The Battle of Britain

Children during the Second World War

'Night Raiders' board game; The war was a popular subject for toys and games as it taught children about what was going on around them. When factories were turned over to war production, toys began to disappear from the shops. The few that were available were expensive. Toys were handed down from older children who had outgrown them. Parents learnt to be resourceful in transforming old toys into something new or creating something completely from scratch.

'Night Raiders' board game

souvenirs and ephemera

The war was a popular subject for toys and games as it taught children about what was going on around them. When factories were turned over to war production, toys began to disappear from the shops. The few that were available were expensive. Toys were handed down from older children who had outgrown them. Parents learnt to be resourceful in transforming old toys into something new or creating something completely from scratch.

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The Second World War brought many changes to the lives of children in Britain. For some, the war was a time of fear and confusion that meant separation from families, the destruction of a home or even the loss of a parent. However, for others, these...

The Second World War brought many changes to the lives of children in Britain. For some, the war was a time of fear and confusion that meant separation from families, the destruction of a home or even the loss of a parent. However, for others, these years were the most exciting and happiest time of their lives.

Evacuation was the biggest cause of disruption to children’s lives. The government’s voluntary evacuation scheme saw millions of children in Britain sent to places of safety for fear of German bombing. Many families made their own arrangements to evacuate their children to friends and family in the country or overseas. The short-lived Children’s Overseas Reception Board also organised the evacuation of children to Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Children’s education suffered during the war. One in five of the country’s schools were damaged by bombing and many others requisitioned by the government. Children were crammed into large classes and stationery and books were often in short supply. Young male teachers were called up to the forces and older teachers brought out of retirement to replace them. After the war a significant number of children failed to reach the required levels of literacy and numeracy.

Children of all ages could get involved in the war effort. Older boys and girls joined the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides. They supported Air Raid Precautions by acting as messengers or fire-watchers. Younger children helped salvage war materials, raised money for munitions or knitted comforts for troops.

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Related Exhibitions

  • Evacuees Growing Cabbages

    art

    Evacuees Growing Cabbages; Evacuees Growing Cabbages, 1940, by Leila Faithfull. In 1940 British people were urged to 'Dig for Victory' to increase food production. Children were encouraged to help dig, sow, hoe, plant and seed. Some schools turned parts of their playing fields into allotments and tending them became part of the school curriculum. There was a shortage of agricultural labour, so boys were recruited to help farmers on the fields. Children evacuated to the countryside often harvested items such as mushrooms, berries and fruit.

  • Open-air sewing class

    photographs

    Open-air sewing class; Schoolgirls take part in an open-air sewing class whilst evacuated to Pembrokeshire, Wales, 1940. During the war, many school buildings were either damaged or requisitioned for war use. This meant a shortage of suitable places to conduct school lessons. Lessons were conducted in unusual places such as chapels, pubs and church crypts. During the warmer months lessons could even be held outdoors.

  • Boys at Ampleforth College buy sweets

    photographs

    Boys at Ampleforth College buy sweets; Boys at Ampleforth College buy sweets and chocolate from the school tuck shop, 1943. Sweet rationing was introduced in July 1942. The ration, irrespective of age, was 8 ounces (225 grams) of sweets or chocolate every four weeks. Many children struggled to make these rations last and often chose sweets which would last the longest, like gobstoppers. Sweet coupons (known as 'personal points') could be spent anywhere, allowing people to shop around. Sweets could be made at home using Ministry of Food recipes. Sweet rationing ended in 1952.

  • The Girl Guides

    photographs

    The Girl Guides; A Guide-Leader buys saving stamps from a Girl Guide, 1944. During the war, the public were encouraged to save their money rather than spend it. Organisations like the Girl Guides sold savings certificates and saving stamps. Savings groups made it easy to save regularly and special campaigns, such as War Weapons Weeks, helped to keep enthusiasm alive. In May 1940, Girl Guides held a 'Gift Week' during which they raised money by giving up their pocket money. Altogether, they raised £50,000.

  • Boy Scouts, Cubs and Sea Scouts

    photographs

    Boy Scouts, Cubs and Sea Scouts; Boy Scouts, Cubs and Sea Scouts collect waste paper for salvage, Balderton, Nottinghamshire, 1944. Children were enthusiastic recruits in Britain's salvage campaign. Most household items could be collected to be re-used, including paper, rags and bones. The government started the Cog Scheme, where children (who became known as the 'cogs') were formally recruited as salvage collectors. Children were often competitive in their salvaging and their efforts were rewarded with badges. The easiest salvage to collect was waste paper - this was also the easiest to sell.

  • Luftwaffe Heinkel 111 aircraft

    photographs

    Luftwaffe Heinkel 111 aircraft; Two young children and their parents pose by the tail of a shot down Luftwaffe Heinkel 111 aircraft, 1940. Aircraft were a source of fascination for children during the war. Many boys and girls enjoyed aircraft spotting - a hobby which often became competitive. A Penguin book of aircraft silhouettes was one of the best-sellers of the war. Children often collected wartime souvenirs from crashed planes. These souvenirs could be anything from parts of the aircraft to parts of pilots' uniforms.

  • Miss Charity Bick GM, of West Bromwich

    art

    Miss Charity Bick GM, of West Bromwich; Miss Charity Bick GM, of West Bromwich, the youngest woman Civil Defence worker to be decorated with the George Medal, 1941, by Alfred Reginald Thompson. Charity Bick, of West Bromwich, was the youngest Civil Defence worker to receive the George Medal for her heroic efforts as an Air Raid Precautions Despatch Rider. She was only 14 when she committed the act of bravery that led to her receiving the medal. During a very heavy air raid she assisted her father in extinguishing an incendiary bomb and then delivered messages to the control room, over a mile away from her post.

  • Private Papers of Miss B Myatt

    private papers

    Private Papers of Miss B Myatt; Beryl Myatt was one of 77 evacuees who died when the liner City of Benares was torpedoed by a German U-boat in mid-Atlantic on 17 September 1940. The ship was taking evacuee children to Canada under the Children’s Overseas Reception Board (CORB) scheme. This disaster brought the official overseas evacuation scheme to an end the following month. Over 2,500 children were evacuated by CORB and more than 17,000 evacuated privately to America and Canada.