Wartime farming remembered

The Imperial War Museum is raising awareness of agricultural efforts during the Second World War with its “Wartime Farm” exhibition.

It’s giving visitors the chance to come face-to-face with the domestic animals of 1940s, plus hear first-hand from the Land Girls and evacuees as they share their memories of how family life was transformed by the outbreak of war in 1939.

The free event, taking place in the park outside the museum and run with the help of Surrey Docks City Farm, coincides with the museum’s popular Ministry of Food exhibition.

The farm will be open from 12-15 August and again from 19-22 between 11am and 4pm.

More information at www.iwm.org.uk

WARTIME FARM Click on any image to start slideshow. Click on play arrow to pause slideshow.

Five facts

• By 1943, 70% of Britain’s food was produced at home, with only 30% imported
• In 1943, there were 4000 registered pig clubs, with 100,000 members, producing 6000 tonnes of meat a year, enough bacon for 150 million breakfasts
• In 1939, there were five million hens kept in backyards. By 1945, this had risen to 11million.
• By 1943, more than six million families – three-fifths of the total population – were producing some of their own vegetables.
• By 1943, there were 80,333 land girls and 61,000 school children “lending a hand” on the land.