Widely acknowledged as the beginning of the modern era, World War I brought cataclysmic political, economic and social upheaval. In Britain, then the world’s sole superpower, the declaration of war instigated both a market panic and ensuing financial crisis. Men rushed to volunteer at Army recruitment centers and meet impending death in the trenches while record numbers of women entered factories and the broader workforce in support of the war effort.

Wartime rationing and restrictions became a regular feature of English domestic life as did public assemblies, military parades, and protests. News of the war was delivered to the masses by the legendary Fleet Street tabloids and publishers supported by specialized photographic agencies. One of these agencies, Topical Press, documented the war effort both at home and abroad.

WWI: Home Front presents uniquely English scenes captured on the streets, in the countryside and inside wartime factories between 1914 and 1919. By focusing on the daily lives of civilians during wartime, the exhibition presents a unique perspective on the war and it’s enduring social and cultural impact.

These limited edition fibre prints are produced in the Getty Images darkroom from the original Topical Press glass plate negatives.