Research pack:

Unit 12 1.1:

3 media products:

1. Podcast – The Archers

Julie Beckett currently produces The Archers and has done since 2007. In addition to this, she produced a TV series documentary called “Arena” in 2007.

The Archers began with 5 pilot episodes in 1950 and continued throughout this time with around 11 million listeners. However, in the 70s the audience declined to less than 3 million. Each episode is 13-15 minutes long and airs 7pm Sunday through to Friday with repeats each day at 2pm, excluding Saturdays. Due to the programme starting post WW2, the programme revolved around 3 farmers and featured the subjects of rationing and food shortages. The show developed and introduced female writers. The show officially became a podcast in 2007.

The Archers was strongly influenced by a village in Worcestershire called Inkberrow. The programme’s pub is based on the village’s 17th century pub, The Bull.

The skills required in the production of a podcast include the ability to edit sound, transmitting the podcast to a wider audience, understanding the audience and knowing how best to reach them, knowing how to source and operate sound equipment and being able to keep up-to-date with developments in web and audio technology. When creating a successful podcast, there are a number of production techniques that need to be considered. First of all, the show needs a theme. This needs to be something that the creator is passionate about and must suit the goals of the show. The episode length shouldn’t really exceed 60 minutes as the audience need to be kept interested, the length of any media aired such as songs needs to be considered and a timer should be run for `each segment to ensure utmost accuracy`. (Digital trends, 2017) A script is key if the show consists of multiple segments and having one makes the `transitions more natural and elegant`. (Digital trends, 2017) How often new episodes will be aired is something that needs to be decided. There is an extensive list of equipment that is needed in order to have the podcast at a high standard. In terms of recording software, `high-end recording` (Digital trends, 2017) programmes are available such as Pro Tools, however there are free options out there too. For `superior sound and greater flexibility` (Digital trends, 2017) an external mic that plugs `directly into the computer and interface` (Digital trends, 2017) is useful and for `greater control and effects`, (Digital trends, 2017) it’s ideal if music and/or movie clips are included in the podcast or if multiple microphones are being used. It’s beneficial to have a good pair of headphones so that the host can hear themself and any guests. If a mixer is being used then headphones are needed `to correctly adjust audio channels`. (Digital trends, 2017) When editing, `the vocal levels need to be the same for each speaker` (Digital trends, 2017) and the dead space in between phrases needs to be made tighter. The levels of the sound effects, music etc. `need to be low enough so that the speakers are still heard` (Digital trends, 2017) and files need to be trimmed `to a specified length`. (Digital trends, 2017) After the editing stage, the file needs to be uploaded to a host site. It should be hosted somewhere online `prior to linking to the file from elsewhere`. (Digital trends, 2017) Distributing the podcast comes last and this means posting online and `expanding content with additional links and updates`. (Digital trends, 2016) Finally, having a website provides the podcast with `a home beyond its social media presence`. (Digital trends, 2016)

In comparison, the BBC Radio 4 Podcast, America Rewritten discusses politics and so has a different approach on the types of skills and production techniques used. The show would need to guarantee that they will have an audience interested in politics, which in this day in age is pretty easy to be sure of. However, the differences are that this show has a clear theme in terms of its political stance and that will be maintained in each episode. On the other hand, The Archers again has a theme in terms of characters, setting and so on, but its theme changes regularly due to the different storylines. This could potentially attract a different audience each week, whereas America Rewritten can ensure that they will have a similar audience each week due to the theme being maintained. The episode length for a political show may not be as specific and tight as it needs to be for a soap as it involves a lot of debating and discussion. The length of each episode of The Archers is specific because only a certain amount of information can be revealed in each show. Additionally, the audience can listen for so long before getting bored. However, America Rewritten is a political show therefore causing potential for heated debates. Audiences may be more engaged with listening to this as it may seem more entertaining.

The production process of creating “The Archers” is quite a long one. Every 4 weeks scriptwriters attend script meetings and 4 writers are then commissioned `to write a week’s worth of episodes` (BBC Academy, 2017)- this is `75 minutes of radio drama from each writer`. (BBC Academy, 2017) The storylines are emailed to those who have been commissioned and they have 5-6 `days to structure and write up a scene by scene synopsis`. (BBC Academy, 2017) The episodes are discussed with the script editor and notes are given on the synopsis. The next 11 days are focused on the scripts being written. Long-term story ideas are submitted by the writers and these are `discussed and accepted or rejected at the twice-yearly story conference`. (BBC Academy, 2017)The Producer puts `together the script pack ready for the script meeting`. (BBC Academy, 2017)This involves `attending the pick-ups meeting, writing up the storylines from that meeting` (BBC Academy, 2017) and from the long-term story pack, and roughly setting them in to weeks`. (BBC Academy, 2017) In addition to this, the Producer contacts the experts and helps the scriptwriters by `researching material for the storylines`. (BBC Academy, 2017) The scriptwriters `working on the block of scripts` (BBC Academy, 2017) keep in contact `to ensure continuity`. (BBC Academy, 2017) Big hooks/cliff-hangers are written to occur in each episode `every 12 ½ minutes` (BBC Academy, 2017) and multiple storylines are always weaved.

The files of a podcast are usually distributed in either an audio or video format. `The distributer of a podcast maintains a central list of the files on a server as a web feed that can be accessed through the Internet`.

The technologies used in the production stage influence the final product because the content of each episode needs to be of a high standard to ensure that the show has an audience. In order for the audience to be able to successfully listen to the podcast, the distribution process is equally important as the product needs to be easily accessible.

I would say that the audience of “The Archers” is quite an eclectic mix. It appeals to all classes, but possibly the working class more so due to the farming narrative of the show. I do think that it appeals to male and females in their 60s and above due to the programme having started in the 50s, therefore a variety of listeners may have listened to it when it first aired. Additionally, there is a bridge in the generation gap and I therefore feel that very few young people listen to the programme due to the advance in technology. Visually engaging forms such as films and TV Programmes are more popular with the younger audiences. The story focuses on farm life, therefore appealing to working class but the soap being up-to-date with today’s subjects like domestic abuse

and of course the history of the show, opens the likeness of the podcast up to anyone. In terms of geo-demographics and regional identity, I imagine that the majority of listeners are British and possibly live near or if not in Worcestershire as this is the area that the show is based on. The audience are probably quite interested in listening/watching small village dramas and possibly live quite a quiet lifestyle as they have the time to sit and listen to the series. The nature of this podcast attracts a diverse audience, so I think it falls in to the mainstream category.

Audience profiling is heavily considered when designing a product because the creators need to ensure that they will have an audience. If a product is made purely to target an older audience then it would probably involve a lot of history and background, whereas if it were made to target a younger audience, it would probably be presented in the form of something visually engaging such as a TV Programme. The amount of viewers an episode of “The Archers” might have is heavily reliant on the nature of the storyline because if the audience isn’t hooked within the first couple of minutes, they would no longer want to listen. Therefore, each episode would be written to cater for a specific audience. The target audience are considered overall as that helps the scriptwriters to continue maintaining interest.

2. Podcast transcript – “Desert Island Discs”, Interview with Morrissey

“Desert Island Discs” is produced by Gillian Hush, Olivia Seligman, Angie Nehring, Miranda Birch and Leanne Buckle.

Gillian Hush `was an outstanding producer of speech radio`. (The Telegraph, 2017) She produced Alan Bennett’s `account of the eccentric Miss Shepherd` (The Telegraph, 2017) (Lady in the Van). Olivia Seligman has been a Producer since 1973 and has been a freelance radio producer and writer since 2009. Angie Nehring has worked for the BBC since 1984 where she started as a Reporter/Producer on BBC Radio Norfolk. Miranda Birch was a Producer and Broadcaster for an `Icelandic Broadcasting Service` (Live Career) and she was a Host and Producer for Channel 2 in Iceland. Leanne Buckle has been Senior Producer of “Desert Island Discs” since 2003.

Roy Plomley; a freelance broadcaster wrote to the BBC. `The pitch was successful and the broadcasting institution was born`. (BBC Radio 4) The first official show was on the 27th January 1942. The show was introduced to the public as `”a programme in which a well-known person is asked the question, if you were to be cast away alone on a desert island, which eight gramophone records would you choose to have with you, assuming of course, that you had a gramophone and an inexhaustible supply of needles”`. (BBC Radio 4) The first guest to make an appearance on the show was Vic Oliver (`Viennese comedian, actor and musician`). (BBC Radio 4) The show `came off air in 1946` (BBC Radio 4) but returned `to the Home Office in 1951`. (BBC Radio 4) On the 9th October 1951, the choice of book, in addition to the 8 records was introduced. The `newly created Radio 4 Service` (BBC Radio 4) became the new home of the show in September 1967. Plomley died aged 71 and Michael Parkinson took his place. Sue Lawley was `the first female presenter`. (BBC Radio 4) She left the show in August 2006 and Kirsty Young; journalist and broadcaster replaced her.

“Desert Island Discs” was hugely influenced by Roy Plomley as he was the creator. He practically created a tradition in the show being a regular accessible podcast for the public to listen to. The concept of the show uses imagination mixed with the life of a celebrity, which provides the realistic aspect.

To write a radio script there a few skills that are required. The ability to `pick the best, most newsworthy clips` (Media Helping Media, 2011) and to write in a clear and informative manner is crucial. The script should be used as a tool to introduce the audio that’s included to the audience.

`The language should be in the active tense` (Media Helping Media, 2011) and the most important information should be mentioned in the first few sentences. Keeping an open-mind and not including personal feelings or thoughts allows `the audience to make their own decisions`. (Media Helping Media, 2011) Each piece of information researched and to be included in the story is equally important. The information mustn’t be presented in a way that is lead or misleading. Fact check to ensure that everything said is true. `Do not give undue weight to one point of view` (Media Helping Media, 2011) - the script needs to be fair and appeal to the audience. The introduction must be short, sweet and highlight the main points and end the script with a summary. Check the script and choice of audio to see if any alterations are needed.

When writing for radio, there are a lot of production techniques that need to be considered. Wording is crucial and the text needs to be kept short and simple. Everyday language should be used as the audience need to understand what is said. The script shouldn’t `contain any complicated concepts` (Media Helping Media, 2011) that will confuse or distract the audience. An introduction helps the audience to know `what’s coming up without repeating the words they are about to hear`. (Media Helping Media, 2011) The language used `should be in the active tense` (Media Helping Media, 2011) and the `quality should be consistent throughout; the script must not tail off at the end`. (Media Helping Media, 2011) The `script should be factual` (Media Helping Media, 2011) and not include comment or descriptive words. The `elements gathered for a story` (Media Helping Media, 2011) should be weaved together in the script. If scripting before an interview, an open mind must be kept and orchestrating or stage managing interviews `to fit in to a planned structure` (Media Helping Media, 2011) isn’t the way to go. If scripting after an interview it’s important to listen back to the material before scripting. This can make the piece `fresher sounding`(Media Helping Media, 2011), but `could lead to confusion` (Media Helping Media, 2011) if there’s `too much material`(Media Helping Media, 2011) and this may lead to having no idea how to edit or script the piece together. Each piece of information included in the script and what’s said by the interviewees should be fact checked. Checking the `script against the editorial ethics of objectivity, impartiality and fairness` (Media Helping Media, 2011) is important and there must be a balanced weight to the points of views given.

In comparison, BBC Radio 4’s High Street Abduction would use skills and production techniques slightly differently. The wording for this show would be more precise than that planned for Desert Island Discs as it is a fictional story, whereas Desert Island Discs is purely an interview show and so the responses to the questions wouldn’t be planned exactly. Each shows’ script would be of a different quality as one is fictional and although the other uses a fictional concept with the interviewee being castaway to a desert island, for the most part it is non-fiction. With an interview show, the scripting can be done before or after, however High Street Abduction would have had to have been scripted before. An introduction wouldn’t be required for a show that follows a story because you would get a sense of the synopsis in the dialogue. On the other hand, an interview show needs an introduction because the audience need a clear idea of what topics are going to be discussed/who is going to be interviewed. This breaks the barrier between the audience and the host, but also keeps the audience interested.

The production process of a script is really important as it hugely effects the end result of a radio recording. Writing to a specific brief, modifying storylines, scenes and characters is key. These of course have to factor in with the` budgetary and filming restrictions. ` (Media Helping Media, 2011)

When distributing a script, it’s really important to ensure that the script is watermarked for security. This protects the script if it’s leaked and makes the user aware of who to contact. Usually a

commissioning agreement is signed between the writer(s) and the company/person(s) who want to use the script. This means that they `acquire the right to transmit and otherwise exploit an un-commissioned script`. (The Writers’ Union, 2013)

Both the technologies used for the production and the distribution of a script influence the final product. Without the production, the script wouldn’t be of a high standard, therefore preventing from potential interest in commission. However, the distribution of the product enables the script to look professional and effectively gain commission.

I think that a podcast of this nature appeals to all classes because of the range of people who are interviewed. The age of the audience is possibly 25+. It all depends on the kind of person featured on the show as different people will appeal to a different audience, but I also think that young people don’t tend to have time or want to sit down and listen to a radio show due to their busy lifestyles. The geo-demographics and regional identity of the audience is dependent on the interviewee(s). They may be an American musician and therefore attract their fans etc. However, the majority of the audience may be British due to it being a BBC production and having a British host. Both males and females probably listen to the programme and I would say that the audience are quite imaginative due to the interviewee(s) being referred to as “castaways” and therefore being transported to an island. Also, I think that they live quite a sedate lifestyle as they would have time to listen to the show and they are possibly quite interested in a mix of platforms such as music, art, writing and so on as so many different personalities are interviewed. The alternative category is probably the one that this product would fall in to as it is a unique concept and so attracts a specific type of audience.

These traits of an audience influence the product design/production. This is because when a particular individual is asked to be interviewed on the show, it has to be questioned who they as a person would attract as an audience and whether or not it would benefit the show. The concept of breaking the barrier between the audience and the interviewee is intriguing as it provides the audience with the knowledge that perhaps the interviewee is very normal, especially if they have a really high celebrity profile. The imaginative element of the show is something that must have been considered when the programme first aired because if the audience aren’t really convinced by the premise of the show then they can’t really enjoy what they’re listening to.

3. Image of time period in which I want to set my podcast

Hulton Archive/Getty Images provided this image. Hulton Archive use historic ‘stock images and editorial shots’ to show photographs from the political ‘movements of the 1930s’ to ‘more contemporary’ images from the 1990s.

The Spanish Civil War occurred in the late 1930s and this ‘showed the devastating effect of incendiary bombs used in air raids’. (Archives Hub) ‘Britain’s fire services’ (Archives Hub) were re-organised by the Home Office due to a ‘threat of war across Europe’. (Archives Hub) In 1941 the National Fire Service was formed and women were encouraged to join. The Fire Brigades Union had 3,000 members in 1939 and this increased to 70,000 by 1942. The 7 th September 1940 saw the beginning of the Blitz and ‘London was bombed for 57 nights in a row’. (LFB – London Fire Brigade) Fire fighters went on to be known as ‘the heroes with the grimy faces’. (LFB – London Fire Brigade) In 1943, ‘over 70,000 women had enrolled in the NFS’ (LFB – London Fire Brigade) (National Fire Service) in the UK. By the time peace was declared ‘London’s fire service had attended over 50,000 calls; 327 of London’s fire fighters had been killed’. (LFB – London Fire Brigade) The War-time National Fire Service ‘disbanded in 1948’. (LFB – London Fire Brigade)

The historical/political context influences the product because women were able to join the National Fire Service. This was a time for success, but the War diminished that by causing turmoil and devastation.

Photography in the 1940s involved a few skills and production techniques. Photos were manipulated before computers and Photoshop. Magnifying glasses were used to zoom and `by retouching the print, such defects can be removed – the idea is you make the picture more contrasty and add details that will make it more interesting`. (Encyclopaedia Britain) A portable camera – the Kodak Box Brownie (1925) was `relatively small and in roll form, the film used in the Brownie still measured 5.6 inches square per frame`. (Contrastly, 2015) In 1929, `the first true flashbulb made from aluminium foil sealed in oxygen, was produced in Germany by the Hauser Company`. (envatotus+, 2011) Due to the high quality of the invention `mass-market cameras were soon fitted with flashguns or synchronizes to fine a bulb when the shutter opened`. (envatotus+, 2011) When it came to the 1950s, `bulbs had virtually replaced flash powder on the market`. (envatotus+, 2011)

In comparison, the skills and production techniques used to take a photograph nowadays differs to the ones taken in the 1940s. Technology has developed dramatically since the photograph on the right was taken. This is evident due to the 1940s photo being in black and white and the modern day photo being in colour. On the other hand, the advance in cameras and printing causes the photo on the left to be of

better quality. In the 1940s, magnifying glasses were used as a tool to zoom in to a photo, but now we have a feature on cameras that can do that for us. It’s clear that time has passed due to the change in vehicle, uniform and appearance of the person(s) in the images. However, the individuals in both photos share the same expression but most likely for different reasons. Women banding together and putting on a united front is clearly important in the right image, but in the left the woman just seems generally happy. The colour of the photograph and expression on the women’s faces impact the impression that the photographs give.

The production for photography around this era started in the 1920s with the birth of photojournalism. In the 1930s/40s, `picture magazines thrived` (Ted’s Photographics) and these became `the most important persuasive visual medium before television`. (Ted’s Photographics) However, in the 1950s there was a `decline in popularity` (Ted’s Photographics) for picture magazines.

1934 saw `the world’s largest news service` (cycleback, 1800); Associated Press install `an advanced and effective wirephoto system`. (cycleback, 1800) This lead to `other major news services` (cycleback, 1800) installing `their own wirephoto systems`. (cycleback, 1800) From 1935 to the mid-1970s, `the wirephoto system was the dominant form of photo distribution`. (cycleback, 1800) Photographers were employed by `the big news services` (cycleback, 1800) and these services `distributed images shot by newspapers, smaller photo services and independent photographs`. (cycleback, 1800) Makers of press photos stamped/tagged their names on the photos. These helped to date photographs.

The technologies used for the production and distribution influenced the final product. This is due to the image having a purpose as the thriving industries of photojournalism and picture magazines encouraged a need for photographs. The distribution process completed the photograph in terms of making it ready to put out in to the industry. The way in which the photo was printed and stamped effects its quality.

The audience for this photograph were/are most likely working class due to the time in which the image was taken. I would say that the age range is probably early 20s and over as the women in the photo look youthful. This image probably appeals more to females due to women being featured in the photograph and it being a time where women were encouraged to join the National Fire Service. The audience were/are probably British as that was where the National Fire Service happened to exist. Specifically, the audience may have been based in London, but it depends on the exact location of where the photograph was taken. However, since then with the advance of technology its audience has probably expanded as I imagine it has now been displayed on multiple other platforms such as online. I imagine the people to have seen this photo may be feminist due to the unity of the women shown in the photo. However, they have may have felt similar to how these women look in the picture at the time. Nowadays, the image is used as more of a historical source.

These categories influence the product design/production because it’s clear that the photographer wanted to capture female power and this is portrayed through the women smiling and clearly uniting together. The time at which this image was taken was a negative time due to the War and the women smiling and banding together juxtaposes that.

Unit 12 1.2:

I have created a mind map on how the media products I have chosen for the 1.1 criteria have influenced my FMP.

I have gathered a variety of secondary research with regards to the era and the issues that occurred at the time. This research has helped me to develop my idea as it has given me the chance to explore the narrative of my piece. Additionally, it has informed me about the time in which I am setting my radio drama and so has made me more aware of what seems important to include.

I created a survey asking 6 questions regarding the topic of radio. It was my aim to find out what kind of radio people listen to, if they indeed listen to it at all and what it was that they liked about radio. From this, I have been able to see the elements that I think are key to include or not include in my radio piece e.g. music or interviews. I want to create something appealing and if my end product doesn’t have some form of positive effect on those who listen to radio then I won’t have really accomplished making a good radio play.

Throughout my research, I have included a wide range of qualitative and quantitative research in the form of information and statistics.

I have researched the time period in which I’m setting my podcast along with the factors that are going to play a part in my piece such as employment. In doing this, I have also done what is asked of me for 2.1 as I have selected the key information that I feel is important to mention such as politics at the time. Additionally, I have also conducted an online search.

ONLINE RESEARCH:

The late 1940s:

10th May 1940 - `Winston Churchill becomes Prime Minister of the coalition government`. (BBC – History, 2014)

13th August 1940 – Battle of Britain. Hitler ordered preparations for this. German Air Force (The Luftwaffe) `had to destroy the Royal Air Force`. (BBC – History, 2014) RAF `inflicted heavy losses on the German squadrons`. (BBC – History, 2014) Hitler postponed invasion due to the high amount of losses.

2nd September 1940 - `US President Franklin Roosevelt signed an agreement to give Britain 50 obsolete American destroyers in exchange for the use of naval and air base in eight British possessions`. (BBC – History, 2014) The lease was valid for 99 years.

7th September 1940 – The Blitz. `950 aircraft attacked London`. (BBC - History, 2014) 57 nights of bombings followed.

26th January 1942 – Europe `became a base for American airmen flying bombing raids over Europe`. (BBC - History, 2014)

May 1944 – RA Butler (Conservative Chancellor of the exchequer) `created universal free secondary education to the age of 15`. (BBC – History, 2014)

15th April 1945 – Film and photographs from the concentration camps in Germany `appeared in British newspapers and cinemas`. (BBC – History, 2014)

8th May 1945 - `Britain celebrates the end of war on Victory in Europe day`. (BBC – History, 2014) On the 30th April, `Hitler committed suicide` due to the soviet forces closing in on his Berlin bunker`. (BBC – History, 2014)

26th July 1945 - `Labour wins general election` (BBC – History, 2014) 15th August 1945 - `Victory over Japan day marks the end of` (BBC – History, 2014) WW2.

In the late 1940s, rationing stayed in place. There were ration books for food, clothing, petrol and coal. `Labour openly declared its objective of establishing a welfare state`. (Caler’s blog, 2015) Churchill `wanted Nazi doyens to be executed without trial as soon as they were caught`. (Caler’s blog, 2015) The Allies agreed `that senior Nazi leaders ought to be put on trial`. (Caler’s blog, 2015) In October 1946, `senior Nazi war criminals were executed` (Caler’s blog, 2015) by being hanged. The Royal Indian Navy mutinied in 1946 and The Communist Party became violently anti-British, even-though it `had fully endorsed the British during the war`. (Caler’s blog, 2015) `Churchill was a forthright opponent of Indian Independence` (Caler’s blog, 2015) and one of `his chief motivations in politics` (Caler’s blog, 2015) was preserving the British Empire. `He felt that the legacy of victory was being squandered by the dissolution of the empire`. (Caler’s blog, 2015) In 1947, `Labour drew up a contingency plan` (Caler’s blog, 2015) due to the awful security situation. British civilians had to `be evacuated from hinterland provinces and then from coastal ones`. (Caler’s blog, 2015) British forces were `withdrawn from the inland areas to the coastal cities and then they` (Caler’s blog, 2015) departed together. The British sailed `home without formally granting independence`. (Caler’s blog, 2015) In 1948, the `last British troops departed from India`. (Caler’s blog, 2015) The `National Service was maintained after the war` (Caler’s blog, 2015) and it `was for all boys aged 18`. (Caler’s blog, 2015) This `meant there was minimal unemployment`. (Caler’s blog) The working class had to attend charity hospitals. Young doctors who had recently finished University `had to attend charity cases because this was poorly paid`. (Caler’s blog, 2015) The NHS was founded in 1948 and this was funded by the taxpayer. `University education became free of charge`, (Caler’s blog, 2015) but only 2% of young people went to University and more boys attended than girls. Railways were nationalised. Wartime socialism came to light – `the government had taken temporary control of the railways during the war`. (Caler’s blog, 2015) Nationalised industries were run for the benefit of people who worked in the particular industries instead of for the general public. There was a mixed economy, half were socialist and the other half were capitalist. Bread rationing was introduced due to economic mismanagement. Bigotry was a huge issue. Black people were `educated to believe that the UK was the most righteous and civilised country on earth. Many of these men had fought for Britain in the war yet were now treated like dirt`. (Caler’s blog, 2015)

The `government launched campaigns to encourage women to enter or stay in the labour market, and encouraged the migration of workers from (former) British colonies to fill the labour shortages`. (STRIKING WOMEN, 1802) Gender was used as a way of segregating jobs `and routine repetitive work was categorised as women’s work for women’s (lower) wages`. (STRIKING WOMEN, 1802)

The aim of trade unionism was `”…to bring about a condition…where wives and daughters would be in their proper sphere at home, instead of being dragged into competition for livelihood against the great and strong men of the world”`. (Britain at Work 1945-1995, 2012) This highlights how women were viewed and treated. Women’s job roles were only tolerated if they didn’t threaten the man of the house. It was considered `a mark of shame if a man permitted his woman to work`. (Britain at Work 1945-1995, 2012) The “issue of dilution” was a euphemism used `for paying women considerably less than the male workers they replaced`. (Britain at Work 1945-1995, 2012) The first equal pay strike, which was won by women took place in 1918. Following this, in 1920 one and a half million - `25% of the total female workforce` (Britain at Work 1945-1995, 2012) were part of the women’s trade union. This decreased to `a mere one million by 1939`. (Britain at Work 1945-1995, 2012) The employment rate for women rose from 27% in 1923 to 30% in 1939. This was at the expense of the men. In `a time of recession and high unemployment`, (Britain at Work 1945-1995, 2012) women were used as cheap labour. Aside from long working hours, the most consistent `complaint of women workers was the fact that their pay remained on average 53% of that of the men they replaced`. (Britain at Work 1945-1995, 2012) A married woman had different rights to a single woman, vital work had to be done by housewives as mothers `in ensuring the adequate continuance of the British Race and of British ideals in the world`. (Britain at Work 1945-1995, 2012) Married women weren’t `entitled to benefits on the assumption that they were, like children, dependent on the male head of the household`. (Britain at Work 1945-1995, 2012)

“An Inspector Calls” by J.B Priestly demonstrates the practice of socialism and the practice of capitalism as rivals. In 1942 the Commonwealth Party was created and they `argued for public ownership of land, greater democracy and a new `morality` in politics`. (BBC – GCSE Bitesize, 2014) `The party merged with the Labour Party` (BBC – GCSE Bitesize, 2014) in 1945. “An Inspector Calls” was set in 1912 as the date portrayed a time when everything was `different from the time he was writing`. (BBC – GCSE Bitesize, 2014 ) 1912 shows that `rigid class and gender boundaries seemed to ensure that nothing would change`. (BBC – GCSE Bitesize, 2014) By 1945 the majority of `class and gender divisions had been breached`. (BBC – GCSE Bitesize, 2014)

The early 1950s:

1952 - `London smog kills 4,000 Londoners from respiratory diseases`. (Exploring 20th Century London)

1953 – Coronation of Queen Elizabeth.

It was unusual for women to go to University, particularly working class women. Most girls `left school and went straight into work until they married`. (HISTORIC UK) In Schools, `lessons were given in cookery, household management, darning` (HISTORIC UK) and sewing. Girls were taught how to look after their future husbands, children and house. The food shopping was done every day due to the difficulties of storing fresh food. A weekly allowance was provided by the husband and the wife would have to keep within this allowance. To wash, `water was heated by a back boiler behind the coal fire`. (HISTORIC UK) Clothes that were worn were often homemade and when knitted items were outgrown, they were `unravelled and re-knitted into something else`. (HISTORIC UK) Dinner would be on the table and waiting for the man of the house. The “Rag and Bone Man” was a man with a horse and cart who would call for old rags. He would buy ` old clothes for a few pennies and mend pots and pans when the bottom went through`. (HISTORIC UK) The “Pop Man” would sell lemonade, dandelion and burdock and soda. The bottles used would be returned to him the following week. The Milk Man visited daily. Groceries, bread and meat would be delivered by local shops. The delivery boys used bicycles. Old metal dustbins were carried by the dustbin men on `their

backs from the householder’s back door to the cart and then returning them back`. (HISTORIC UK) The typical housewife took `pride in looking after their home and family to the best of her ability`. (HISTORIC UK) No career was had by the woman outside of the home.

Once the War ended, the `government aimed to re-establish domesticity as women’s primary occupation`. (Project Gutenberg Self-Publishing Press, 2017) 75% of adult women in 1951 were or had been married. Marriage was viewed as `the simplest, and the easiest way of life`. (Project Gutenberg Self-Publishing Press, 2017) After the War, `childcare facilities were closed and assistance for working women became limited`. (Project Gutenberg Self-Publishing Press, 2017 ) Women’s magazines `used their great influence “positively to discourage women from trying to combine work and marriage”`. (Project Gutenberg Self-Publishing Press, 2017) Also, they `promoted the ideal of women’s domesticity and dependence, encouraging the return of the female labour force to the kitchen and the nursery`. (Project Gutenberg Self-Publishing Press, 2017) Women were known as being successful housewives. This demonstrates the lack of individual thought i.e. people were lead to believe one thing, whether they agreed or not. In 1952, `equal pay for teachers` (Project Gutenberg Self-Publishing Press, 2017) was put in place. Feminist writers like Alva Myrdal and Viola Klein `started to allow for the possibility that women should be able to combine home with outside employment`. (Project Gutenberg Self-Publishing Press, 2017) Women `were barred from certain occupations like teaching and clerical jobs (but not lower paid jobs) and those working were sacked upon marriage`. (Project Gutenberg Self-Publishing Press, 2017)

Manufacturing jobs - `office boom brought over 50,000 new jobs to London`. (Exploring 20th Century London) Women outnumbered men in London’s office jobs (1950s). `1.5 million women in Britain worked as either secretaries or typists`. (Exploring 20th Century London) The majority of women were not included in the `low average rates of unemployment. They `were considered “economically inactive”`. (Exploring 20th Century London) Homes had a cooker, vacuum cleaner and plug-in radio. The coronation in 1953 was an event so great as `cameras had never been allowed inside Westminster Abbey for a coronation` (Mandy Barrow, 2013) before. The homes lucky enough to own a Television were crowded with families to watch the event. `Two-thirds of homes owned a television` (Mandy Barrow, 2013) and the programmes were displayed in black and white. The population of Britain in 1952 was 50 million. In 1949 clothes rationing ended and so in the 1950s, women `wanted dresses and skirts made with a huge amount of fabric to make up for the meagre amounts they had endured during the war`. (Mandy Barrow, 2013)

Post-War, the `Labour extended the policy of state intervention into peacetime`. (Designing Britain 1945-1975, 1800) The new socialist government’s values `still sprang from the same power base as the inter-war period, with a powerful professional middle class maintaining their position of authority`. (Designing Britain 1945-1975, 1800)

RESEARCH FROM BOOKS:

THE WARTIME HOUSE – HOME LIFE IN WARTIME BRITAIN 1939-1945 by Mike Brown and Carol Harris

CHAPTER 1: The Suburban Dream

Men in `blackcoat` (Brown and Harris, 2001) jobs who earned good salaries were able to afford good houses by the late 30s. `These new salary workers swelled the ranks of the lower middle classes, who demonstrated this newly improved status by moving out of the city centres and into more genteel surroundings`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) The `ultimate way to show one’s transition from worker to professional` (Brown and Harris, 2001) was to change from `renting a property to buying

one`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) The last ¼ of the 19th century witnessed `the living standards of the working class gradually improve` (Brown and Harris, 2001) In 1939, over 39% of the population `were wage earning as opposed to salaried workers`. (Brown and Harris, 2001)

CHAPTER 2: House Beautiful

In the 20th Century, bathrooms `were a new concept` (Brown and Harris, 2001) and baths appeared `more like a piece of furniture than a fitting`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) Houses became `warmer and cheaper to heat` (Brown and Harris, 2001) due to the structural developments of `concrete walls, breeze blocks for internal walls and the 11-inch cavity wall`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) Rigid `social structures within the family` (Brown and Harris, 2001) meant that throughout the day different family members `occupied their own sections of the house`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) However, this was relaxed after WW1, so `middle-class children were no longer kept apart from adults in the charge of a nurse, nanny, or governess`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) If it was too late `to post for a given overseas mail, a telephone call` (Brown and Harris, 2001) was `put through to the post office at Tilbury, Southampton, Liverpool, or any other port at which the mail steamer` (Brown and Harris, 2001) was bethred and the letter was dictated. It was then taken down and `delivered on the boat by messenger`. (Brown and Harris, 2001)

CHAPTER 3: Furniture and furnishings

Furnishing houses included 3 main types of textiles: carpets; curtains and upholstery material. Art Deco designs seemed `effective in carpets, although more traditional designs were still popular`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) A typical house had a hall, lounge/drawing room, dining room, bathroom and bedroom.

CHAPTER 4: Housework and DIY

After marrying, `a `respectable` woman was expected to give up working and devote her time to the care of her husband, her home and, in due course her children`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) Laundry was not done by middle-class women, but instead domestic housewives. In the mid-30s `fashion emphasised health, sun-bathing and even naturism, and exercise was considered important for health and beauty`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) However, housework was treated as a leisure activity. In December 1940, a leaflet was issued by the Ministry of Home Security `with advice for those whose homes had been hit`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) Two schemes were put in place. `Compensation for Damage to Houses` (Brown and Harris, 2001) was if the house was owned by its occupants or the occupants held a long lease and the home was damaged or destroyed, regardless of income, the amount of `compensation and the time of paying it` (Brown and Harris, 2001) depended `on the passing of the War Damage Bill` (Brown and Harris, 2001) before Parliament. Repairs applied if the house was `made fit to live in with a few simple repairs` (Brown and Harris, 2001) then the local authority would put it right if the landlord was unable to do it. How `quickly the local authority` (Brown and Harris, 2001) did this depended on local conditions. `War Time Household Repairs` (Brown and Harris, 2001) by The Daily Express stated that the houses that suffered as a result of raids `were made uncomfortable rather than dangerous`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) A natural progression from `do-it yourself` was `make do and mend`. (Brown and Harris, 2001)

CHAPTER 5: Rationing

`During the First World War, Britain and Germany had tried to starve each other out`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) Rationing was introduced in 1916, but food and raw materials wasn’t all that was effected; `more men were needed for the services, while at the same time industrial output had to

increases to meet war time needs`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) 1936 was when the `Food (Defence Plans) Department` (Brown and Harris, 2001) was set up by `the Board of Trade`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) Rationing officially began in January 1940 and it `worked on the basis that the Nation would be immediately rationed with a limited supply of meat, butter, cheese, milk, flour, tea, sugar, potatoes and cereals`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) However, some of these items were never rationed. November 1939 was when ration cards were issued and to get one, an `identity card had to be produced and stamped on the back with a MoF stamp`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) A ration book for furniture was introduced in 1943 meaning there were ration books for petrol, food, clothes and furniture. The poor appreciated rationing as they knew `in times of shortage, they would be the ones to suffer most`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) The general ration book was buff, while the children’s was blue in the 1940s. All ration books `contained coupons for meat and cooking fats`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) The consumer who had received the ration book `was to register with a supplier for each of the rationed items. The supplier then removed a counterfoil from the book which allowed him to buy the necessary supplies to cover all his customers`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) The MoF appealed `directly to the public through the newspapers` (Brown and Harris, 2001) in the form of notes, hints and ``Food Facts` for the housewife`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) On the 7th September a massive air raid occurred on the London docks causing thousands `upon thousands of tons of food` (Brown and Harris, 2001) to go up in smoke. All shopkeepers had to was `cross out the coupons in pen` (Brown and Harris, 2001) once rationing had moved on. In 1941 `The MoF arranged for supplies be delivered to various women’s organisations such as The Women’s Institute , the Townswomen’s Guilds and the WVS, for jam making so that fruit would not be wasted`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) People in 1942 thought that `good quality bread` (Brown and Harris, 2001) was a sliced white loaf, but on the 6th April, `the sale of white bread became illegal except under special licence`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) 1943 was when `The Board of Trade asked designs for four basic outfits` (Brown and Harris, 2001); a top coat, a suit, an afternoon dress and a cotton overall dress. 32 outfits were then viewed and `the most suitable styles mass-produced`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) The black market was `the illicit trade in articles such as foodstuffs, raw materials, clothing, petrol, cosmetics, furniture, cigarettes, spirits and fuel`. (Brown and Harris, 2001)`Black market activities` (Brown and Harris, 2001) had a maximum penalty of `one year’s imprisonment on conviction of small-scale trading going up to fourteen years` penal servitude for organised large-scale offences`. (Brown and Harris, 2001)

CHAPTER 6: The Wartime Kitchen

Until the early 50s ``Food Facts` appeared in newspapers almost every week`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) Slogans like ``Let your shopping save our shipping` were backed up with practical tips and recipes`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) Adverts were used by `hard-pressed housewives`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) To attract children, cartoon characters were introduced. In 1941, Potato Pete was created, he was `a rustic potato, with a piece of straw in his mouth, a green hat and gaiters`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) Healthy living was pointed out by Doctor Carrot, `but he was replaced by Walt Disney’s creation `Clara Carrot``. (Brown and Harris, 2001) A `5-minute long Kitchen Front radio programme` (Brown and Harris, 2001) was introduced by the BBC on 25th June 1940. It played during the war following `the morning news at 8:15 from Tuesday to Friday`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) The `Nation Food Education Campaign` (Brown and Harris, 2001) then launched. It aimed `to show how people could be fed using home-grown food, to demonstrate waste-free cooking methods, and to show how to keep healthy on a wartime diet`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) November 1939 `the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries` (Brown and Harris, 2001) first officially used the phrase `Dig for Victory` on leaflets. They called `for 500,000 allotments holders` (Brown and Harris, 2001) as part of the Government’s Grow More campaign. The land not in full use was to be placed `at the council’s

disposal` (Brown and Harris, 2001) by its owners or occupiers. `Dig for Victory became a campaign in its own right` in September 1940.

CHAPTER 8: Fashion

A `vast selection of styles` (Brown and Harris, 2001) were worn by women near `the end of the 1930s`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) Padded or slim line were the `desired body shapes`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) However, `the most fashionable was the curvaceous figure-of-eight shape, which emphasised the bust and the hips`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) The `more accurate sizing method of 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18` (Brown and Harris, 2001) was soon introduced. A 3 piece business suit was generally the wardrobe of a suburban male, along with a `tie, overcoat or raincoat, and a hat, the style reflecting the owner’s occupational status`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) The majority of `middle-class men’s suits` (Brown and Harris, 2001) were `made to measure by tailors and a hand-written label would give the owner’s name, the date the suit was completed and the tailor’s address`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) During WW2 trousers were worn by women for practicality and few settings such as factories, had them as `compulsory uniform`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) Wartime `fashion emphasised the aesthetic appeal of restraint and simplicity`, (Brown and Harris, 2001) and faces were decorated along with hair to embellish plain clothes. In November 1939, `a special advertising supplement, `You Mirrored for Winter` was carried by Women and Beauty magazine`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) It told women `he’ll want to be proud of you and he can’t be if you go round looking like what’s left of an air raid`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) When it came to haircuts, women were told to not try and cut their hair themselves as only an expert was able to make a success of the cut. A view that everyone adapted to was that `looking good helps everyone’s morale`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) In 1938 `Britain fashion export earnings totalled £98,000: by 1946, this had risen to £507,000`. (Brown and Harris, 2001)

CHAPTER 9: Entertainment

`The British Broadcasting Company Limited was formed at a meeting of radio manufacturers and shareholders in October 1922`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) The BBC broadcasted in stations from Manchester, London and Birmingham, but were joined by Newcastle one month later. Radio Times was launched in May 1923 by the directors of the BBC as `newspapers wanted to change the BBC advertising rates to publish details of its programmes`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) The British Broadcasting Corporation replaced the British Broadcasting Company Limited in 1927. In the summer of 1940 news readers started to identify themselves after having always been anonymous. It was thought `that the German’s might try to put fake broadcasts, giving misleading directions or damaging morale`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) TV `broadcasting was suspended on 1 September 1939 and was not resumed until June 1946`. (Brown and Harris, 2001)

CHAPTER 10: Reconstruction

The rationing of furniture ended in June 1948. `Many members of the Conservative Government viewed Utility with great contempt, as one of the leftovers of wartime socialism`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) On the 25th July 1945 `Regional broadcasting returned`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) Acknowledging `that women made up the majority of daytime listeners, the BBC broadcast a new programme in 1946, the first edition of Woman’s Hour`. (Brown and Harris, 2001)

CONCLUSION

A product of the war was the new welfare state `and the affluence of the fifties and sixties blurred old class boundaries further as many in traditional working-class occupations saw their income

overlap that of the middle classes`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) The Butler Education Act, 1944 was where `education up to and including university level became available to all`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) People in `traditional working-class occupations bought their own homes and by the sixties they began to send their children to private schools, a trend that has grown rapidly since`. (Brown and Harris, 2001)

When Britain went to WAR – The Real Story of Life on the Home Front by Richard Havers

CHAPTER 1: 1938-1939 The build-up to war

Dr Joseph Goebbels was beaten up in his flat in Berlin `for having a fling with a “beautiful married actress”`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) In 1938 the affair came `to Hitler’s late notice` (Brown and Harris, 2001) and Goebbels was ordered to `break off the relationship and remain with his wife and children`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) Goebbels wanted to resign, but Hitler wouldn’t hear of it so he `attempted suicide`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) Britain and France supported Czechoslovakia things and so were `on Hitler’s list of potential enemies` (Brown and Harris, 2001) due to that being where the actress Goebbels had an affair with was from. Hitler held `secret talks to secure the agreement of the Soviet Union to partition Eastern Europe on the assumption that Germany would triumph after defeating England, France and anyone else who was foolish enough to stand against the Third Reich`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) 1.5 million people evacuated `urban areas in the first three days of September` (Brown and Harris, 2001) in 1939. This included `834,000 schoolchildren, and 103,000 teachers, along with over 500,000 mothers and children under school age, plus 13,000 expectant mothers`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) Those `in the country who accommodated the children and the attendant adults were paid by the Government 10s 6d per week` (Brown and Harris, 2001) - £73 per day `for taking a child and 8s 6d per week for each additional child`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) The evacuation was for `more than a few months` (Brown and Harris, 2001) for many `with over two-thirds who had left in the September exodus returning to their homes by January 1940`. (Brown and Harris, 2001) The German bombing raids took place in 1940 and so many evacuated again.

CHAPTER 2: 1939 War breaks out

3rd September - `Britain declares war on Germany`. (Havers, 2009) 9th September - `Advance troops of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) depart for France

where they are deployed along the Belgian border`. (Havers, 2009) 19th September - `First British casualty list published`. (Havers, 2009) 1st October - `British men between 20 and 22 liable for conscription`. (Havers, 2009) 11th October - `BEF on the Continent reaches 158,000 in five weeks`. (Havers, 2009) 13th November - `German bombers attack Britain for the first time, bombing the Shetland

Islands; no serious damage`. (Havers, 2009) 21st November - `Chamberlain imposes an embargo on all German trade, with goods

currently in Britain to be confiscated`. (Havers, 2009) 15th December - `More British troops arrive in France`. (Havers, 2009) 18th December - `The first Canadian troops arrive in Britain`. (Havers, 2009) 16th October – The first attack the Luftwaffe made on Britain. Mid October – to the relief of listeners’, `the BBC managed to reduce the playing of

gramophone records from 18 hours, to just six hours per week`. (Havers, 2009)

CHAPTER 3: 1940 Invasion?

1st January - `More men called up in Britain`. (Havers, 2009) 10th May - `Chamberlain resigns as PM to be replaced by Winston Churchill`. (Havers, 2009)

14th May - `The launch of Local Defence Volunteers (renamed the Home Guard in July.)` (Havers, 2009)

22nd May - `Britain breaks Germany’s Enigma code`. (Havers, 2009) 19th July - `Battle of Britain begins`. (Havers, 2009) 13th August - `Eagle Day, the launch of Goering’s offensive to gain control of the skies over

Britain`. (Havers, 2009) 17th August - `Hitler announces a total blockade of Britain`. (Havers, 2009)

On New Year’s Day, almost 2 million men `aged 19 to 27 years old, were to be called up`. (Havers, 2009) More men were due to be called up after it `was underlined 10 days later when a German Messerschmitt ME-100, lost in fog, crashed in Belgium, near Mechelenisur – Meuse`. (Havers, 2009) At the end of March, the War Cabinet stated that Germany `was planning an attack on Holland, giving rise to concerns about the weakness of the BEF in France`. (Havers, 2009)`1,206 men of the Home Guard were killed`, (Havers, 2009) 557 seriously injured, 2 George Crosses and 13 George medals were `awarded for bravery`. (Havers, 2009) In November, 1944 the Home Guard disbanded. On the 10th July 1940 the Battle of Britain started and during that summer, almost `50,000 men had been “lost to the land” through enlistment or switching to better-paid work in towns and cities`. (Havers, 2009) During WW1 the Women’s Land Army was set up, but was `resurrected in 1939 in anticipation of a shortfall in manpower`. (Havers, 2009) Land girls earned 28 shillings per week and had no holiday entitlements.

CHAPTER 4: 1940-1941 The blitz

7th September 1940 – The Blitz begins. 17th September 1940 - `Hitler calls off planned invasion on Britain`. (Havers, 2009) 30th September 1940 - `Last heavy daylight raid on Britain`. (Havers, 2009) 31st October 1940 - `British troops landed in Crete`. (Havers, 2009) 29th December 1940 – `Massive air raid on London`. (Havers, 2009) 7th March 1941 - `British and Australian troops land in Greece`. (Havers, 2009) 17th March 1941 - `Start of the mobilization of British women for essential “war work”`.

(Havers, 2009) 31st March 1941 - `After winter lull German raids on Britain intensify`. (Havers, 2009) 10th May 1941 - `Largest ever air raid on London`. (Havers, 2009) 1st June 1941 – Clothes rationing in Britain begins. 18th November 1941 - `British attacks catch Rommel by surprise`. (Havers, 2009) 8th December 1941 - `Britain and America declare war on Japan`. (Havers, 2009)

A month before the war, the Daily Mirror was a 28 page paper, but by September 1940, it was 12 pages and dropped to 8 pages by 1941 due to rationing. In May 1941 the Blitz ended.

CHAPTER 5: 1942-1943 The long years

On the 24th April, the Luftwaffe began `the Baedeker raids on historic English cities` (Havers, 2009); Exeter was first. In May 1944 `over 1 million US soldiers` (Havers, 2009) were in Britain. Between 1939 and 1945, crimes reported rose by nearly 60% and between these years, `the actual number of murders actually dropped from pre-war levels`. (Havers, 2009) Strikes were made illegal under `regulations put in place at the outbreak of the war`. (Havers, 2009) The `number of working days lost through strikes had gone back to pre-war levels` (Havers, 2009) in 1942. Britain had 2 prison of war camps as of 1939 and between 1940 and mid 1943 `the British Government was unhappy about accepting large numbers of prisoners`. (Havers, 2009) In December 1941, `Britain became the first

country to conscript women`. (Havers, 2009) Women aged between 20 and 30 `were liable for military service`. (Havers, 2009) Women `could join the ATS (Auxiliary Territorial Service), the WRNS (Women’s Royal Naval Service) or WAAF (Women’s Auxiliary Air Force.)` (Havers, 2009) The WAAF and WRNS recruited more women as the uniforms were more appealing. Most `women were very unhappy with what they considered their under-representation in Parliament`. (Havers, 2009) In February 1942, The Movement had their first meeting. They wanted 100 women to return `to Parliament at the first General Election after the war was over`. (Havers, 2009) A “school” was organised `at which they planned to teach women public speaking, how to mount an election campaign and publicity schemes`. (Havers, 2009) In December 1944 The Women for Westminster Movement held a debate titled `“A Woman’s place she just became an MP is in the home”`. (Havers, 2009) In 1945 `24 women were elected to Parliament in the General Election`. (Havers, 2009) This `represented almost 4% of the total number of MPs`. (Havers, 2009)

CHAPTER 6: 1944-1945 And in the end

6th June 1944 – D-Day 13th June 1944 – `V-I rockets fired against Britain`. (Havers, 2009) 8th September 1944 - `V-2 rockets fired against Britain`. (Havers, 2009) 30th April 1945 – Hitler committed suicide 5th July 1945 – `British General Election`. (Havers, 2009)

`The planning for D-Day` (Havers, 2009) had begun in 1943 and by 1944 the British Army had 3 million members. Winston Churchill stated that `”There will be many false alarms, many feints, many dress rehearsals. We may also ourselves be the objects of new forms of attack from the enemy. Britain can take it.”` (Havers, 2009) Soon after this statement was made the first V-I rocket was fired. In total `9,000 doodlebugs were fired against Britain but fewer than 40% managed to reach their target`. (Havers, 2009) On the 24th December 1944, 45 doodlebugs were fired and over 30 landed in Manchester, which was the target. Later, the V-2 rockets were launched by Germany in `an attempt to break the will of the British people and to cause a level of panic that would severely undermine the Government`. (Havers, 2009) They were `less effective against the civilian population` (Havers, 2009) due to less being `fired against London`. (Havers, 2009) The `Allied armies in Europe captured the majority of the launch sites` (Havers, 2009) causing `the threat of both the Doodlebug and the V-2` (Havers, 2009) being put to rest. On 26th May 1950 the rationing of petrol for cars ended and in 1943 the “Bevin Boys” were formed. They were `young men who were conscripted to work down the mines through a scheme created by the wartime Minister for Labour and National Service, Ernest Bevin`. (Havers, 2009) The `48,000 Bevin Boys` (Havers, 2009) efforts were forgotten during WW2. Franklin D Roosevelt passed away on 12th April 1945. His death was `felt by many in Britain, where he was recognized as a true friend, at a time when the country was desperately in need of one`. (Havers, 2009) Hitler married Eva Braun on the 28th April 1945 and 2 days later he shot himself. Braun then poisoned herself, `as did Goebbels and his wife who were with Hitler in his bunker – but not before poisoning their six children’. (Havers, 2009) On Monday 7th May `news came in from General Eisenhower’s HQ about the signing of the surrender terms`. (Havers, 2009) Tuesday 8th May was `treated as Victory in Europe day` (Havers, 2009) and was regarded as a holiday as was the following day. Elections took place in Britain 2 months after VE day and the radio played a role in this. For `four weeks both the Home and the Forces programme carried 20-to-30 minute speeches by the party leaders`. (Havers, 2009) However, `in the past the BBC had seen its role as purely a purveyor of electoral news it now entered a new phase by offering comment on the political process`. (Havers, 2009) The Labour Party was lead to a landslide victory by Clement Atlee. Those

who wanted `to see Britain rebuilt after the war – is what gave Labour their landslide`. (Havers, 2009)

Radio plays:

I chose to research radio plays to find out what types were on the market and to see if there was anything available similar to what I want to produce.

After looking online it was clear that Radio 4 provide a lot of radio plays, but in particular they provide ones which are set in/about the time in which I am setting my piece. The majority of products available seemed to be series as opposed to a single episode. This is where I feel my piece will differ to other radio pieces because if I were writing a series I could drag out the story over a few episodes, however due to only creating one 20-30 minute piece I am going to have to ensure that I include all the information required and mention everything I want to. Summarising will be key in the sense that I won’t be able to lengthen a particular moment for too long as I will need to be conscious of the time, purely so that the audience remain interested.

BBC Radio 4 had Carrie’s War by Nina Bawden listed as a radio play to listen to. I briefly listened to the first episode, but it was quite boring in terms of how it was delivered and so I don’t think I would have been able to listen to the full 15 minute episode. The piece was narrated in third person and the narrator also did the voices of each character. The voice was fairly engaging, however as far as keeping an audience entertained for a long duration of time, I don’t think that this kind of approach will work for my piece. I do think that this kind of delivery can be effective though, particularly with children.

I discovered tune in radio while researching and a show called Old Time Dragnet caught my eye. The show was broadcasted during the 1950s and is about 2 detectives and the cases that they solve. The episode that I had a brief listen to was from 1955 and although I only listened for a few minutes I got a good feel for the type of radio that it was. It started off with a musical introduction and then an old fashioned announcement stating that the story was true but that the names had been changed etc. The source that I found this programme on had a recording whereby a radio show were playing the show for their listeners to hear. This was quite interesting and it made the authenticity of the show more realistic.

I wanted to find a radio play that was presented in a single episode just so I could see how it flowed to give me the chance to draw some ideas from it. BBC radio 4 was the source that I referred back to and I came across a short story called A Change. It is about a man who `faces an uncertain future as his son leaves for University` (BBC Radio 4, 2017). The piece was narrated by the Father which added emphasis on how the experience affected him. The relationship that was portrayed between the son and the Father is similar to the relationship that I would like the Mother and daughter in my piece to have. They were shown as having a close bond and in a sense the son leaving for University caused a risk of jeopardising that. Due to the time in which I’m setting my piece I think the Mother and daughter would naturally have a close bond but because the daughter is in her mid-late teens, the Mother may fear the same. The short story had the Father explaining the sons’ actions and saying what he says which I thought enhanced the Fathers’ thought process as it showed that what was verbalised by the son was either what he wanted or didn’t want to hear and then the Father had to respond either way. The pauses were in the perfect place to allow the Father to think. The synopsis of the story is something that every parent can relate to if they have child leaving for University or leaving home and this is significant when the Father reflects on the memories that he shares with his son. Nearer the end of the piece it is revealed that the son is adopted, however I think directions

pointing towards this were given nearer the beginning due to the close detail and attention that the Father paid to his every movement, look etc. This indicated how precious he is to him. Two things that were said in the story had great effect I think and the first was `”Afterwards, the inevitable selfie”` (BBC Radio 4, 2017). I thought that this documented the change in the son, but allowed the listener to understand it in greater detail. The second was `”Now, if I walked past him, a stranger in the street, there’s a chance I wouldn’t see him”` (BBC Radio 4, 2017). This highlights how much the son has grown up and suggests that the Father feels like the attachment they once had to each other is slowly dispersing. Finally, the short piece of music played at the beginning at the end of the piece was quite emotive, but also had a transportation feel to in that the listener could be transported in to his mind and this is extremely effective.

Analysis and evaluation of my information informing my ideas for my FMP:

Researching radio plays has helped me to see the various parts of a good radio piece that are effective and that I can use to take forward with me to my FMP.

These are:

Sound effects/music Narrative Voice

Sound effects/music add to the piece by creating impact and can cause the listener(s) feelings or opinions to be swayed depending on the tone of the music. For example, if the music is happy then that feeling may pass on to the audience. Music especially, in terms of theme tunes create a distinct ambiance that in a sense breaks down the barrier between the listener(s) and the radio piece itself. Therefore, it seems crucial that radio plays that are broken down in to several episodes have a theme tune. Sound effects can add a sense of realism to a piece of radio and make certain scenes easier to imagine. I would like to use music and possibly sound effects in my radio piece because I think it adds more character and feeling to a story.

A good narrative is key to creating an effective piece of radio. Without a strong story the audience aren’t going to be interested in listening which is why it’s important to have a clear structure in the form of a beginning, middle and end. Also, all good stories have a climax at some point within them, whether that be a good or bad thing, otherwise it doesn’t seem like there is a story to tell. I think my piece could have a few climaxes so when I start planning, this will be something that I shall focus on.

Voice is so important to add to the feel of a medium, especially radio. With radio, the voice is what creates the story, as there is no way of the audience seeing the body language or facial expressions of the character(s). Granted, a passionate voice doesn’t really work well with a boring narrative, but the voice is what brings the story to life. The perfect balance of a good narrative and good voice(s) is what causes the audience to shut their eyes and envisage the story before them. For my piece, I need to ensure that I find the right voices to fit the dialogue and to do this I am going to give myself time to have the piece read through by various people to see which sound I prefer.

Focussing on my time period in the form of research has been really insightful and has provided me with an angle at which to portray my story.

I had a brief knowledge base on the late 1940s and the early 1950s but after researching, I have actually been able to imagine various scenes. Using books in addition to online research helped me gather a thorough take on the time and even caused me to cover areas that I didn’t even think

about, such as furniture. In doing this, I now have a clear idea of what my characters look like, what they do, where they live and so on.

Besides the main events that occurred, there were so many other events that I wasn’t even aware of and in actual fact probably would have affected the family my story is going to be based on. Investigating some of the years prior to the ones my piece is going to cover was worth it because a few of the incidents would have possibly affected the state of the house in my story, the mental state of the family etc. For me, covering as much of that time as possible was so important because when I come to write it I am going to have so many individual subjects I can play around with and mention, while also being factually correct.

STATING THE PURPOSE:

Identifying task – what do I want to find out about? What is the question I am trying to find about?

I am creating a podcast in the form of a period drama. I especially want to focus on/find about females’ place in society in the late 1940s/ early 1950s. The question I am going to be focussing on throughout my FMP is:

Why would a female in the late 1940s/early 1950s keep her dream of becoming a writer a secret?

This is the narrative of my piece and so in making it the question I am trying to answer it will make the message clearer and keep me on track.

Primary research:

I created a survey, which I posted on social media as I wanted to understand the kind of audience I would be dealing with and I wanted to see where I could go with the project.

The questions I asked were:

Would listening to a podcast interest you? How eager would you be to listen to a podcast if it were a period drama? How long would you be willing to listen for? If the podcast focussed on a female living in the late 1940s/early 1950s, would that interest

you? If you answered yes or sometimes, why do you enjoy listening to the radio?

I received roughly 40 responses and from these it was apparent that podcasts are something that most people deem as interesting as over half of the people that responded said this. The majority said that they would be a little eager to listen to a podcast if it were a period drama, whereas 20.59% said they would be very eager. 20 minutes seem to be the most popular length of the piece, but 26.47% said they would be happy to listen for 40 minutes. Due to this, I am going to aim to produce a podcast that is between 20 and 40 minutes. Having a lead character who is female and lives in the 1940s/50s seems to be a successful idea as almost 75% of the respondents said that the topic interests them. I wanted to find out whether people actually enjoy listening to radio and if so, why. Nowadays, due to the advance in technology the majority of younger people tend to pick watching a TV Programme over listening to a piece of radio that isn’t music based. Therefore, I wanted to see the different opinions that people had on the medium. 32.35% said that they did enjoy listening to radio, however 8.82% said that they didn’t know. Music seemed to be the main reason of as to why people enjoy listening to the radio, but it was also said that radio allows an individual to create their

own images to accompany a story and that the images are often more immersive than anything that TV or film can provide.

In addition to the survey, I also conducted interviews to gather more information on people’s thoughts about radio and whether they thought the synopsis of my piece sounded appealing or not.

Question

Interviewees gender + age

Do you regularly listen to the radio?

If no, why? If yes, what is it about radio that gages your interest?

Do you have a favourite radio show or programme? If so, what is it?

What is it about this show or programme that you like so much?

Would a radio piece on a woman living in the late 1940s/early 1950s who wants to become a writer interest you? Why?

Female, 71 Yes I can imagine what’s going on. I have to use my own imagination and it can be different to anyone else’s.

I do, The Archers.

It is so now. Whatever’s going on in the world now is going on there. You can leave your armchair and go up there and be in amongst it.

Yes because it was around about the time I was born. It would be interesting to see what she had to say and what she would have to write.

Male, 74 Yes. You can actually be there, you can create your own scene, you can set your own scene. Whether the action is a thriller or domestic play, you can actually be there. I rather like that.

I do listen to the Today Programme. One of my favourites and has been ever since I was a very young lad is the Archers.

I just love the country feel to it all. I suppose because I was a country lad it does appeal to me and they do keep up to date with all matters country.

Most certainly, yes it would. That’s a huge field you’re covering, there’s a lot of scope, a lot of story.

Female, 42 In very short bursts, usually when I am in the car.

I don’t listen for prolonged periods as I am not normally in a situation where I can listen. But when I do – it’s my way of catching up with news and listening to music.

I don’t listen often enough to have one.

N/A I think if it was marketed in the corrected manner, with a gripping storyline and was available as a podcast so I could download and listen at my leisure, then yes.

Female, 17 Yes I do. The ease of it, how you can turn it on and just let it play. Also the variety of music that is played.

The top 40 if I had to pick a favourite.

The new music that is showcased and how it’s an easy way to keep up with the music charts. I also like interviews

Yes I would be very interested because it sounds different and new, unlike anything I have heard about before on the radio.

Throughout the entirety of this unit, I have used various sources to gather the necessary information such as books and the Internet. I have conducted an online search, which I have then narrowed and extended. I have identified, selected and recorded information. I have evaluated the information I have found by checking the date, source, for bias and representativeness. Additionally, I have evaluated the language used and writers (producer(s) of information. Harvard referencing has been used consistently throughout my work.

Unit 12 2.2:

When I began researching, my view was that a woman living in the late 1940s/early 1950s would have struggled to become a writer. After researching, I still firmly believe that this would have been the case, especially as I have now decided that I want the family my story will revolve around to be working class, mainly because this will enable me to explore the issues included in my findings. My research has made me even more aware of the issues that occurred in this time and has developed my idea.

I don’t think that there are any implications of my findings as I feel well researched and equipped with all the knowledge to write, record and edit my piece effectively. However, I am aware that the subject in term of its history is quite large and so an issue here would be that I may hit a barrier when coming to write the story as I’ll need to ensure that all the information I use is historically accurate.

From my findings I have learned a lot about the era in which I want to set my radio drama including the issues that were relevant at the time. Using books in addition to online research has been really helpful as it has supported my findings and provided me with more information. The research has been vital because in order to write an effective radio drama I need to be fully informed on the time in order to set the scene.

My findings have influenced my ideas for my FMP because the research I have done with regards to the era has adapted and changed some of the thoughts I had. I now have a clear synopsis and structure.

The potential problem that may arise is that I might struggle to write the piece as I know it is a fairly meaty topic in terms of its historical content and accuracy. However, the subject and medium are both things I am passionate about and I have all the research and ideas to support me. I haven’t included a large amount of characters so I think distributing roles and information should be fairly straightforward. I’m just going to ensure I stick to the structure. My original idea was to get my Grandparents to read in as the characters when recording as they have the naturally old and veiny voices that are needed for this particular piece. I would like to stick with this and give myself time to experiment so that if it doesn’t go to plan or for whatever reason I don’t like it or don’t think it will work, then I can get other people involved.

Unit 12 3.1:

To meet the criteria for 3.1 I have produced this research report. The report includes a range of research and methods used to find and present it. To produce and present my ideas, I have used creative ways to illustrate it. The bulk of my research has been simply written, however I have used mind maps and tables to show other elements of this unit. The question I set out to find the answer to is something I have been using from the very beginning of starting the research, as it is my aim to ensure I portray the answer(s) in my final piece. The content and topic has been clearly explained and explored in great detail.

I have used mind maps, paragraphs, lists, Harvard referencing, critical instead of descriptive writing and have focussed on my written presentation.

Unit 12 3.2:

I have presented and analysed data using tables, graphs and other visual representations of data, appendices, and references.

The gaps in my knowledge regarding my researched subject are that I am still unsure of as to whom my characters are. My research has helped me to create a clear setting and story but as far as my characters having an identity, my research hasn’t really provided me with that. I plan on completing a character study for both the Mother and the daughter in that will be in my script to help me give them a sense of existence.

My ideas have been influenced by my findings. Researching the 1940s and the 1950s has given me a wider knowledge base on what occurred at the time, how it happened, who caused it etc. Although my piece is going to be set in the late 1940s and carry over to the early 1950s, I chose to research events that took place prior to this time as certain events would have continued to impact the time I am focussing on. Therefore, it is important I know all the possible things I could mention, discuss and so on. Looking at radio plays has been a huge help in developing my ideas as I can now see how slightly different presentations of radio can effect a person and of course, I want to pick the most effective, but also what I think will work best for the kind of piece I’ll be producing.

Unit 12