The Home Front

 

In the census of 1911 the population of Englefield was 285, of which 153 were males of all ages. This does not include North Street, Mayridge or the other local parishes that supplied workers to the Estate, though as we have seen these were all similarly affected. It is not surprising then that with so many men away, even from the first month of the War, it was very difficult to keep things going. The older men, those unfit for service, women and children all had to make up the deficit. Several men became Special Constables: Charles Cooley (also a member of the Volunteer Corps), Robert Allen, Fred Chandler, William Lamperd and Oliver Hopley although some of these were later called-up for the Army.

 

Although the only parts of the country affected by bombing were the East Coast and London, nevertheless precautions were put in place in Englefield in 1916. The parish magazine of April that year carried a from the Superintendent of the Special Constabulary:

 

“In the event of news being received of the presence of enemy aircraft in the district, the fire bell will be rung, and the yard hooter will sound two long blasts. These measures are taken to assemble the fire brigade and the special constables to their various duties. At the same time, people are advised to remain in their houses and it is essential that all lights be at once extinguished. After all danger is past, the yard hooter will blow one blast.”

 

The situation was made worse by the severe restrictions on imported supplies caused by submarine warfare, leading to restrictions in the availability of certain foodstuffs - a situation that would be revisited all too soon. At least people in country areas like Englefield were able to make up some of the deficit from the natural resources around them and both teachers and pupils collected wild fruits for jam, the school being closed on four afternoons in September 1918 for blackberrying. Official encouragement was given to the establishment of school gardens and allotments and from 1917 the older schoolboys took gardening as a manual exercise. Allotments were established at Chalkpit and in 1918 the Scouts and Cubs gathered 25 bushels of potatoes and other vegetables, yielding £5 5s 4d profit. Villagers also supplied fresh and vegetables to the War Hospital.

 

Despite the War the South Berkshire Agricultural Association held a successful show for horses, cattle, roots, corn, butter and poultry in Englefield Park in October 1917 with a ploughing match at Wickcroft.

 

Throughout 1916 and 17 many helpful hints were published in the parish magazine, including making soups and curries, bottling fruit and pickles, and cooking sheep’s head. It is not recorded how the housewives of the village received this advice from the Rector. Other tips included how to make coal last nearly twice as long by watering a hundredweight of it with a solution of one tablespoonful of rock salt to one pint of hot water.

 

As well as helping with the food supplies those at home also assisted the war effort by collecting fruit stones, nut shells and horse chestnuts for the Ministry of Munitions. The conkers were used in the production of acetone, an essential ingredient for making the cordite used as a propellant in the 248 million shells and countless small arms rounds fired in the War. Fruit stones and nut shells were burnt to produce charcoal for use in the filters of anti-gas respirators, charcoal from these sources having been found to be superior to ordinary wood charcoal. The Scouts were also active in these tasks and in 1918 they collected a ton of horse chestnuts and over 8 hundredweight of waste paper. A War Work Party was set up in December 1915 under the management of the Rector’s wife Mrs Skipwith, to supply warm clothing for the soldiers. Pants and vests, mittens and scarves were all made and 24 volunteers, nine of whom received the War Office Badge for three months work, had completed 994 different items by September 1916. Numbers fell off a little in 1917 because several of the women were working on the land or making munitions.