Ration Books and Blackouts: Life on the Home Front in Nottinghamshire during WW2 - Newark Library - Adult Learning

Newark Library, Balderton Gate

Date	9 - 16 October 2025
Sessions	Thursday: 10:30am - 12:30pm
No. sessions	2
Venue	Newark Library, Balderton Gate View venue details
For ages	19+
Group size	5 - 15
Cost	FREE - £16

About this course

Step back in time and discover what life was really like for ordinary people living in Nottinghamshire during the Second World War. This engaging and accessible course focuses on the Home Front—based on original sources held at Nottinghamshire Archives, see how everyday life in Nottinghamshire was transformed by war and how people adapted with courage, resilience, and determination.

What You'll Learn:

• Child Evacuation: Understand the emotional impact and logistics of moving millions of children from cities to the countryside.

• The role of women – including the Women’s Land Army: Explore how women stepped into crucial roles to keep the nation going fed.

• Daily Life & Rationing: Learn how families coped with food shortages, adapted recipes, and make do and mend.

• The Home Guard: Discover how civilian volunteers prepared to defend their towns and villages.

• Civil Defence: Find out about the ARP wardens, blackout rules, and air raid precautions that kept communities safe.

• Propaganda & Morale: Examine how posters, newspapers, and radio broadcasts were used to inform, persuade, and inspire.

This course is ideal for adult learners of all backgrounds—whether you’re returning to learning, pursuing a personal interest in history, or looking to build confidence in reading, writing, and discussion through real-life stories and engaging activities.

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

1. Identify the key reasons for the evacuation of children during WW2 and describe the experiences of evacuees.

2. Describe the role of Women in WW2 including the Women’s Land Army, and explain how women contributed to the Home Front war effort.

3. Explain how rationing affected daily life.

4. Summarise the purpose and duties of the Home Guard and Civil Defence volunteers.

5. Recognise examples of WW2 propaganda and evaluate their purpose and effectiveness.

6. Reflect on how the experiences of people on the Home Front have shaped modern British society.

Booking your place and fee information

If you receive certain benefits you will be offered the course for free, however if you have a financial barrier which may prevent you from enrolling on the course, please visit our funding page for further information.

Residency in England

To book and enrol on one of our courses, you must be living in England permanently and live outside of the devolved areas listed below or live within the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) devolved area (Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire).

Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
Greater London
Greater Manchester
Liverpool City Region
Newcastle Upon Tyne, North Tyneside and Northumberland
Tees Valley
West of England
West Midlands
West Yorkshire

Residency Eligibility – other criteria

If you are living in the UK on a visa we will require evidence of this in order to be funded for the course, you can upload this evidence when you apply for the course. (completion of a questionnaire will be required).

Some exceptions may apply for example

Your visa expiry date must be beyond the end of your course
Asylum seekers must have lived in the UK for 6 months or longer while their claim is being considered by the Home Office
You are receiving local authority support under section 23C or section 23CA of the Children Act 1989 or the Care Act 2014