Commuting in 1942

Commuting in 1942 Trains were by far the main mode of travel for any distance in Britain during World War Two, and even more so for commuters travelling into, and out of, London from the suburbs of Bromley and Kent. Between 1923 and 1947 the railways were run by the four largest railway companies in the United Kingdom, known as the “Big Four”.  The name had been coined by The Railway Magazine in its issue: “The Big Four of the New Railway Era” (February 1923) The ‘Big Four’ consisted of:…

Black-outs in the Church

Blackouts proved one of the more unpleasant aspects of the war, as they often disrupted many civilian activities and caused widespread grumbling and lower morale amongst the population. Blackout regulations were imposed on 1 September 1939, before the declaration of war.  The regulations required that all windows and doors should be covered at night with suitable material such as heavy curtains, cardboard or paint, to prevent the escape of any glimmer of light that might help enemy aircraft spot a target.  Shops, factories and churches had particular problems with black…