Holidays seldom feature in our picture of life in Britain during the Second World War, and one could be forgiven for thinking that holidays ceased altogether at this time of crisis. Indeed, many histories of the home front highlight aspects of sacrifice, long working hours, blitzed neighbourhoods, and women tired out from endless queuing and ‘making-do’. While these aspects were ever-present parts of wartime life, evidence gathered from Scottish archival sources reveals that leisure was also a core part of everyday life. Newspapers, magazines, diaries and government documents reveal that many people continued to enjoy popular pastimes from pre-war days, including taking vacations – both at home and away from home.
During the Second World War, authorities encouraged the British public to forego holidays away from home, and instead spend leisure time in their local surroundings. With the dual purpose of discouraging holiday travel and keeping up the morale of city-folk, a ‘Holidays at Home’ programme was established in 1941. Events were organised by local governments and voluntary groups throughout Britain, scheduled for the peak summer holiday season. By 1942, the programme was under way in Scotland, and events included football, tugs of war, community singing, punch and judy shows, treasure hunts, concerts and open-air dancing. Patriotic military displays were also common, such as a performance in the Ness islands by the band of the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, and in Aberdeen a pipe band parade was led by a pipe-major from the Gordon Highlanders. The public was also able to attend a ‘Scotland’s Gardens’ scheme, which provided a chance to view many of the ‘famous and romantic’ gardens of Scotland. Exhibition sheep dog trials, which were held in both Inverness and Edinburgh, were also popular. The Scotsman reported the Edinburgh trials were welcomed by the townspeople, and proved ‘of absorbing interest’, with spectators ‘marvelling at the control over the sheep by master and dog’.
The scheme continued for the remainder of the war years, with events such as sightseeing tours, zoo days, alfresco concerts, picnics, athletics and swimming galas. Public reaction was mixed: some enjoyed the events, while others were
