Twelve and Sixpence
The First World War years: 1914 to 1918 saw a great many changes in the world, and the children from year 5 from Manor Primary School,Uckfield, undertook a special Heritage Lottery Funded project to find out what life was like for people in Britain while so many men were away at War. The project, researched the lives, memories and stories of women, children and families that remained behind whilst their fathers went to War. The project detailed the hardships, class differences/struggles, poverty, employment, social and political impacts and the many sacrifices that were made. It also examined the effect returning soldiers had on those who remained at home. ‘Separation Allowance’ was paid to all married soldiers, their children and also any adults who could prove that they were dependent on the soldier prior to his enlistment. This allowance was increased in March 1915 and again in July of the same year to twelve shillings and sixpence.
How did they live? What did they eat? What did they do? These 9 and 10 year olds immersed themselves in a world without mobile phones, without the internet, without electricity even, where food, money and even warmth were scarce, where teachers were strict and children often had to work after school just to help the family stay alive. They walked in the footsteps of those people, imagining their hardships, their joys, their woes. The children learned respect for those brave women, men and children who fought their own war, here on the Home Front and their findings from the project were exhibited in both the Redoubt Museum, Eastbourne and the Bridge Museum in Uckfield.
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