大象传媒

This is a story told me by my mother, Gladys Brooks (1920-2001), who lived in Northampton. She was a shorthand typist who found herself directed to work at the Petroleum Board. Her boss was Mr Wells, and her descriptions of him, long before Dad鈥檚 Army appeared on our small screens, were to be recalled in many particulars by the character of Captain Mainwaring. She liked Mr Wells enough, but he was bombastic, she said, and all the serious work was done by his staff.
Everyone took sugar in their tea in those days. You got one spoonful. There was also a tin, which started empty. Sugar was rationed for the general public, but there were dispensations in certain circumstances, for example for the provision of cups of tea at people鈥檚 places of work. Twice a day the person detailed to make the tea would put one spoonful in everyone鈥檚 cup, and one in the tin. When the tin was full, it was taken away in turn by each of the women in the office. It was a useful supplement to the official sugar ration and the authorities turned a blind eye. At least, Mr Wells said they did. Whether out of a sense of propriety, or simply because 鈥渘oblesse oblige鈥�, Mr Wells himself never took his turn with the sugar tin, though he had the regulation spoonful in his tea.

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