The Ministry of Information in British Cultural Memory
Katherine Howells, PhD Candidate, Department of Digital Humanities, King's College London
Presented at IAMCR 2016
2. Mass Observation
• Mass Observation project started in 1981
• Directive issued in Spring 2009
• Part one titled ‘The Second World War’
• Responses from 235 volunteers
• Open-ended questions
• Responses encouraged from writers of all ages
Katherine Howells
@KHowellsKCL
#IAMCR2016
3. Remembering processes
“Her stories stemmed from how few girls there were to how many servicemen and
the dances they used to have! Also tinged with sadness though for the friends she
made who did not return…The dance music of the time - big bands of Glenn Miller
and the like, seem to sum up the feeling of almost desperation to relax and
enjoy life whilst they could.”
(Female, aged 50)
“Mum talks a lot about her time in the WRAF and liked the whole 'service life'
scene. I don't think Mum ever settled back into 'civvy street'. I think that was the only
time she was truly happy… The people then were more of a community and
tended to look after each other and care for their neighbours… The whole country is
splintered and diluted but during war time, everybody was pulling together.”
(Female, aged 42)
Katherine Howells
@KHowellsKCL
#IAMCR2016
4. Remembering processes
“All that real horror is right here on our streets now, and the papers are full of it
and the crooked ways of politicians and councillors, amongst others, whilst during
the war you could leave your door unlocked, no one other than your own would
enter, and the milkman could leave the milk outside your door quite safely, and you
were quite safe outside even at night, no one tried to rob you. Those really were
the good days.”
(Female, aged 86)
“The world seems smaller, more crowded, more intrusive, more fearful and
less well-mannered than I care for…I do sincerely believe that the options
available to my grandchildren are not nearly so varied and exciting as those I found
in my early twenties when the world was my oyster and everyone in it
potentially my friend.”
(Male, aged 87) Katherine Howells
@KHowellsKCL
#IAMCR2016
5. Remembering processes
“I always feel a sense of pride when I watch them, but remember I
was born during the war, I doubt younger generations would
feel the same.”
(Female, aged 64)
“Sometimes, we old ones who survived the war feel a sort of
contempt for the people we're breeding now. The greedy, the
work-shy, the hangers-on, the people swindling this country by
taking every hand-out that's on offer.”
(Female, aged 77) Katherine Howells
@KHowellsKCL
#IAMCR2016
6. Remembering processes
“When I was young I was struck by the excitement; now I appreciate
the human costs which are depicted, too. I have grown up.”
(Male, aged 71)
“When I first watched the films as a young boy I remember the
excitement and the sense of danger… Over time, when watching
the films they make me feel very proud to be British and reinforce
my belief that we owe a lot to the men who gave their lives in this
conflict.”
(Male, aged 22)
Katherine Howells
@KHowellsKCL
#IAMCR2016
7. Remembering processes
“How I wished, as a child, that I could have taken part in the war…
But as an adult - how grateful I am that the timing of my birth excluded
me from the horror of fighting.”
(Male, aged 65)
“One year, when I was at Polytechnic, a group of us 'boycotted'
Remembrance Day. In the idealism of youth, we considered it to be
a glorification of war… Far from glorifying war, Remembrance Day
has become a symbol of the futility of war and also its inevitability,
given human nature, which we must always try to mitigate.”
(Male, aged 46) Katherine Howells
@KHowellsKCL
#IAMCR2016
9. References to Ministry of Information sources and campaigns
Katherine Howells
@KHowellsKCL
#IAMCR2016
10. References to each source type made in each text location
Code Title
A What does it mean to you?
B Remembering
C The traces of the Second World War
D Films and TV programmes
E Books
F
Information about the Second World
War, events and activities
G Last but not least.... A Special Task
11. Average number of references to each source type, split by age bracket
Katherine Howells
@KHowellsKCL
#IAMCR2016
12. Average number of references to MoI campaigns, split by age bracket
Katherine Howells
@KHowellsKCL
#IAMCR2016
13. Average number of references to MoI campaigns, split by gender
Katherine Howells
@KHowellsKCL
#IAMCR2016
