Wigan In The Great War

On 4 August 1914, Britain declared war on Germany. Originally perceived as a short campaign to curtail Germanic imperialism, it developed into a catastrophic four-year-long war of attrition. The First World War is justifiably associated with the horrors of trench warfare and the death of a generation, but history has overlooked the Home Fronts colossal contribution to victory.Shortly after the declaration of war, Lord Kitchener appealed for recruits for a new citizens army. Within four months 4,360 men from Wigan alone responded to the call, and by September 1914, the districts 5th Manchester Territorial Battalion were in Egypt. Everyday life altered immeasurably after the men left for war, those too old for military service worked in munitions factories, joined a Dads Army or dug for victory. The conflagration changed the political and social make up of Britain, allowing most women to escape a life of drudgery by filling occupations vacated by army recruits. The furtherance of the war effort involved every civilian from school age upwards in fundraising for hospital equipment and groceries, ambulances and the provision of a diverse range of home comforts for those at the Front. Compiled predominately from contemporary newspaper and first-hand accounts, this is the first book to deal specifically with the contribution to victory made by the townspeople of Wigan and the nearby district.

From Britain’s only Cabinet-level politician to serve in the ranks during World War I, diary entries and letters detailing life on the Western Front. This unusual account is written by the 27th Earl of Crawford and Balcarres, an active Lancashire MP for eighteen years until he inherited the title on his father’s death in 1913. In 1915 his sense of patriotic duty drove him to join the RAMC as a Private, although he was married with seven children, head of a large company and well over age. Despite his privileged status in civilian life, he cheerfully served as a humble medical orderly on the Western Front for some fourteen months and was given responsibility for two operating theatres. A gifted author and diarist, his daily entries provide a fascinating insight into life near the front over this period and, together with his letters home, his writings reflect the stark contrast between his home life and the one he experienced in Flanders. Of particular interest are his astute observations on his contemporaries of all ranks, the conduct of the war, medical services and life in wartime France. Remarkably he never complains at his lot (although often sharply critical of GHQ and politicians) or regrets his decision. As the author was the only Cabinet-level politician to serve “in the ranks” during the conflict, this is a record without any parallel. In 1916 Crawford was persuaded eventually to return to London and join Asquith’s Cabinet before staying on under Lloyd George until 1922. After the war, he became a director, trustee or advisor of several museums, such as the British Museum, National Gallery and others. The Crawford Papers (his diaries, edited by Prof. John Vincent) describe his civilian experiences from 1892 to 1940 and are seen as an invaluable source for students of politics, art, industry and society in Britain. The book contains three maps and seventy-five illustrations. This fascinating book fills a needy gap at a time of unprecedented interest in The Great War. Praise for Private Lord Crawford’s Great War Diaries One of The Times “Books of the Year” 2013 “[Crawford’s] previously unpublished war diaries, meticulously edited by his grandson, offer a fascinating glimpse into life at the front and in the upper reaches of politics at home—and contain some frank comments on his former Cabinet colleagues.” —Literary Review “Lord Crawford was the only Cabinet-level politician to serve “in the ranks” during World War I as a private. A gifted author and diarist, his daily entries provide a fascinating insight into life in the frontline over a fourteen-month period.” —History Scotland

The First World War was won not just on the battlefields but on the Home Front, by the men, women and children left behind. This book explores the lives of the people of Pershore and the surrounding district in wartime, drawing on their memories, letters, postcards, photographs, leaflets and recipes to demonstrate how their hard work in cultivating and preserving fruit and vegetables helped to win the Great War. Pershore plums were used to make jam for the troops; but ensuring these and other fruits and vegetables were grown and harvested required the labour of land girls, Boy Scouts, schoolchildren, Irish labourers and Belgian refugees. When submarine warfare intensified, food shortages occurred and it became vital for Britain to grow more and eat less food. Housewives faced many challenges in feeding their families and so in 1916 the Pershore Women's Institute was formed, providing many women with practical help and companionship during some of Britain's darkest hours in history.

A comparative study of the cultural impact of the Great War on British and German societies. Taking medievalism as a mode of public commemorations as its focus, this book unravels the British and German search for historical continuity and meaning in the shadow of an unprecedented human catastrophe.

The Making of Wigan summarises the evolution, and highlights the significant changes, in one of Lancashires most important towns, from Roman origins through to modern times. Tribute is paid to the resilience and determination of Wiganers in time of adversity, particularly during the English Civil War and when dealing with the Trauma of two World Wars.The towns prosperity and economy expanded during much of the nineteenth century, helped by coal and cotton, but also saw mixed fortunes, as Wigan experienced poverty and unemployment alongside the decline of its traditional industries. In more recent years Wigan has been transformed into a modern urban centre, but remains proud of its history.The book details the developments of the towns transport systems, local collieries with working conditions, strikes, accidents and mining developments all included. Also covered is the history of Wigans cotton history and the many changes to the town centre buildings and the leisure and recreation activities available to locals. Wigans involvement in the English Civil War and in both World Wars is covered along with Jacobite Rebellions.

This book gives students an informed insight into the British experience in the First World War. The contributors, all established First World War historians, have drawn on their own research and secondary sources to give a succinct account of politics, diplomacy, strategy and social developments during a period of dramatic change. Each chapter gives a concise account of its subject and the chapters are well supported by maps and tables. This is an important textbook for school students and undergraduates which bridges the gap between specialized research on the First World War and the needs of the student reader.

This book is the first comprehensive investigation of the National War Aims Committee, providing detailed discussion of the establishment, activities and reception of the British domestic propaganda organisation, together with a careful and extensive analysis of the patriotic content of its propaganda.

The religious reform tradition known as the Stone-Campbell movement came into being on the American frontier in the early decades of the nineteenth century. Named for its two principal founders, Barton W. Stone and Alexander Campbell, its purpose was twofold: to restore the church to the practice and teaching of the New Testament and, by this means, to find a basis for reuniting all Christians. Today, there are three major branches of the Stone-Campbell tradition: the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Churches of Christ, and Christian Churches/Churches of Christ. This volume brings together twenty-six essays drawn from the significant scholarship on the Stone-Campbell Movement that has flourished over the past twenty years. Reprinted from diverse scholarly journals and concentrating on historiographic issues, the essays consider such topics as the movement's origins, its influence on the presidency, its presence in Britain, and its multicultural aspects. In their introduction, Casey and Foster reveal the connections between this scholarship and larger issues of American history, religion, and culture. They note that David Edwin Harrell Jr., and Richard T. Hughes--both of whom are represented in the collection--have provided competing paradigms of the social and intellectual history of the movement: While Harrell defends the legitimacy of the sectarian "non-institutional" Churches of Christ, Hughes legitimizes the current progressive movement found in Churches of Christ. Casey and Foster propose six additional historiographic constructs as alternatives to those of Harrell and Hughes and assess each paradigm's implications for the scholarship of the movement. The first major survey of research on the Stone-Campbell movement in a quarter of a century, this book will also serve as an invaluable resource for scholars of American religious movements in general. The Editors: Michael W. Casey is professor the communication at Pepperdine University. He is the author of The Battle Over Hermeneutics in the Stone-Campbell Movement, 1800-1870 and Saddlebags, City Streets, and Cyberspace: A History of Preaching in the Churches of Christ. Douglas A. Foster is associate professor of church history and director of the Center for Restoration Studies at Abilene Christian University. He is author of Will the Cycle Be Unbroken? Churches of Christ Face the Twenty-First Century and co-author of The Crux of the Matter: Crisis, Tradition, and the Future of Churches of Christ. The Contributors: Peter Ackers, Louis Billington, Monroe Billington, Paul M. Blowers, Michael W. Casey, Anthony L. Dunnavant, David B. Eller, Philip G. A. Griffin-Allwood, Jean F. Hankins, David Edwin Harrell Jr., Nathan O. Hatch, L. Edward Hicks, Richard T. Hughes, Deryck W. Lovegrove, John L. Morrison, Russ Paden, Paul D. Phillips, William C. Ringenberg, Stephen Vaughn, Earl Irvin West, Mont Whitson, Glenn Michael Zuber.