English Landed Society in the Great War: Defending the Realm

(Hardback)

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The extent to which the Great War impacted upon English landed society is most vividly recalled in the loss of young heirs to ancient estates. English Landed Society in the Great War considers the impact of the war on these estates. Using the archives of Country Life, Edward Bujak examines the landed estate that flourished in England. In doing so, he explores the extent to which the wartime state penetrated into the heartlands of the landed aristocracy and gentry, and the corrosive effects that the progressive and systematic militarization of the countryside had on the authority of the squire. The book demonstrates how the commitment of landowners to the defence of an England of home and beauty - an image also adopted in wartime propaganda - ironically led to its transformation. By using the landed estate to examine the transition from Edwardian England to modern Britain, English Landed Society in the Great War provides a unique lens through which to consider the First World War and its impact on English society.

Reviews

To Edward Bujak's credit, he has managed to find an original and illuminating dimension to the history of the aristocracy and the war: the impact on estate life as revealed through the pages on Country Life ... this book makes an excellent contribution to the historiography of the English landed classes and war, and it deserves to be read by academics and a much wider audience. * English Historical Review *
There is ambition, verve and clear intent in this book ... often thought-provoking, will stimulate discussion and is valuable for its vigorous synoptic survey of the plight of great estates in a long attritional war. * Journal of British Studies *
[E]ntertaining and well-written ... Bujak's sources ... provide important hints about how landowners themselves were anxious to present their experience of war. * Journal of Modern History *
Edward Bujak has written a lucid and informative book showing how the aristocracy adjusted to the demands of war without losing their sense of themselves as a landowning political elite. * John Beckett, Professor of English Regional History, University of Nottingham, UK *
Bujaks richly sourced analysis of the English aristocracy reveals in striking new detail the lineaments of the crisis which beset the countrysides traditional elite during the Great War. * Matthew Cragoe, Professor of Modern British History and Pro Vice Chancellor, University of Lincoln, UK *
This is a most engaging book. Written in a lively but always erudite style, it provides an original dimension to the impact of the Great War on the English landed classes and opens up avenues for future exploration, especially in relation to comparative studies. * Journal of British Studies *
English Landed Society in the Great War is a useful source for anyone interested in either the European aristocracy or the Great War ... Bujak seeks to tell us not only how the Great War affected the English landed elite but also how the war, its necessities, and its ramifications were framed by those who lived through it. * Canadian Journal of History *
The structure is clear and even elegant: it allows the reader to navigate an eventful period and a complex topic through the different spheres of landed society ... Bujak is a competent storyteller, his writing is concise, and his use of the sources is persuasive, making for an interesting read for both academic and non-academic audiences. * European Review of History *
There is ambition, verve and clear intent in this book ... This book is often thought-provoking, will stimulate discussion and is valuable for its vigorous synoptic survey of the plight of great estates in a long attritional war ... Bujaks book deserves a wide readership. * The English Historical Review *

Author Bio

Edward Bujak is Senior Lecturer in British Studies and History at Harlaxton College, UK. He is the author of Reckless Fellows: The Gentlemen of the Royal Flying Corps (2015) and Englands Rural Realms: Landownership and the Agricultural Revolution (2008). He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, the Royal Historical Society and the Royal Society of Arts.