Poster, 'Empire Ford Factories Work for Britain'

This poster celebrates the production of military vehicles and munitions by the Ford Motor Company during World War II. The Ford factory in Lower Hutt, New Zealand, was one of many Ford factories involved. Ford New Zealand produced over 10 thousand military vehicles, nearly 6 million hand grenades, and 1.2 million mortar rounds.

Women's work

Huge amounts of labourwere required to maintain this output. Women particularly were directed into manufacturing munitions. Lower Hutt had a severe shortage of female labour, somany young women from the lower North Island were ‘manpowered’ to munitions making in its Ford factory. They lived in a purpose-built young women’s hostel in Lower Hutt.

Manpowering

In January 1942, the government passed legislation giving it the power to direct men and women into work of national importance – ‘manpowering’. Initially, women aged 20 and 21 could be manpowered. Men aged up to 70 could be manpowered if they had experience in building, construction, engineering, or metal trades. By January 1944, women aged between 18 and 40 could be manpowered. Most worked in food, clothing, and munitions industries. Women with children were exempt from manpowering.