Turn Back Time - The Family - Episode 3

Our families are turning back the clock and will live the lives of their ancestors during World War II.  The house has been transformed into what it would have looked like during World War II.  There are blackout blinds and taped-up windows.
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The Taylor Family’s fortunes have been on a downturn and they are still living in the big house.  The Taylors struggled with their role at the top of the pecking order.  During World War II servants are the thing of the past and the family can run the home the way they want to.  The basement has been turned into an air-raid shelter.  The Taylors continue to explore the house, feeling reminded of the war.

The Goldings explore their middle-class house and discover rabbits in the house.  The war has brought the golden age to the end.  The Goldings are surprised to see a recipe for rabbit pie in a cookbook.  They are reluctant to kill a rabbit.

The Meadows are in for a big surprise.  They have a pig in the house.  Families banded together to raise a pig for some additional meat.  They are also growing their vegetables.  Things are looking up for the Meadows family.  Rationing benefited the poor and was a burden to the upper class.  Mrs. Meadows believes things will be better for them.  Mrs. Meadows will be the air raid warden for the neighborhood.

World War II was an equalizer.  The families, no matter what class, are facing the same conditions.  They will be living with a limited full supply.  Mothers of all classes struggled to put food on the table.  It will be a challenging week for the family and the families will be given gas masks.  The Taylors comment that it is strange to bit fitted for gas masks. 

The men join up with the local home defense, as their ancestors would have done during World War II.  With real weapons in short supply, the volunteers had to make their weapons.  The men undergo training for home defense.  Mr. Taylor had served in the RAF and is in his element.  Mr. Golding is having a challenge learning how to march.  Mr. Taylor and Mr. Meadows have a good laugh over Mr. Golding learning to walk.

World War II is now bringing the families together and social barriers are coming down.  The families are given cod liver oil to help supplement their nutrition.  The Taylors take it and find it challenging to get down.  Mrs. Taylor is back in her element.  She did not like the lady of leisure life.  She is now the cook, nanny, and cleaner.  The family sits together for a meal, the first time in forty years.

The air raid siren goes off and the families evacuate to the bomb shelter in the Taylors house.  It is the first taste of war for the families.  During World War II, over two million homes were destroyed.  Sound is being piped into the bomb shelter and they hear airplanes.  They are now getting a taste of what their ancestors went through during the war.  The women are worried about Mrs. Meadows, who is watching the street.  While the families are in the shelter, Mrs. Meadows reflects on being left alone and vulnerable.  So how did the neighborhood fair after the first air raid?  What damage was inflicted on the neighborhood?  How do social barriers continue to fall during World War II?  Tune into this episode to discover more about the Family during World War II.

This particular episode is an excellent episode to show to a history class!