital to the war effort. Examples would be coal-miners and train drivers. What general name was given to such employment?

Reserved occupations

Reserved employment

Excluded occupations

Excepted jobs

Many such men wanted to join up but were refused permission to do so

8 .

What happened to both Scarborough and Hartlepool in December 1914?

These towns suffered serious air attack

German troops landed briefly in both places and did much damage

Both towns were bombarded from the sea by elements of the German fleet

The Germans experimented with poison gas against civilians in both places

After these incidents few British civilians felt safe from the savage "Hun"

9 .

The government reduced pub opening hours in order to get better service from the civilian workforce. What were the new opening times in the evening?

1830-2130

1800-2200

1900-2230

1730-2030

The government was keen to stamp out drunkenness and to get the highest possible productivity out of the work force

10 .

In January 1918 the government placed limits on civilians' consumption of certain foodstuffs, following an escalation of the Germans' submarine campaign against merchant shipping. What was this measure called?

Limitation of civilian consumption

Rationing

Retail restriction

Food purchase ban

The Germans very nearly succeeded in starving Britain out of the war by reserving the right to sink any ship on the high seas. So the government was forced to introduce curbs on the purchase of certain foodstuffs

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Britain since c.1900 and the people's health

Author: Edward Towne