VI. Travelling

Reports
Wartime Social Survey
RG 23/16 - Workers and the War: A series of Short Studies dealing with the Domestic Problems of Working Women, Housewives' Auxillary Occupation, Jobs done at home by Working Men, Shopping and Transport Difficulties, Health and the Use of Canteens, 1942

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VI. TRAVELLING
New Series Regional G.2

An Inquiry made by the Wartime Social Survey for the Ministry of Information.

Interviewing was carried out during the period 9th to 26th June 1942.

A general sample representative of all groups of the adult population was interviewed.

“Have you made any journeys by train or coach of 20 miles or more, during the last four weeks?

	%
Yes	16.1
No	83.9
SAMPLE	2023

Rather more women than men had travelled, but the difference is very slight.

	MEN	WOMEN
	%	%
Yes	14.1 ± 2.4	17.6
No	85.9	82.4
SAMPLE	878	1145

There are some differences as between different regions.

	SCOTLAND	NORTH OF ENGLAND	MIDLANDS & WALES	SOUTH, S.W. & E ANGLIA	LONDON	TOTAL
	%	%	%	%	%	%
Yes	22.7 ± 5.6	11.0 ± 3.6	17.8 ± 3.6	19.2 ± 3.7	14.7 ± 4.2	16.[Text Missing]
No	77.3	89.0	82.2	80.8	85.3	83.[Text Missing]
SAMPLE	224	590	450	457	299

Scotland shows a high proportion and the North of England rather a low proportion making journeys.

Breakdown by occupational groups gives the following result:-

	FACTORY & SHIPYARDS	OUTDOOR WORK & MINING +	CLERICAL & DISTRIBUTIVE	MANAGERIAL & PROFESSIONAL	HOUSEWIVES	TOTAL
	%	%	%	%	%	%
Yes	16.1	11.1 ± 3.9	20.1 ± 4.6	29.4 ± 7.8	13.6	16.[Text Missing]
No	83.9	88.9	79.9	70.6	86.4	83.[Text Missing]
SAMPLE	490	260	313	136	618	20[Text Missing]

+ Mining, agriculture, building and road workers, transport workers.

It will be seen that a higher proportion travelled in the managerial and professional group than in other groups.

Those who had made journeys were asked:

“What was the purpose of your journey?”

Answers are classified as follows:-

	% of those travelling
Business and work	23.4
To visit friends and relatives	30.4
Holidays and week-ends away	22.8
Recreation and pleasure	9.2
Shopping	6.2
Miscellaneous	7.1
No information	0.9
SAMPLE	325

“Business and work” does not include regular daily journeys to and from work, but only journeys of an occasional sort. A third of those travelling for this purpose belong to managerial and professional occupations.

The category “recreation and pleasure” differs from holidays in that the purpose of the journey was such as could be carried out in one day, and would not mean that the informant stayed away for the night. (e.g. football matches, dances).

Analysis by sex shows some differences

	MEN	WOMEN	TOTAL
	%	%	%
Business and work	42.7 ± 9	11.4	23.4
To visit friends or relatives	21.0	36.3	30.4
Holidays & week-ends away	12.1	29.3	22.8
Recreation & pleasure	15.3	5.5	9.2
Shopping	1.6	9.0	6.2
Miscellaneous	7.3	7.0	7.1
No information	-	1.5	0.9
SAMPLE	124	201

Business and work is an answer more frequently given by men than by women. Amongst the women a higher proportion went away for holidays and a lower proportion for “recreation”. With men this tendency is reversed.

Women show a higher proportion going on shopping expeditions.

The numbers travelling in the different occupational and regional groups are too small to give statistically significant results.

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VI. TRAVELLING New Series Regional G.2

VI. TRAVELLING
New Series Regional G.2