Exhibition 'Wymondham Women in World War One' in Wymondham Heritage Museum
Before the start of the First World War, men were thought of as the breadwinners for the family while women traditionally would stay at home performing domestic tasks such as washing and cleaning and raising the children. If they worked at all it was a menial job such as a maid, in domestic service or in work in a repetitive job in a factory.
During the war, life for women changed dramatically because so many men were away fighting. Many women took paid jobs outside the home for the first time and by 1918 there were five million women working in Britain. The money they earned contributed to the family's budget and earning money made working women more independent and many enjoyed the companionship of working in a factory, office or shop.
For the centenary of the end of the First World War, we are hosting a display celebrating women living in Wymondham during the war and how they worked to support the war effort. Using photos, post cards, letters and other documents our display will tell the stories of the working lives of women of our town.
