One in wartime Britain, the other in pre-war America 1941 –

In late 1941 – quite coincidentally, there were two picture essays of a typical day in the lives of two different women in the 1940s.
The first, an American housewife, by the name of Jane Amberg from Kankakee, Illinois.USA.
The second, a young British girl called Mrs Olive Day, in bombed out London. She is newly married and her husband Lieutenant Kenneth Day is away on war duty.

Morning.

Olive---A-Day-in-the-Life---Two-Women-in-the-early-1940s — London. UK. 1941

London – Olive Day wakes at 7am at her home in Drayton Gardens, South Kensington. Olive sleeps with her gas mask, torch and a book handy, in the event of having to make a quick dash to the air raid shelter during the night.

Jane---A-Day-in-the-Life---Two-Women-in-the-early-1940s5 — Illinois. USA.1941

Illinois – Jane Amberg, mother of three, starts her day early at 6.30.The only time they get to themselves, Jane and her husband John breakfast alone.

Olive---A-Day-in-the-Life---Two-Women-in-the-early-1940sb — London.UK.1941

London – Before going to work, Olive makes her bed, cleans out her fireplace – carefully separating cinders from ash. ( the cinders are re-used and the ash is used for fertilizer in her garden) .

Olive---A-Day-in-the-Life---Two-Women-in-the-early-1940sc — London.UK.1941

Olive cleans her landing,pointing out a hole in the ceiling made recently by a fire bomb which came through during a bombing raid.

Jane---A-Day-in-the-Life---Two-Women-in-the-early-1940s4 — Illinois.USA.1941

Illinois – Jane drives her husband to work, her kids to school and by mid morning is home making four beds and tidying her living room.

Jane---A-Day-in-the-Life---Two-Women-in-the-early-1940s — Illinois.USA.1941

Today is sewing day with her friends, so she heads over for coffee and an hour of fun and gossip.

Olive---A-Day-in-the-Life---Two-Women-in-the-early-1940sd — London.UK.1941

London – Olive makes it to the tram just in time for work. She works as a ‘girl clerk in a war-time organisation’ ( no further information is supplied by the war office and that most of her day is filled by filing .

Download direct to your device – 1940s Wartime Women Memorabilia.

Afternoon / Early Evening.

Jane---A-Day-in-the-Life---Two-Women-in-the-early-1940s3 — Illinois.USA.1941

Illinois – Jane is back by noon to fix up lunch. She collects both kids and husband at 1pm. She calls herself a “short order cook”. Later Jane does the washing and prepares the evening meal.

Olive---A-Day-in-the-Life---Two-Women-in-the-early-1940sf — London.UK.1941

London – After work Mrs Day collects her meat ration from her local butcher.

Olive---A-Day-in-the-Life---Two-Women-in-the-early-1940sg — London.UK.1941

Once home she prepares and puts her dinner into the oven after a busy day.

Olive---A-Day-in-the-Life---Two-Women-in-the-early-1940sh — London.UK.1941

While her evening meal is cooking, Olive settles down on her bed with the evening paper and a spot of sewing.

Jane---A-Day-in-the-Life---Two-Women-in-the-early-1940s7 — Illinois.USA.1941

Illinois – Jane collects her kids from school and takes them shopping.

Jane---A-Day-in-the-Life---Two-Women-in-the-early-1940s6 — Illinois.USA.1941

She cooks the evening meal and sets the table for John and kids. After dinner, she bathes the children and puts them to bed.

Jane---A-Day-in-the-Life---Two-Women-in-the-early-1940s8 — Illinois.USA.1941

Tonight Jane must fill the role of her husbands glamour girl at a business dinner and dance.

Her make-up is set out on her table. Then it’s off to the dance. Though she’s tired, it’s always nice to get dressed up.

Olive---A-Day-in-the-Life---Two-Women-in-the-early-1940si — London.UK.1941

London – Olive makes up a bunk in the air raid shelter in the cellar of her South Kensington home. Always good to be ready for a bombing raid after that near miss through her ceiling.

A Day in the Life – Two Women in the early 1940s

One in wartime Britain, the other in pre-war America 1941 –

Morning.

Afternoon / Early Evening.

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