成人快手

What jobs did men do at home?

An illustration of men working in defence, industry and food, during World War One

One hundred years ago men worked long hours for low pay.

  • Many worked as miners, shipbuilders, and made cloth.
  • Others were farmers, shepherds or fishermen.
  • Richer men worked as doctors or in banking.
An illustration of men working in defence, industry and food, during World War One
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Looking after people back home

Image gallerySkip image gallerySlide 1 of 6, Policemen warning people to take cover during an air raid in World War One, Police officers made sure people obeyed new wartime rules They checked if people's homes were properly covered up during black-outs. If not, the owner would be fined.
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Working in industry

Image gallerySkip image gallerySlide 1 of 4, Three miners with pit ponies in the early 1900s, Coal was essential for running trains, making electricity and heating Coal mining was a dangerous job. Many miners felt their safety wasn鈥檛 properly considered. Small horses were used to move around carts full of coal, these were called pit ponies.
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Working to make food

Image gallerySkip image gallerySlide 1 of 4, A farmer and his wife at work on a specially built tractor in the early 1900s, Farms were usually worked by a farmer with the help of his family A shortage of farm labourers during the war meant there was less help available for hard work such as ploughing, harvesting and looking after animals.
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What other jobs were needed at home?

Many jobs on the home front were known as 鈥榬eserved occupations鈥. They were vital to the war effort and the men who did them stayed in Britain.

Vicars and priests stayed at home to look after the needs of their communities, though some went to war as chaplains.

Doctors were needed to tend to the sick and wounded in Britain too.

Men working in an English shell factory during World War One
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Activities

Activity 1: Quiz 鈥 Men on the home front

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Activity 2: History Explorer game

Play this game to test your knowledge and learn even more facts about World War One.

History Explorer: Secrets through time

History Explorer: Secrets through time: KS2 History

History Explorer: Secrets through time
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Bitesize Primary games. game

Play fun and educational primary games in science, maths, English, history, geography, art, computing and modern languages.

Bitesize Primary games
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More on World War One

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