Brader, Christopher (2001) Timbertown girls : Gretna female munitions workers in World War I. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

This thesis explores the relationship between age, class and gender among female
munitions workers at the government explosives factory at Gretna in south-west
Scotland during World War I. The Ministry of Munitions not only organised the
construction of a factory nine miles in length, but also built two new townships to
house a migrant workforce, which was drawn from all parts of the United Kingdom
and Ireland. Teenage girls comprised a considerable proportion of this workforce.
Significantly, welfare provision at Gretna, both inside and outside the factory, was
far more extensive than at many other munitions establishments. This thesis focuses
on the relationship between welfare supervisors, women police, social reformers and
the female workers. While some middle and upper-class women attempted to claim
new areas of social space during World War I, by embracing industrial welfare work
or police work, their authority was often defined by their relationship with young,
working-class females. Class was important in this relationship. However, welfare
workers, for example, not only claimed authority because of their superior social
standing, but also because they were often significantly older than much of the female
workforce. The thesis concludes that the youthfulness of Gretna munitions workers
was a significant component of their wartime identities and experience.

Item Type:	Thesis or Dissertation (PhD)
Subjects:	D History General and Old World > DA Great Britain
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	World War, 1914-1918 -- Participation, Female, Weapons industry -- Employees, Explosives industry -- Scotland -- Gretna -- History -- 20th century, Gretna (Scotland) -- Social conditions -- 20th century
Official Date:	February 2001
Dates:	Date Event February 2001 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Department of Social History
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Steedman, Carolyn ; Mason, Tony, 1938-
Sponsors:	Economic and Social Research Council (Great Britain) (ESRC)
Extent:	[7], 283 leaves
Language:	eng

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