The Busy Bees

HISTORY – by Peter Fox

DURING WORLD War 2 Saddleworth took part in many fundraising schemes to support the war effort.

These included national ones such as ‘Salute the Soldier’, ‘Warship Week’ adopting HMS Pegasus and the ‘Spitfire Fund’, which raised the costs of not one but two spitfires in the name of Saddleworth. 

There was also a lot of fundraising carried on by Saddleworth War Charities, as well as local groups at churches and pubs – the latter including the ‘Coolings Sticker Fund’ which was based at the Hare and Hounds in Uppermill.

The most prolific fund raising group was formed in Greenfield in 1939 at the start of the war, naming themselves the ‘Busy Bees’ and using the symbol of a bee.

They were formed by a group of ladies based at Tunstead in Greenfield with the aim of raising money, mostly through knitting accessories for the war effort.

By January of 1940, only a few months into the war, the group already numbered 453 and as the papers recorded “…..have kept hard at work during the holidays (Christmas and New Year) having made 2,671 garments. Some 743 sets have been sent to the troops. 36 sets have gone to the local battalion this week, while 17 pairs of game boot socks have been sent to the National Delivery Corps and they have been found a great comfort during the frosty weather.”  

The efforts of the ladies was not just associated with knitting and in March 1941 an onion which had been exhibited in a glass case realised 21sh 8d – just over a pound in current money and a lot of money then.

The work of the group was prolific throughout the war and by the end of it they had knitted over 17,000 items and made £33,000, which incredibly in today’s value of money based on 1944 is £1,182,720.

The Saddleworth Museum is fortunate in having in its collection a set of knitted dolls dressed in various uniforms and these are currently on display in the Gallery.

If you have any photographs of the ‘Busy Bees’ or any that record the home front in Saddleworth during the second world war we would love to hear from you.

Please get in touch with Museum curator Peter Fox by emailing curator@saddleworthmuseum.co.uk or calling 01457 874093.