description
Object description
British civilian child, wartime munitions worker and joiner in London 1902-1919
Content description
REEL 1 Family background and education in south London 1902-1916: ambition to become joiner; leaving school aged fourteen; outbreak of war; brothers joining up; public feelings towards Germans; lack of war news; food queues; leaving school. Wartime employment in London 1916: first job; being redirected to Woolwich Arsenal; work packing small arms ammunition; rate of pay; shifts; leaving through ill health; night work pay; travel to work. REEL 2 Wartime life and employment at Woolwich Arsenal 1916: spending pocket money; theatres and cinema newsreels; rest days and bank holidays; meal breaks; canteen facilities and method of heating food; knowledge of Suffragettes; tea provision; fellow workers and dispute with another lad; seeing Zeppelin shot down over Cuffley at night and cheering effect on workers; evacuation of shop during raid. R3 Wartime employment in London 1916-1919: minor explosions at Woolwich Arsenal 1916; accidents; first aid provision; being directed to Palmers Travelling Cradle and Scaffold Company 1916-1918; air raids; lack of facilities at Woolwich Arsenal 1916; lack of unions and acceptance of working conditions; introduction of health certificates; treatment of influenza epidemic 1917; obtaining health certificate to leave Woolwich Arsenal 1916; wartime employment of women. REEL 4 Wartime employment in London 1916-1919: articles produced by Palmers; women's jobs and attitude to working with them; separate departments and composition of workforce; learning trade; hours; breaks; shop boy's duties; swearing and nicknames; buying tools; application to leave job 1918; aircraft work at Peacocks trade joiners' shop; wartime pay rates for engineers and woodworkers; engineers' war bonuses; woodworkers' pay; pay tins. REEL 5 Post-war life and employment in London: feelings at end of war; Armistice celebrations in Trafalgar Square; employment uncertainties and losing job at Peacocks; subsequent career as joiner and enjoyment of varied nature of work.
