World War Two had a big impact upon women's lives. With many men away fighting, women were called upon to fill their jobs and were recruited to do important war work. They were also encouraged to help with voluntary services that contributed to the war effort. The experience of World War Two was life changing for women of all ages and backgrounds. This topic contains archive materials that highlight the experiences of women living in the East Midlands during World War Two. (Click Archive Items to see them all).

Some women worked in factories, as shown in Women on factory production line. The photo includes some women in their fifties, who probably hadn't undertaken paid work in decades. Women were also recruited to the forces as the ATS / WAAF recruitment poster illustrates. The page taken from a register of Construction workers at RAF Coningsby includes two women employees employed in what had previously been considered 'men's work.

The photograph, Land Army girls and farm workers illustrates the key role that women played in agriculture. Food shortages meant farmers needed to produce as much food as possible, and with men away fighting, the Land Army provided a valuable source of labour. The work was manual and sometimes resulted in physical discomfort or injury as the Letter detailing a Land Army girl's sick leave demonstrates. The Interview with Brenda Gibson highlights the little known work of the Land Army Timber Corps.

Voluntary work was also an important aspect of war work. Prior to the outbreak of hostilities in 1939, the British Government recognised that women would be key to this and the specimen speech prepared for an ARP recruitment campaign, female audiences gives an insight into how women were targeted. It is particularly interesting when compared with it's counterpart,ARP recruitment campaign, football matches!

Items from the archives illustrate the wide range of voluntary work undertaken by East Midlands women. One photo shows Lady air raid wardens inspecting gas masks; another shows a Women's Auxiliary Committee of Boy Scouts knitting for the troops. Some women trained and volunteered in local hospitals, as shown by Women stretcher bearers. The work of the Women's Voluntary Service (WVS) is explained in the Interview with Jennie Phimister.

Wartime brought other challenges. For many women, it meant separation from loved ones, notably husbands, boyfriends and other male relatives who were away fighting. RAC Thanksgiving Week dance illustrates this, showing as it does a number of female dancing couples. City mothers faced the evacuation of their children, and if children were at home, working meant having to leave young children with relatives or in nursery, as shown in Children at Friary Creche. Due to rationing, even household tasks such as shopping and cooking required greater effort - note the Carry your shopping home poster!

However, the war did bring greater freedom and independence for many women. Interestingly, the writer of Diary of a female born in 1910 (3) records that being at war has done her mother and women generally, 'a world of good.' The important role that women played in winning the war was widely recognised afterward, as is illustrated in the Map of Derbyshire's war efforts.