- Introductions & Names
- Courting & Romance
- Gender Relations & Roles
- Class Distinctions
- Church Etiquette
- Gifts Between Sexes
- Speaking of Money & Personal Matters
- Wartime Specific Behaviors
- Servants & Employers
- Addressing Royalty & Nobility
- Telephone Usage & Public Behavior
- High-Class Events
- LGBTQIA+
- People of Color
- Women in the United Kingdom, 1940
- Men & Conscription
Introductions & Names
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Note: This is largely accurate for middle and upper classes, though wartime was beginning to relax some formalities.
Courting & Romance
Initiating Courtship
| Do | Don't |
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During Courtship
| Do | Don't |
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Engagement
| Do | Don't |
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Marriage
| Do | Don't |
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Major Correction: By the 1940s, chaperones were much less common than in Victorian/Edwardian eras, particularly due to wartime circumstances. Young couples had considerably more freedom than earlier generations. The strict chaperone system had largely faded by the 1940s, though parents still expected to meet suitors and some supervision occurred for very young women. Wartime circumstances gave couples unprecedented freedom.
Gender Relations & Roles
| Do | Don't |
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Note: The 1940s saw significant changes in gender roles due to WWII. Women had more freedom than in previous decades, including smoking in public becoming increasingly acceptable (though still frowned upon by some). However, traditional gender expectations remained strong.
Class Distinctions
If You're Upper/Middle Class
| Do | Don't |
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If You're Working Class/In Service
| Do | Don't |
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Major Correction: While class distinctions remained, WWII was actively breaking down rigid class barriers. Shared experiences in air raid shelters, military service, evacuation programs, and women's war work created unprecedented class mixing. By 1940, domestic service was in major decline—middle-class families who once employed multiple servants often had none.
Church Etiquette
| Do | Don't |
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Major Correction: Church attendance was NOT mandatory by the 1940s. Legal penalties for non-attendance had been repealed in the 19th century. However, regular church attendance was still a strong social expectation for "respectable" middle and upper classes. Working-class attendance was historically much lower. By 1940, church attendance was declining but still culturally significant, especially for maintaining social respectability.
Gifts Between Sexes
| Do | Don't |
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Speaking of Money & Personal Matters
| Do | Don't |
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Note: These taboos remained strong. Women had no financial independence legally in many ways; married women's property was complex.
Wartime Specific Behaviors
| Do | Don't |
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Note: "Careless Talk Costs Lives" was a major campaign and wartime restrictions were serious.
Divorce & Scandal
| Do | Don't |
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Major Correction: While divorce remained stigmatized and "uncommon enough to be a potential source of shame throughout the first half of the 20th century," it was legally available after the Matrimonial Causes Act 1857, with reforms in 1923 (equal grounds for men and women on adultery) and 1937 (adding cruelty, desertion, incurable insanity). WWII caused a surge in divorces—by 1950 there were about 20,000 divorces yearly compared to very few pre-war. So while socially damaging, divorce was not impossible and was becoming more common due to wartime strains.
Servants & Employers
If You Employ Servants
| Do | Don't |
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If You're In Service
| Do | Don't |
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Major Correction: By 1940, domestic service was in major decline. The numbers of servants had dropped dramatically, especially during WWII when women took factory and war work jobs. Middle-class families who once employed multiple servants often had none or only occasional help. The elaborate servant systems described were fading fast. Only wealthy households maintained traditional servant arrangements.
Addressing Royalty & Nobility
| Do | Don't |
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Note: Accurate for those who encountered royalty or nobility.
Telephone Usage & Public Behavior
Telephone
| Do | Don't |
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Public Behavior
| Do | Don't |
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Note: British reserve and stoicism were cultural touchstones.
High-Class Events
Formal Balls & Dances
| Do | Don't |
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Formal Dinners & Banquets
| Do | Don't |
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LGBTQIA+
Note on Terminology: The terms " LGBTQIA+” and "gay" as identity labels were not used in the 1940s. “Gay” was still using its original dentition of someone or something being "happy," "carefree," and "bright". People used coded language like "queer" (often derogatory), "inverts," "homosexuals," or Polari slang within society. Many people did not have language to describe their experiences or understand themselves within a framework of sexual orientation or gender identity as we conceive it now. This does not reflect the believes of writers in this roleplay community, merely conflict constrictions to write in as “forbidden romance”. No one needs to write about the struggles of LGBTQIA+, but they must respect the constrictions and consequences of the era and setting. Meaning, do not engage in activity in which your characters would get caught in public and do not assume all characters are accepting, your character should use caution.
LGBTQIA+ individuals had to maintain absolute secrecy about their orientation or identity. Disclosure could result in criminal prosecution, loss of employment, social ruin, and violence. Even private correspondence has a risk of not being safe, letters could be seized and used as evidence in prosecutions. Blackmail of LGBTQIA+ individuals is extremely common, as victims could not turn to police for aid without incriminating themselves. Police regularly conducted raids on suspected meeting places, and individuals could not trust that even close friends wouldn't inform on them under pressure.
Under the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885, with the Labouchere Amendment making "gross indecency" between men illegal, even in private. Prosecutions were common and carried severe penalties including imprisonment with hard labor. Conviction under these laws could even lead to chemical castration while imprisoned.
Paradoxically, LGBTQIA+ individuals had more social freedom in one specific way: two people of the same sex could dine together, attend theatre, travel together, and socialize without raising any suspicion or requiring chaperones. What would have been scandalous for an unmarried heterosexual couple was entirely unremarkable for same-sex companions. This provided some cover for LGBTQIA+ relationships, though any hint of physical or romantic involvement remained extremely dangerous where it could be witnessed.
Lesbianism was never explicitly criminalized, partly because Queen Victoria and male lawmakers refused to acknowledge it existed, and partly because women's sexuality was not taken seriously. However, lesbian women still faced severe consequences. They risked loss of employment, loss of child custody, forced separation from partners, and potential institutionalization in mental asylums, as homosexuality was classified as a mental illness by the medical establishment. The lack of legal prohibition did not mean social acceptance, lesbian women faced the same need for absolute secrecy as queer men.
Many LGBTQIA+ individuals married heterosexually to maintain social respectability, lived double lives whether their partner was aware of it or not, remained celibate, or suffered in isolation. Some found relative safety in certain artistic, theatrical, or bohemian circles where unconventional behavior was more tolerated, but even these spaces required careful discretion. There was no legal protection from discrimination or violence based on sexual orientation, and seeking help would only lead to further persecution.
LGBTQIA+ in the supernatural world among Witches, Daemons and Vampyres is completely acceptable without question. Supernaturals tend to live their lives more authentically then repressed humans, though many who were raised human may have cultural repression they battle with. Discretion is still required in the public facing world among humanity, often leading to cover stories of being close friends, colleagues, siblings and more when asked. For immortals lying is rather normal, they must lie about what they are and their age already. Supernaturals don’t tend to be petty in calling out the queerness of a supernatrual couple, as outing them for something like this tends to lead to us of magic, or draw of blood that brings attention to the esoteric world. Now with a war being humans and supernatrual kind, they would not let their romantic lives be the reason of their ruin, as even in sanctuary countries and cities, they may not burn for being non-human, they may burn for what is deemed immorality.
People of Color
By 1940, people of color living in the United Kingdom occupied a complex position shaped by empire, war, and deeply rooted social hierarchies. The British state officially presented itself as impartial and fair, yet everyday life told another story. Most non white residents were subjects of the British Empire who arrived from the Caribbean, West Africa, East Africa, South Asia, and parts of the Middle East. Their legal status as British subjects did not translate into equal treatment or equal opportunity.
Social expectations placed upon them were contradictory. They were expected to demonstrate loyalty to the Crown, contribute to the wartime economy, and perform labor seen as essential but undervalued. Many worked in merchant shipping, factories, auxiliary military roles, and hospital work because white Britons were pulled into military service. At the same time, people of color were expected to remain unobtrusive, “grateful,” and deferential within a society that viewed them through a lens of imperial paternalism. Polite discrimination was widespread, and British culture assumed whiteness as the norm. Even where outright hostility was restrained by wartime unity, racial boundaries remained firmly in place.
Despite legal access to lodging, employment, and public services, people of color faced structural barriers. Boarding houses often refused them, companies limited their advancement, and many faced social exclusion from pubs, clubs, and community institutions. Landlords advertised rooms “for Europeans only,” a common phrase of the time. Mixed race couples faced harassment or disapproval, and children of such unions bore social stigma. These conditions were rarely openly codified in law, but they shaped daily life through custom and public attitudes.
Wartime strain intensified these issues. The influx of colonial seamen, soldiers, and wartime workers made racial tensions more visible. British newspapers often portrayed colonial troops with stereotypes that both praised and belittled them. Meanwhile, non white communities fostered strong mutual support networks, relying on shared housing, community groups, church or mosque gatherings, and informal economic cooperation to survive socially and financially. Their presence contributed to Britain’s labor force, cultural life, and home front stability long before the postwar Windrush moment.
In public life, people of color were simultaneously needed and marginalized. They were invited to serve the empire yet reminded that they were not fully part of the national community. The pressures of maintaining dignity, securing stable housing, surviving prejudice, and navigating a society that viewed them as outsiders shaped their experiences. This period laid the groundwork for later civil rights activism and community organization, but in 1940 the reality remained one of quiet endurance, resilience, and persistent inequality within a nation that depended on them while failing to welcome them.
Since the start of the war against Supernatural, sentiment is starting to change. Social pressures of people of color is lifting under the notion that so long as they are human, does it really matter? In this regard, the war has created a very progressive movement. While not widespread, employment, education, housing, and interracial couples and mixed children are becoming less frowned upon as humans push towards “Human Solidarity”. Though, People of color are grateful of the change, it does beg the question... were they not human before? Resentment lingers enough that they see that Supernaturals have already treated them as equals, and thus more of them have sided with supernatural kind.
In Supernatrual communities, race and ethnicity have played no role in covens and clans. Witches, Daemons, and Vampyres are extremely diverse, and as they live more authentically in their sexuality, they too live more authentically in acceptance of relations of all peoples platonic and romantically. While there are plenty of pockets of supernatrual who take more human prejudice path, the majority of Covens and Clans that have been around for a long time do not need to even discuss this issue as the acceptance is inherent.
Women in the United Kingdom, 1940s
In 1940, Women’s rights were limited and shaped by older social norms. They could vote and hold certain jobs, but most professions, property decisions, and public roles favored men. Married women were often expected to leave work, and those who stayed faced lower pay and few paths to advancement. Legal protections against workplace discrimination did not exist, and childcare support was minimal. Access to contraception was restricted and uneven, reproductive decisions were tightly controlled by doctors and moral expectations, and abortion was illegal except to save the mother’s life. Divorce was possible but carried financial and social penalties for women. Overall, women had legal presence but not full equality, and much of their autonomy was constrained by custom, economy, and the authority of male-dominated institutions.
Women in the United Kingdom lived within a society shaped by traditional gender roles, wartime necessity, and the lingering social norms of the early twentieth century. The Second World War (Between Humanity and Supernatruals) had begun to pull women into new forms of public work, yet expectations for them remained rooted in ideals of domesticity, modesty, and service. British culture still regarded the male breadwinner and female homemaker as the natural order, and many institutions operated on that assumption.
Public discourse praised women as moral anchors of the home, expected to maintain family stability despite rationing, bombing, and the absence of male relatives. Women were encouraged to keep households orderly, raise children, and manage the complexities of ration books, queues, clothing repairs, and domestic budgeting. These roles were framed as patriotic duties, reinforcing the idea that a well-run home was part of the national war effort. Even when women took on factory or civil service jobs, society still expected them to perform domestic tasks without relief.
Employment opportunities expanded rapidly with wartime mobilization. Women entered munitions factories, transport work, civil defense roles, nursing, clerical work, and auxiliary branches of the armed forces. However, these openings came with clear limitations. Women were paid less than men for similar work, often significantly so, and their advancement was capped by institutional barriers. Many roles were classified as “women’s work,” even when the tasks matched those normally performed by men, and their contributions were often described as temporary replacements rather than permanent participants in the nation’s labor force.
Social expectations imposed additional constraints. Women were expected to remain respectable, careful with their reputation, and aligned with prevailing ideas of femininity even in physically demanding jobs. Public debate criticized women who appeared “too independent,” who socialized freely with soldiers, or who pushed against norms around propriety. Women who lived on their own or pursued nontraditional relationships often faced gossip, scrutiny, or moral judgment, especially in smaller towns and villages.
Access to birth control was limited and shaped by class. Contraception was legal but unevenly available, with most support offered only to married women through a small number of clinics or private doctors. Working-class women had far fewer options, and unmarried women were usually denied contraception outright. Abortion was illegal, making unsafe procedures a hidden but persistent risk. Single mothers faced intense stigma, often being pressured into adoption through church or charitable homes. Those who kept their children struggled to secure housing and stable work, receiving little official support and considerable social judgment.
Daily life brought its own struggles. Evacuation separated many mothers from their children, and those who kept children in cities managed alone during air raids and rationing. Bombings disrupted work, schooling, and family networks. Access to childcare was limited, and many women juggled full shifts with long domestic hours. Widows and women with husbands at the front lived with uncertainty and financial hardship, relying on inconsistent allowances and community aid.
Despite these challenges, women formed powerful support networks through neighborhood groups, war charities, volunteer organizations, and shared labor in factories and shelters. Their resilience sustained communities under pressure, and their participation in wartime labor laid the foundation for later shifts in gender expectations. Yet in 1940 itself, Britain still viewed their contributions through the lens of duty rather than equality. Women carried the weight of both home and war work, navigating a society that relied deeply upon them while still limiting their autonomy and recognition.
Among Supernatural kind, unlike human societies, woman are powerful equals to their male counterparts. Witches often hold matriarchies, giving room for wise woman elders, female leaders, and standing as powerful forces of magic casting. Female Daemon despite being raised in human or witch societies, begin to see themselves as what they are, akin to their Goddess Ancestors, when they come into their full power. Female Vampyres rise above such human roles and submissive behavior with the power and immortality they hold. Male Supernatruals may make jokes or remarks based on the human societies, but know full well that gender has no sway in the role woman play. This can be frustrating for Supernatural women in human society, having to play a carful dance of asserting their authority, or pretending to submit to their role to not draw attention to themselves. Unless of course they intend to stir chaos.
Men & Conscription
Men of the United Kingdom between the ages of 18 and 40 (or appearance of/ in forged documents) are to be conscripted into the British Royal Army to fight for humanity against Supernatural’s around Western Europe and home soil both in cities, towns, villages and open nature in the woods and trenches.
The following reasons will prevent conscription. Provided one of is of sound health and mind, they may still volunteer. They may be conscripted into the following Branches: British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force. OR volunter into any Branch: British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Air Force, Home Guard, Auxiliary Territorial Service, Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Merchant Navy.
If in Ireland there is NO conscription, it is Volunteer based only. Irish Defence Forces (Óglaigh na hÉireann) are: Army, Air Corps and Naval Service.
Likewise, Other regions like the Isle of Manavia, the Depot, and other locations, one may evade conscription.
- Medical disqualifications
- Serious physical disabilities (loss of limbs or limb function, severe deformity of spine or chest, paralysis, major neuromuscular disorders, severe arthritis, chronic back injury, unrepaired hernias, severe varicose veins).
- Chronic or debilitating illness (heart disease, chronic respiratory disease including tuberculosis, uncontrolled asthma and emphysema, chronic kidney or urinary disease, diabetes requiring insulin, epilepsy or seizures, severe gastrointestinal disease including ulcers, significant endocrine disorders).
- Sensory impairment (blindness in one eye or severe bilateral visual impairment, eyesight below military standard even with correction, severe hearing loss or total deafness in one ear, chronic ear disease such as mastoiditis or perforated eardrums).
- Mental and cognitive conditions (psychosis, schizophrenia, severe depression, intellectual disability, severe personality disorders as classified at the time, history of institutionalized mental illness, severe anxiety described as nervous debility).
- Active infectious disease (tuberculosis, untreated syphilis, severe chronic skin infections, any condition judged a public health risk).
- Occupational exemptions and reserved occupations
- Heavy industry and manufacturing (coal miners, iron and steel workers, shipbuilders, munitions workers, mechanical engineers and fitters, aircraft factory workers).
- Transport and infrastructure (railway workers, dock workers, merchant navy personnel, lighthouse keepers, postal and telegraph service workers).
- Agriculture and food production (farmers, agricultural labourers, commercial fishermen, dairy workers, essential food processing roles).
- Public safety and civil functions (police officers, firefighters, prison officers, civil administration roles essential to public order).
- Medical and scientific roles (doctors, surgeons, dentists, pharmacists, nurses, medical technicians, essential scientific researchers in defence or industrial laboratories).
- Registered prior to conscription as a Supernatural Hunter independent or with an orginization like The Guild.
- Personal and domestic circumstances
- Sole guardianship or primary care (single fathers of young children, sole carers for disabled dependants, cases where removal of the man created demonstrable hardship for dependants).
- Hardship exemptions (risk of economic collapse of essential family businesses, rural or isolated situations where absence threatened basic survival).
- Marriage and fatherhood on their own did not exempt, but sole survivorship for dependants could result in postponement or exemption.
- Legal and civil status exemptions
- Conscientious objection - Outlawed, will be tried and executed for traiterious position agaisnt humanity
- Clergy and ministers (full time clergy of recognised denominations generally exempt).
- Age status (Men outside the age range of 18-40)
- Already serving in national service (civil defence including air raid precautions and rescue services, fire service, police, merchant navy, certain scientific or communications services that would aid the military).
- Prisoners and some men with criminal records who were judged unfit for military discipline. (Serious violent offences such as murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, or grievous bodily harm; serious sexual offences including rape, sexual assault, or crimes against minors; habitual criminality with repeated convictions for burglary, theft, fraud, or receiving stolen goods; repeated offences showing refusal of authority such as resisting arrest, assaulting police, or violent disorder; political or security-risk offences including treason, espionage, or aiding enemy powers; and any offence tied to criminal insanity or severe mental instability.)
- Special administrative disqualifications
- Previous discharge as medically unfit.
- Essential government positions (key civil servants, war office personnel, intelligence and cryptography staff, codes and ciphers workers such as those employed at code breaking centres).
- British subjects overseas whose call up and obligations were governed by different regional or dominion regulations.
- Supernatural Evasiain
- Document forgery to indicate any of the above.
- Use of abilities or Magic to "blend in" as Military, avade arrest, walk in plane sight unseen ect.
- Situated oneself in a position of inlufence and political power politically
- In an lternative location not conscripting.