001205

Description

A file of documents relating to religious activity in Birmingham. Subjects covered in the file include the activities of the Christian Social Council, Roman Catholics, Methodists, and the Salvation Army; and the activities of church youths, including camps and recreation activities. The file also covers and governmental co-operation with religious organisations to deal with issues inside air-raid shelters, including the lack of heating, canteens, bedding, medical personnel, and leadership; the unsafeness of the shelters; petty crime and the spread of rumours; and the local authorities' lack of provisions. Other subjects discussed include the issues posed by the activities of youths, including drunkenness; assistance to shelter occupants provided by youths, including religious services and concerts, the serving of cocoa, and the escorting of the elderly; air-raid precaution assistance by religious organisations, including the provision of billeting, hot meals, and nurseries; and the activities in the aftermath of church bombings, including salvage and debris clearance by youths.

Keywords

administration, air raids, air-raid precautions, air-raid shelter conditions, air-raid shelters, air-raid wardens, air-raid warnings, alcohol, amenities, bedding, billeting, blackout, bomb damage, childcare, Christmas, Church of England, civil defence, civil defence equipment, civil defence training, civilian casualties, clothing, cocoa, communal feeding, crime, culture, demographics, demolition, drunkenness, finance, fire prevention, fires, first aid, gas, healthcare, heating, holidays, homelessness, hostels, infants, interviews, local authorities, maternity, meals, Methodists, music, old age, poverty, public health, public houses, public morale, recreation, religion, religious buildings, repair, rescue, Roman Catholics, rumours, salvage, statistics, surveys, voluntary organisations, volunteers, wages, welfare, working hours, youths