Description:This photograph taken during World War One depicts Cadbury employees preparing to ship boxes of Cadbury’s Mexican Chocolate and books to British troops. As soon as war broke out and troops were deployed overseas, Cadbury Bros began producing ‘chocolate for the troops’. These gifts continued to be distributed throughout the duration of the war and in total 20,000 parcels were sent out to troops on the front, as well as to those who were wounded and recovering at home or in hospital. Each box was packaged up with the message, ‘a present to our friends at the front, from the workpeople at Cadbury’s Bournville’.<small><sup>1</sup></small>
Women employees at Cadbury during this period, are predominantly represented as carers and nurturers. Recurring articles pertaining to the activities of the 3,500 female workforce included ‘Bournville Girls as Nurses’, and the knitting and sewing activities of individual departments. However, very little information is given regarding the experiences of women in the workplace during the war.<small><sup>2</sup></small>
Both the Bournville Works Magazine and the commemorative publication Bournville Works and the War 1914-1919, provide the reader with a vision of a workforce in harmony. But, for many women who were employed purely to supplement the depleted male workforce, the end of the war signified the termination of their employment. In the 1918 minutes of the Bournville Works Women’s Council, the company was considering the demobilisation of its supplementary female workforce.<small><sup>3</sup></small>
During this time, Cadbury had disbanded their bar on the employment of married women. In 1919 a rare protest is recorded in the Bournville Works Women’s Council minutes by women who had been temporarily employed in one of the men’s departments, on the announcement of their demobilisation the following was recorded:
‘Communication from Printing Shop Committee […] They think it fair that they should be given a chance to secure a position which will satisfy them, as they have stood by the firm during a time of difficulty. They would like to know exactly how they stand in the matter’.<small><sup>4</sup></small>
This minute represented the experiences of many women at the end of the first world war. Although women were celebrated for stepping up to take on the roles of men during the war, once the male workforce returned women were expected to give up their new found independence and status.
<font color="#666633"><small><sup>1</sup> T.B. Rodgers (ed), Bournville Works Magazine</i (December 1914), no.12, vol.12, p.356
<sup>2</sup> Bournville Works Magazine, p.356
<sup>3</sup> Bournville Works Women’s Council, minute 65, p.19 [UBSC: MS 301/002521]
<sup>4</sup> Bournville Works Women’s Council, minute 76, 17 January 1919, p.22 [UBSC: MS 301/002521]</small></font>