Wargrave Local History Society was able to return to meeting ‘in person’, rather than using Zoom, for their October meeting.
Dr Margaret Simons gave an illustrated presentation on Reading in the First World War: The Home Front 1914-18, sharing the results of her research into the effects of the war on the local area.
Local newspapers described Reading as being ‘alive with khaki’ over the August Bank Holiday of 1914 (1st-3rd that year). It had been a super summer but then rained heavily on the 4th – the day when the anticipated declaration of war took place.
Things moved rapidly in the first few days. Men of the Royal Berkshire Regiment departed on the 5th, with 24 boxes of Huntley & Palmers biscuits, while two days later all suitable horses in the town were commandeered. The following day, Reading became a food base for the army.
The idea of war seemed surreal at the time, with a sense of excitement as people thought it would “be over by Christmas”, people thronging the streets to watch parading soldiers.
One of the main impacts on local people was the price of food, which had already started rising. There was a shortage of pigs, sugar was scarce, and the prices for meat and bread rose significantly. Some food had been retained for use by forces personnel – while some farmers had held on to their animals, hoping for a higher price.
Changes in economic activity meant many workers were put on to short time, or lost their jobs.
The combined effect was that many poorer families were in difficulty, and special arrangements had to be made to ensure that children were fed – by the end of September 1914 there were 1,273 ‘necessitous children’ in Reading.
The Defence of the Realm Act, passed on August 8th, imposed restrictions, such as watering down alcoholic drinks and restricting public house opening hours (some rules remaining in force until 1988). People were not allowed to talk of anything that could give information to the enemy – there was real paranoia that there was “a German around every corner”.
The Royal Berkshire Regiment (based at Brock Barracks) paraded through the town and used other events to encourage volunteers to enlist.
Later, the National Registration Act required the details of men eligible for military service and women who could be available for work to be recorded, conscription following in 1916.
There were tribunals held in the town, three days a week, to consider the claims of Conscientious Objectors and others to be exempted.
Billeting of members of the forces also affected local people, particularly as Reading was a transit hub for the troops.
A house occupier was paid 9d per night per man who stayed in their home, over 1,500 being accommodated this way.
There was a considerable outcry at the time, as the burden fell mainly on the poorer families already living in crowded homes, rather than the more affluent in bigger houses.
From February 1916, Reading also became the home of the Royal Flying Corps’ No 1 School of Aeronautics, based at the university’s Wantage Hall, with an airfield at Coley Park. A suggestion in 1918 that the newly formed RAF should be based at Reading was not implemented, however.
Many Reading firms were involved in the war effort – food companies, outfitters, and engineering concerns – even Huntley & Palmers making around 60,000 shell cases, while the Royal Berkshire Hospital cared for the war wounded, as well as the civilian population.
To help provide sufficient beds for patients, the former workhouse became Battle Hospital, and many auxiliary hospitals were created in large houses and village halls, to accommodate the less severely injured and those convalescing.
As well as tending them, local women ‘did their bit’, taking on the work of the men serving in the military.
Margaret spoke of many more aspects of life at this time, and hopes to make the results of her research available as a book in due course.
The Society’s planned programme is at www.wargravehistory.org.uk – where the latest information can be found, or email [email protected] to confirm meeting details.
PETER DELANEY
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