Disruption To Work And Leisure

Question 1

Expand on disruption and danger at work during the Blitz.

Answer 1

• many business had avoided the risk of being bombed out by evacuating
• only returning in 1943
• business like the Bank of England were evacuated or Hampshire with the gold reserves sent to Canada
• other business adapted by closing earlier allowing staff to go to shelters

Question 2

What where some difficulties in carrying as normal ? Think: DARTH

Answer 2

• businesses could be badly distrusted or damaged by bombers
• Amount of food and clothes that one could buy or sell where rationed
• raid on the 11 May 1941 destroyed tones of buildings
• transport distruption meaning getting in and out was difficult
• cut their hours to let employees get home safely

Question 3

How did Londerners enjoy themselves ?

Answer 3

Most had radios- listen to news and comedies
The cinema and theatres were closed but reopened in 1939 September

Question 4

How was the cinema a good way for people to enjoy themselves during the Blitz 1939-145?

Answer 4

Closed at the start of the war but reopened in later September 1939
- helped to keep people informed
- entertainment as they showed films
- newsreels although self censored still where informative
- Londoner’s became more and more positive about the propaganda in news reels as the war went on

Question 5

How was theatre a good leisure activity for Londoners ?

Answer 5

Slow recovery as many did not want to travel to the centre of London during the Blitz
- people wanted to have their minds taken off the war and we can see this as the most successful plays where comedies
- government supported the theaters and in return they performed plays that encouraged national pride

Question 6

How where pubs a good leisure activity for Londoners ?

Answer 6

• many went to pubs
• they did suffer shortages of beers and even glasses
• More women and people of younger age visited them and many spent their wages at the pub
• singing in the pubs kept people’s spirits high aswell as music in general

Question 7

How where dance halls a good leisure activity ?

Answer 7

• National gallery had classical concerts however the popular entertainment was the dance hall
• popular across the country in different public spaces
• tones of people visited them
• less formal and a way for people to relax and socialize
• US soldiers where popular as they had access to rare rations meaning they where sought after as boyfriends

Question 8

What where the big leisure activities ?

Answer 8

Pubs
Theatres
Cinemas
Dance halls