BARNSLEY IN THE GREAT WAR

Royalty was popular in Barnsley in the early 20th century, and in 1912 King George V and Queen Mary paid a highly successful visit, attracting masses of cheering crowds to the town centre. Featured in the Domesday Book, Barnsley became an important centre in the 13th century when a market was established by Royal Charter, and in later centuries it was a staging post for coaches travelling further north. In 1914 Barnsley's Territorial Army numbered 220 and when war was declared they headed for Rotherham to receive their orders after listening to a patriotic address form Barnsley's Mayor. As the Battle of the Marne commenced, a fundraising concert at the Barnsley Empire raised over £44 for the war effort. At this time only about 30 per cent of the workforce was female, and most were in domestic service, but from the start of hostilities women began to work in a larger range of jobs. In October Mrs W K Peace signalled her willingness to receive a wounded soldier during his recuperation, and soon afterwards a group of about 35 Belgian refugees arrived in the town. At Christmas the Barnsley Union Workhouse, housing 100 women, 144 men and 44 children, received Christmas treats including a threepenny piece for each child. In April 1915 an outbreak of pilfering from local shops was traced back to a gang of children who were put on probation except for one girl who was sent to a reformatory. In October a new Variety Theatre was opened in the presence of the local aristocracy and dignitaries. The town rose to the demands of warfare, but by 1917 women working in jobs such as engineering were being warned they would have to relinquish them to men when the war ended. 198pp, paperback, black and white photos from the Barnsley Chronicle.