War Hall: A Theatre of War

WAR HALL takes listeners back to 1939, as Britain stands on the brink of World War II and a working-class London borough prepares for the unimaginable.In Walthamstow, an unfinished Town Hall complex is rapidly converted into a command centre for air-raid response — coordinating shelters, emergency services, gas-mask distribution, and survival during the Blitz. Drawing on The War Over Walthamstow, the extraordinary firsthand account of local civil-defence chief Ross Wylde, this episode reveals how local government, volunteers, and factory workers — many of them women — were mobilised for total war.As bombs fall across London, factories switch to military production, women train as engineers, plans continue for a large public concert hall — raising the question: why invest in music and public gathering at the height of such destruction?Through archival voices, personal memories, and immersive sound design, A Theatre of War explores how ordinary people resisted fear, fascism, and erasure — and how the foundations of the post-war welfare state were laid.Selected audio excerpts featured in this episode:'The war over Walthamstow: the story of Civil Defence 1939 1945' by Ross WyldeAll other music by Simon MillsAudio excerpts are used under UK fair dealing provisions for the purposes of criticism, review, and historical illustration. Full rights remain with the respective rights holders.War Hall is an independent production. If we ever make a profit, half will go to War Child, with the rest supporting our small team. If you’d like to help us make future episodes, you can join our Patreon — even the smallest contribution helps us pay artists fairly.Follow War Hall: A Theatre of the Mind wherever you get your podcasts, and please leave a review to help others find the show.Some clips are used under fair dealing and fair use for historical illustration.Music and sound design by Simon Mills.Produced by Alison Williams, Professor John Thomas, and Susie Williams. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.