Kew Bridge Steam Museum Presents WWII and You: Life on the Home Front. Print
Friday, 15 June 2007 11:40
This August Bank Holiday Weekend, on the 25th, 26th and 27th August, Kew Bridge Steam Museum will be stepping back to the 1940’s and inviting you along for the journey. Throughout the weekend there will be many different activities for all the family to take part in. You will be able to explore all aspects of life on the home front, from make do and mend to how to make nutritious meals from the rations.
 
Our Café will be serving a special menu which includes dishes from ration recipes and once you’ve tasted them, the man from the Ministry (of Food) will be there to show you how to make the rations stretch further, using vegetables from our Dig for Victory garden.
 
Outside we will have the Auxiliary Fire Service on standby in case incendiary bombs fall on the site.  We will also be showing you how bomb disposal takes place.
 
The make do and mend ladies will be on hand to show you how to make the clothes ration stretch by reusing old clothes, darning and patching, as well as how to support our soldiers by knitting for the forces.
 
The pumping station itself will show the measures taken to ensure that water supplies get through despite the effects of air raids and shortages.
 
For children there will be the opportunities to dress up in 1940’s costume, to help the war effort may making your own recycled envelopes and to hunt the spy that has left a clue somewhere in the museum.  You can also ‘dig for victory’ and be evacuated on our waterworks railway.
 
And for a special something extra on Monday top wartime dancing team the GI Jitterbugs will be doing demonstrations and have a go sessions.
You will be given a special Metropolitan Water board wartime pass and a limited edition Kew News giving you information about the timetable for the weekend and tips for the blackout as well as other wartime stories. 
 
As more items are being confirmed they will be posted on this website so keep an eye open for them!
 
Admission for the day will be £8. There will be a £2 discount on entrance fees for people coming in period costume (civilian clothes and Allied uniforms only please) and for those arriving in vehicles from the ‘40s (or earlier) the entire party will receive the discount.  If you are planning to bring a historic vehicle please let the museum office (0208 568 4757) or the 1940’s event coordinator ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) know so that parking arrangements can be made.