Children gathering conkers

Read this article to learn about why children gathered conkers during the First World War. On 30 January 1917, Mr Haylock the headmaster at Willingdon School wrote an entry in his school’s: ‘Sent off today 3 bushels of horse chestnuts gathered by children for the Minister of Munitions.’ Over the previous weeks there were notes in […]


Children collecting blackberries

Read this article to learn about why children collected blackberries during the First World War. In 1918 rationing was introduced to Britain. German U-Boats were sinking ships carrying food to Britain and there was a danger that the country may begin to starve. A government committee was set up to look at the ways of using […]


Children and ‘Educative Convalescence’

Read this article to learn about how school children helped wounded soldiers. In the years before the war there were little educational options or support for children deemed as being handicapped. In response to this absence, Grace Kimmins established the Guild of the Poor Brave Things in 1894. The Guild aimed to provide different and positive forms of education […]