Reserved Occupations WW1 and WW2 England

[ablackburnoz]

Once again, thank you everyone for your very helpful input.... Youngtug... that photo of the Marshall's Ladies Football Team is one I have but didn't realise it was a Marshall's Team - my Grandmother is in the middle holding the ball.  It would be fantastic to find out when the photo was taken.  Amazing.
I am fascinated by all the replies and new information I can add to the family history folder.  Thank you so much.
Ann

[youngtug]

I cannot help with the photo apart from it was on Ebay;
https://picclick.co.uk/Ww1-Gainsborough-Munition-Workers-Ladies-Football-Team-Photo-122110714132.html

[jim1]

Men & women involved in war work were given "on war service" badges to wear.

[jbml]

Men & women involved in war work were given "on war service" badges to wear.

A source of great resentment for the Surveyors of Taxes, though. After 1914 they were forbidden to enlist (because of the damage it did to the flow of revenue into the government coffers) ... but they were NOT awarded "war badges" ... with the result that as fit young men remaining in civilian attire, they received considerable social opprobrium.

This issue was the subject of several editorial comments in the Quarterly Record of the Association of Surveyors of Taxes.

After the war, their invaluable was service was recognised by His Majesty being pleased to confer upon them the newly created title of His Majesty's Inspectors of Taxes - a title which survived in use for 90 years (with the necessary change to Her Majesty's Inspector of Taxes in 1952).

[jim1]

They wouldn't have been entitled as they were not involved in the manufacturing process.

[jbml]

Indeed - and that was their beef. The criteria for the award of war badges were, as they contended, inappropriate.

The need for war badges was that young men, apparently fit and able to serve, who weren't in uniform were reviled in public, had white feathers presented to them, and all sorts.

The surveyors of taxes were perfectly willing to serve, but were forbidden because the government needed them to stay at home and bring in the money which enabled them to pay for all those manufactures. Without a war badge they were subject to public opprobrium and social ostracism, and they felt that this was a great injustice.

They were, as they said "Perfectly willing, but not allowed, to serve"

[daisynook]

I came across these posts whilst looking for anything on reserved occupations in WW1.  My grandfather Frederick Gleave b.1882 was married with 2 children by 1914 and had more children during the war years.  His job was master joiner and family stories told that he worked on the wooden aircraft in the war.  He lived in Miles Platting, Manchester and was quite close to AVRose.  I wrote to them some years ago but there's no records of who worked there.
Could anyone suggest where I might find out more information on what he did in WW1?  Any help appreciated.

[jim1]

There were no reserve occupations as such in WW1 however there were protected industries & "starred" occupations.
Following the Military services Act 1916 commonly called conscription any man believing he should be exempted from military service had to appear before a tribunal & state his case.
Other "starred men" were automatically exempted because of the jobs they did. I would expect your man fell into this category if he was working at Avro which is quite possible given his trade, location & the need for aircraft. The Avro 504 was as iconic in WW1 as the Spitfire was in WW2 & several thousands were built.
With the absence of employee records you'll never know for sure all you can say is that the family story is probably correct.

[daisynook]

Thank you very much for that information Jim.  Shame there's no records anywhere.