大象传媒

Smokey Joes in Luton

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Anita Howard from Essex Action CSV Desk on behalf of Catherine Gravelle and has been added to the site with her permission. C. Gravelle fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.鈥�

Luton was in a valley, so when it was a clear night, during the raids, around the perimeter of the town on the hill tops, there were paraffin burning contraptions with a chimney which poured out black smoke serving as a screen for the town. We had them near our road and we called them 鈥淪mokey Joes鈥�. Beside each one was a can of fuel.
Also alongside the roads were dustbins for waste food to make 鈥減ig swill鈥� for the pigs to eat. We called them pig bins.
Food was rationed and I remember we were allowed 9d worth of meat and one egg a week.
My father grew lots of vegetables and had an allotment as did many other people .
I made a knitted scarf at school. It wasn鈥檛 very good, it was pink and I didn鈥檛 like it.
Whilst I was in the guides ( aged 11+) we went on expeditions to collect rosehips for babies鈥� syrup and also cans, bottles and newspaper.

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