The events of January 1918
1918 started, by order of the King, with a day of prayer and while the suffering both of serving men and their families at home was
recognised, the main message was that people had to ‘carry on.’
The dawing of a New Year saw the hardships at home increase Food shortages had become acute and the sight of people queuing
in the hope of buying the basics of life became commonplace. The government were taking increasing control of the supply of
commodities like butter, margarine and sugar through the local Food Control Committees.
Some believed that while they were being told to tighten their already tight belts a little more, others were able to carry on their
privileged lives as before. And there was growing anger that a few businessmen were cashing in on the war while others were
struggling to cope.
While some companies were reporting that business was good, normally restrained teachers were considering joining the Trades
Council to try and improve their falling income. And we are reminded of the dangers faced daily in the wool trade when a local
woolcomber died from anthrax.
The war was costing the government millions of pounds each day and to boost the coffers they sent the ‘Nelson Tank’ around the
country to sell yet more war bonds. Shipley and district contributed handsomly to the £4m+ raised when the tank came to
Bradford (calculated to be worth more than £200m today).
News from the trenches included the usual toll of casualties and reports of the heroism of medal winners. There were also
descriptions of Christmas and New Year at the Front and a higher than usual number of reports of men being home on a brief
leave.
The links here will take you to pages containing stories published exactly 100 years before. The headlines shown are only a taste of
the stories that appear on that page.
4 January 1918
- Windhill vicar writes from the Front Line
- Letters home from “Eccleshill Road”
- Serving men condemn striking miners
- No need to queue for food
- Anthrax kills 30-year-old woolcomber
- Pastor’s comforting verses
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- Vicar’s barbed farewell message
- Good news for shell-shock victims’ families
- Remembering the dead with pride
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- Medals for local serving men
- Shipley folk boost ‘Nelson’ fund
- ‘One of the very best’ KIA
11 January 1918
- Windhill vicar writes from the Front Line
- Letters home from “Eccleshill Road”
- Serving men condemn striking miners
- Food shortages starting to bite
- Public generosity provides for the wounded
- Preparing for life after the vicar
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- Fined for swearing at ex-boss
- Churches support King’s day of prayer
- Idle CC sign Somerset veteran
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- An enjoyable Christmas in Flanders
- They’ve given me a medal
- Local hero on leave
18 January 1918
- Shipley must keep investing in the war
- Teachers turn to Trades Council over pay
- Important mills taken over
- Council buy land for working-class houses
- Shipley man chosen as MP candidate
- Inquiry into death of 8-year-old girl
- Looking back at Baildon at the time of the
Crimea War
- Doing the washing on New Year’s Eve
- Soldiers carry pal to his grave
- Wouded soldier loses an eye
25 January 1918
- Windhill vicar writes from the Front Line
- Letters home from “Eccleshill Road”
- Serving men condemn striking miners
- Bakers fined for over-pricing bread
- Public urged to halve meat order
- Row over vacant Council seat
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- Heman and Jimmy now on war work
- Daring burglary attempt fails
- Movie tricks delight schoolchildren
- Killed after just two days in the trenches
- Civilian distress shames ‘shirkers’ at home
- POWs give the view from the other side
- YMCA providing comforts at the front
- New Zealand emigre visits his old home
- Military medal for theologian
