The 1940s Society Home Front

Air Raids & Ration Books - Life on the Home Front in Wartime Britain
How did you prepare your home and family for the air raids. What were the blackout regulations and how did people cope with them. How did hard-pressed housewives feed their families on ever-tightened rations, and what were the rations and what were the alternatives, how was clothing rationed, how did you furnish, decorate, heat and even clean your house in the face of yet more rationing. How did people travel with the blackout, petrol rationing, road blocks and restrictions? ‘Air Raids and Ration Books’ answers these and many other questions about everyday life on the home front.
(RRP £20)

NOW IN STOCK!!

I crrently have a stock of this book that have been individually signed by the authors Mike Brown & Carol Harris making it an extra special gift.

Price: £17.00

Digging For Victory - Gardens & Gardening in Wartime Britain
Beans as bullets', 'Vegetables for Victory' and 'Cloches against Hitler': these slogans convey just how vital gardening and growing food were to the British war effort during the Second World War. Exhorted to 'Grow More Food', then to 'Dig for Victory', Britain's 'allotment army' was soon out in force, growing as many vegetables as possible in suburban allotments, private gardens, even the grounds of stately homes.
(RRP £20)

NOW IN STOCK!!

Price: £17.00

Allotment & Garden Guide - A monthly guide to better wartime gardening
Produced by the Ministry of Agriculture, the "Allotment and Garden Guides" were issued monthly throughout 1945. Aimed at the amateur gardener, they were to be the final rallying call in the wartime campaign to Dig for Victory.

Here, Twigs Way gives an historical overview to gardening during the Second World War and comments on each month of the guide.

I may be slightly biased but I think this is a superb book, packed with additional photographs and illustrations and is full of useful tips for gardeners as well as being a fascinating book for those interested in Britains Home Front.

(Hardback, RRP £9.99)

Price: £8.99

Buying & Selling Wartime Collectables
Arthur Ward & Richard Ingrim offer you the benefit of their extensive knowledge and experience to guide you round the world of military collectables, from badges, books and posters, to helmets, tunics and weapons. A nicely produced, well illustrated, full colour, hardback book.
RRP £19.95. ISBN: 9781861268921

Price: £14.95

The Home Front - British Wartime Memorabilia
Peter Doyle and Paul Evans have put together a huge selection of objects associated with the Home Front, each one superbly illustrated and described in detail. This book is a treasure trove of information for collectors, and anyone interested in the Home Front. Full colour hardback book.
RRP £25.00. ISBN: 9781861269270

Price: £16.95

The Black-Out Book
Evelyn August brings together over five hundred games, pensees, puzzles, jokes and literary snippets which provided some amusement during the long nights of the blitz. A fun book thats difficult to put down once you start reading it. Great for parties and get togethers.

(Hardback, RRP £9.99)

Price: £8.99

The 1940s Look - Recreating the Fashions, Hairstyles and Make-up of World War Two
At last the book we've been waiting for. The 1940s Look by historian and author Mike Brown, tells you everything you need to know about the fashions of wartime and the impact that rationing, the Utility scheme, changing tastes and the demands of everyday life had on the styles people wore. Covering Men, Women, Children, Accessories, Hair Styles, Make-up, and much more, its a must have book.

Comprehensively illustrated throughout in colour, this large format, 280x229mm 144 page book is an ideal reference for re-enactors, fashion students or anyone interested in the 1940s
(RRP £16.99)

Price: £14.99

The 1950s Look - Recreating the Fashions of the Fifties
With an end to the drab war years came a bright new optimism and exciting new fashions ruffled through the wardrobes of the nation. Discover the fashions, hairstyles, make-up and accessories that made this decade so special. Meticulously researched and lavishly illustrated, this is essential reading for anyone interested in social history and fifties fashion.
(RRP £16.99)
More Information

Price: £14.99

Utility Furniture
A comprehensive guide to the introduction of wartime Utility Furniture by Jon Mills. Lots of illustrations, colour throughout, also includes a complete reproduction of the first Utility Catalogue which was published in 1943. Hardback.

Price: £9.99

The Day Peace Broke Out - The VE-Day Experience
Indidually signed by the author.
This excellent book is illustrated with photographs, adverts, posters and cartoons, describing the celebrations in Britain and accross the world.

Mike Brown, an authority on the British Home Front, charts the nations progressive change of heart from defeatism to growing confidance of certain victory. He looks at the post-VE-Day period, the victory over Japan in August 1945 and concludes with the harsh realisation of post war austerity that led many britains to conclude that they had won the war but lost the peace.
(RRP £12.99)

Each book has been individually signed by the Author - An ideal gift!!

Price: £9.99

Evacuees of the Second World War by Mike Brown
This highly illustrated book looks at the experience of evacuation and is written by Mike Brown who is an authority on the British Home Front in the Second World War. A very readable and enjoyable little book.

Click Here for more about this book

Price: £5.99

British Home Defences 1940 - 45 by Bernard Lowry
In the summer of 1940, Britain asked itself not 'will Hitler invade?' but 'when?'
This title provides a concise assessment of Britain's defensive systems, and presents a vivid picture of war on the home front. Some excellent photographs and illustrations with colour artwork and maps toether with detailed text. A good addition to the home front collection.

Click Here for more about this book

Price: £11.99

The British Home Front 1939 - 45 by Martin J Brayley
As one of the Ospray elite series of books this is an excellent and well illustrated introduction to some of the British Home Front services. It benefits from a nice selection of original photographs and some excellent illustrations by Malcolm McGregor. A very useful resource to have on the bookshelf.

Price: £11.99

Christmas on the Home Front
World War Two Homefront author and expert Mike Brown looks at each wartime Christmas on the British Home Front, from 1939 to 1944. He explores how people celebrated Christmas despite the problems of shortages, rationing, the blackout, Luftwaffe raids and the absence of family members who had been called up or evacuated.

Through looking at Christmas year by year, this book gives a snapshot of how life changed dramatically for the British people as the war progressed. (Hardback, RRP 14.99)

Price: £9.99

Hollywood Cocktails
A fun, nicely produced hardback book featuring details/photographs of some of Hollywoods finest films together with detailed recipes of the cocktails mentioned in them. The majority of the films are from the 30s and 40s. If you want to make a Singapore Sling from Casablanca (1942) or a Planters Punch from Gone with the Wind (1939), or many others, then this is the book for you.
(Hardback, RRP 12.99)

Price: £4.99

Identity Cards, Permits and Passes - Within The Island Fortress - The uniforms, Insignia & Ephemera of the Home Front in Britain 1939-1945,
by Jon Mills.

Everyone in Britain during the Second World War had to have the correct identification documents and there were a huge number and variety depending on who you were. Civilians, Children, Policeman, War Workers, Army, Navy, RAF, Allied servicemen of every nation (US, Polish, French etc.), and many more, each differant.
Never before has such a superb guide been put together in one book. Jon Mills has once again put together THE essential guide for collectors, historians, re-enactors or anyone interested in Britains Homefront.

SPECIAL OFFER
FREE with every copy ordered from the 1940s Society.
A blank reproduction identity card.

Price: £14.00

The Women's Voluntary Services (WVS) 1939-45 Within The Island Fortress - The uniforms, Insignia & Ephemera of the Home Front in Britain 1939-1945,
by Jon Mills.

This is the definative reference work for the 'ladies in green' featuring superb photographs of original uniforms, badges and ephemera worn during WW2. An essential guide for re-enactors and collectors, this excellent book is the first in a series on Home Front organisations. Lady Reading formed the WVS in 1938 and the service saw front line action throughout WW2. As with Jon's other reference works on the ARP and The Home Guard, meticulous attention to detail and focus on important facts give the historian and collector a real checklist with background to support the findings. Illustrated throughout with black and white as well as colour photographs.

Price: £9.50

Air Raid Precautions - 1938
From protection from gas attack to preparing a safe refuge and even first aid for bomb victims, this book is a mine of invaluable advice for the Blitz-weary householder. An excellent hardback reproduction of a 1938 publication. (HB RRP £9.99)

Price: £7.99

1940s Hairstyles by Daniela Turudich
This hard to find (now out of print) book is a regular girls guide to creating 1940s hairstyles. It uses basic techniques and practices that someone can replicate at home with a little bit of practice.

Haircuts, War styles, Short styles, Formal styles, Star Styles, Up styles, Down styles, And all around town styles.

Paperback, 110 pages

Currently out of stock - I have been trying to get some more but haven't been able to find any at a reasonable price. Have a look at the excellent new book The 1940s Look by Mike Brown instead.

Price: £21.95

OUT OF STOCK

Hair & Wiggs for the Stage
The only reason I have a stock of this book is because I get so many enquiries about hair. This book is very multi-period but does have a couple of good general sections and some nice bits specifically about 1930s and 1940s hairstyles. If you have an interest in hairstyles then you'll find this book of interest.

(Hardback, RRP 14.99)

Price: £7.99

How & What to Dance - Instructions for all the popular dances and the etiquette of the ballroom
First published in 1919 and reprinted in 1941, this 'handy' book guides you through the etiquette of the ballroom providing invaluable advice on elements such as costume, deportment, how to hold your partner and the discipline of dancing. Step-by-step instructions for all the dances are also included, with footstep diagrams to guide you through the Foxtrot, the Quick Step, the Charleston, the Tango and more...

Hardback, RRP 7.99

Price: £5.99

30s & 40s Britain
Life in Britain during the depression and the Blitz, and the new technology that shaped the way we live today.
A brief general outline with lots of colour photographs and illustrations.
Paperback

Price: £3.99

Children of the Storm - Childhood Memories of WW2
This is one of those books that you can't help 'flicking through' and reading bits of. A mass of memories, some general, some personal, some sad, some funny. Recolections of childhood memories of World War Two. Of particular interest as it contains contrasting memories from children of nations throughout the world.

Paperback

Price: £7.95

BRITAIN - The First Colour Photographs
I have managed to obtain a further quantity of this hard to find book after selling out rather quickly.
It is a book of colour photographs of Britain during the Second World War. These photographs were taken by U.S. serviceman who either had access to rare colour film or had managed to bring it over here with them. A unique book which I recommend to those with an interest in wartime Britain.

Price: £14.95

Got Any Gum Chum? - GIs in Wartime Britain 1942-1945
When the first GIs reached the shores of Britain in March 1942, they were greeted with mixed feelings by war-weary Britons.
Using a combination her own lively narrative and the personal accounts of those that were there, author Helen Millgate tells the story of the 'friendly invasion'.

Price: £7.95

RICH RELATIONS The American Occupation of Britain 1942-1945 by David Reynolds
David Reynolds' readable and scholarly yet entertaining book explores the rich variety of relations between pushy, homesick American GIs, famously lampooned as 'over-paid, over-sexed, over-fed and over here' and their British hosts - 'under-sexed, under-paid, under-fed and under Eisenhower' - during the Second World War.
Paperback, 555 pages
RRP 14.99

Price: £9.95

The Gentlemen at War Policing Britain 1939-45 by Roy Ingleton
With little having been written about the role and work of the Police Force in Britain during World War Two it is a delight to dicover such a comprehensive volume.

This book examines the changed role of the wartime police force and the effect the War had on the morals and mores of the population.
Paperback, 392 pages

Price: £9.99

True Ghost Stories from WWl & WWll
True Ghost Stories from WW1 & WW11 brings together a collection of real life personal tales of strange, unexplained and paranormal wartime experience.

These chilling tales tell of wartime encounters with phantom armies, ghostly soldiers and haunted airfields. True stories of ghostly battleships, phantom fliers and guardian angels fill these pages.

Paperback, 303 pages, RRP 7.99

Price: £4.99


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