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Many people who stayed at home supported the war effort by being allocated certain duties. There were many "wardens" with different responsibilities and the helmet in this picture was for the "Fire Warden". His responsibility was to patrol areas and ensure that fires were extinguished promptly so as not to attract the attention of enemy bombers overhead.
TRANSCRIPT
It's like a ton weight... I used to wear that when I went on fire duty for T H and A Daniels at night. I was in their factory fire service you see... we were on a rota (on a rota). And I got a special petrol allowance to go from home there. And of course we had the, the headlights were covered with a special little covering with slots, the slots were facing downward so any overhead aircraft couldn't see.
HERBERT SHARP
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Oh Yes, we wore one of these.. just in case a bomb went.. and carried the gas mask, and a torch. Fire Watchers, we were called, and we had an armband. I haven't got it now, but I did have it then, with Fire Watcher on it. We had a long black coat so we wouldn't be recognised in the dark, you see, and as soon as the sirens went, we had to get up straight away, rush to this little hut where everyone met who was detailed to do that job and then you were detailed to go and look for any fires or lights or anything which would attract the Germans coming over. Well, their aim was Bristol; and if you went out the back...you could look down that area and you could see Bristol burning. The planes they had a different noise to the British ones, you see. Like a drumming noise, and so, soon of course, they were spotted coming over, though there was all searchlights round and everything like that, and look out posts and everything, everywhere, they, the sirens went then, you see, for everyone to go to their posts whatever they were detailed to do. You didn't ask to do it, you was just TOLD to do it. And you had to do it.
DOROTHY HARDING
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For our street. You had to take your turn [Yes] with a water bucket and a bucket of sand. And they had, in case of shortage of water, a tank, reservoir, up in the square in Uplands
EDWARD HUGHES MORGAN
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