Aspects of the Home Front A world study after KS3 History, ICT and Literacy.

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1 A world study after 1900 The Home Front Bill s photos give us more insight than James s newsletter into how Londoners coped with life in the air raid shelters during the Blitz. Do you agree? Background information. During the Second World War the German air force bombed London as the prelude to a possible invasion. This is known as the Blitz. It began in September 1940 and lasted until the summer of 1941, after which there were fewer heavy bombing raids until the V1 and V2 rockets later in the war. There are many sources of evidence which have survived to tell us how Londoner s coped with life in the air raid shelters during the Blitz. Bill s photo s and James s newsletter are two examples. Aspects of the Home Front A world study after KS3 History, ICT and Literacy. HOLNET: London in the Second World War page 1

2 Bill s photos give us more insight than James s newsletter into how Londoners coped with life in the air raid shelters during the blitz. Do you agree? Activity 1. Meet James and think about the value of his type of evidence for investigating the Blitz. a) Meet James During the Blitz James Mackay was a vicar in Highgate, north London. His church hall stood opposite the Archway tube. Both were used as air raid shelters. By November 1940 he had become an Air Raid Warden. In 1941 also became a Shelter Warden and a Fire Watcher. During the war he published a regular newsletter. b) Think about the value of James s type of evidence. Sort the following statements out to label the appropriate numbers in the correct column. James s newsletter accounts are extremely useful as a source of evidence about life in the shelters during the blitz. James s newsletter accounts can be misleading as a source of evidence about life in the shelters during the blitz. 1 James s accounts trace some of the individual histories of those who have actually observed and participated in the course of events, and give us unique personal insight into how Londoner s coped with life in the shelters during the blitz. 2 James s observations in his newsletter cannot provide a full record of the times through which he lived and can at worst establish a set of misunderstandings which should be understood only in terms of his own individual experiences. Other sources are needed to support the account. 3 James s accounts can exaggerate or under emphasise an event in order to grab the attention of the reader and have a desired effect. They can give the impression his personal view was how things actually were. This is potentially misleading. He was essentially concerned to reassure his readers Londoner s would cope with life in the shelters. 4 James s accounts can cast considerable light on events and provide us with a personal insight, which reflects the various viewpoints and dilemma s of people s experiences at the time of the blitz. HOLNET: London in the Second World War page 2

3 Activity 2 Read carefully the following accounts by James Mackay about life in the shelters during the blitz. Think about what information they give would be useful to an historian investigating life in the shelters during then blitz. An account by James Mackay in his newsletter about life in the shelters during the blitz. Account 1. Read the newsletter for 13 th September It is called The air raid shelter The insight James gives in his evidence about life in the shelters during the blitz. 1 From the account we can learn.. 2 Furthermore we can learn.. 3 From thinking about the account more deeply I can infer Account 2. Read the newsletter for 5 th October It is called Life at Archway 1 From the account we can learn.. 2 Furthermore we can learn.. 3 From thinking about the account more deeply I can infer HOLNET: London in the Second World War page 3

4 Activity 3 Complete the following table using James s accounts you looked at in Activity 2. Account 1. This is the newsletter for 13 th September It is called The air raid shelter What can you learn from James s newsletters about how Londoner s coped with life in the shelters during the blitz? 1 From James s account we can learn This is shown by the following quote What questions do James s newsletters leave unanswered about how Londoner s coped with life in the shelters during the blitz? 1 James s evidence does not tell us about 2 Furthermore we can learn 2 Furthermore, James s evidence does not tell us about This is shown by the following quote Account 2. This is the newsletter for 5 th October It is called Life at Archway 1 From James s account we can learn This is shown by the following quote 1 James s evidence does not tell us about 2 Furthermore we can learn 2 Furthermore, James s evidence does not tell us about This is shown by the following quote HOLNET: London in the Second World War page 4

5 Activity 4. Meet Bill and think about the value of his type of evidence for investigating the Blitz. a) Meet Bill During the Blitz Bill Brandt was a photographer for the Ministry of Information. He used 35mm roll film and the Leica lightweight camera, which meant he did not have to set up bulky equipment and ask for people to pose for a picture, thus creating more realistic photographic images. During the war his photographs were used by the government in order to show how Londoner s coped with life in the shelters during the blitz. b) Think about the value of Bill s type of evidence. Sort the following statements out to label the appropriate numbers in the correct column. Bill s photographs are extremely useful as a source of evidence about life in the shelters during the blitz. Bill s photographs can be misleading as a source of evidence about life in the shelters during the blitz. 1 Photographs can be taken by the photographer to give a particular impression of an event or situation. This may not necessarily be an accurate impression. 2 Photographer s impressions are often informed by a close observation of their subject before they create their image. These visual representations are a useful addition to our understanding of an event or situation. 3 The photograph has transformed the quantity and scope of visual evidence for historians to use. It captures a broad range of human activity and has become a popular medium and not the preserve of a certain class. 4 Photographs provide a stimulus to our sense of sight, of what past situations may have looked like, but they leave many other questions unanswered. Furthermore with regard to other senses of smell, touch and sound, photographs offer limited information. HOLNET: London in the Second World War page 5

6 Activity 5 Look at the following photographic sources by Bill of life in the shelters during the blitz. Think about what information they give would be useful to an historian investigating life in the shelters during then blitz. A photograph by Bill Brandt about life in the shelters during the blitz. Visual Source 1 Look for Bill Brandt s photograph of shelterers in the Elephant and Castle Tube, taken on Its Imperial War Museum reference number is D1578 The insight Bill gives in his evidence about life in the shelters during the blitz. 1 From the picture we can see.. 2 Furthermore we can see.. 3 From thinking about the image more deeply I can infer Visual Source 2 Look for Bill Brandt s photograph of shelterers in a north London Air Raid Shelter. This is a trench shelter. Its Imperial War Museum reference number is D From the picture we can see a North London air raid shelter. The floors of this trench shelter have been flooded so this mother has tied her two children to the bench to prevent them falling off on to the wet floor. 2 Furthermore we can see.. 3 From thinking about the image more deeply I can infer HOLNET: London in the Second World War page 6

7 Activity 6 Complete the following table using Bill s photographs and your thinking from Activity 5. Bill s photograph about how Londoner s coped with life in the shelters during the blitz. Photograph Source 1 This is Bill Brandt s photograph of shelterers in the Elephant and Castle Tube, taken on Its Imperial War Museum reference number is D1578 What can you learn from Bill s photographs about how Londoner s coped with life in the shelters during the blitz. 1 From Bill s photographs we can learn This is shown by 2 Furthermore we can learn What questions do Bill s photographs leave unanswered about how Londoner s coped with life in the shelters during the blitz. 1 Bill s photograph does not tell us about 2 Furthermore, Bill s photograph does not tell us about This is shown by Photograph Source 2 This is Bill Brandt s photograph of shelterers in a north London Air Raid Shelter. This is a trench shelter. Its Imperial War Museum reference number is D From Bill s photographs we can learn This is shown by 2 Furthermore we can learn 1 Bill s photograph does not tell us about 2 Furthermore, Bill s photograph does not tell us about This is shown by HOLNET: London in the Second World War page 7

8 Activity 7 Using evidence from the research you have completed in Activity 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, complete the following questions in an extended piece of writing using the thinking frame provided. Bill photo s give us more insight into how Londoner s coped with life in the air raid shelters during the blitz than James s newsletter. Do you agree? I agree/partly agree/disagree with the statement, because Bill s photographs are certainly useful in showing how Londoner s coped with life in the shelters during the blitz. For example However it is important to realise Bill s photographs are limited in what they show about how Londoner s coped with life in the shelters during the blitz. For example James s newsletter accounts are certainly useful in showing how Londoner s coped with life in the shelters during the blitz. For example However it is important to realise James s newsletter accounts are limited in what they show about how Londoner s coped with life during the blitz. For example In conclusion I think HOLNET: London in the Second World War page 8