大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War website by Julia Shuvalova for GMR Actiondesk on behalf of Joyce Chadwick and has been added with her permission. The author is fully aware of the terms and conditions of the site.

I recall the life behind the counter of the little corner shop during the wartime rationery. Each person had a ration book, and they would register with a grocer by leaving a ration book with them.

Many hours were spent by the grocer and family cutting out the minute coupons, in order to total them up. They would then be taken in bundles to the Ministry of Food Office for a docket to take to the wholesalers for the quantity of butter, margarine, sugar, etc. stated thereon.

Many shopkeepers got involved with the Black Market by visiting the docks, for example, to see if any food was on offer.

My mother took many a chance to acquire any extras for her customers. The goods would come in through the back door straight down into the cellar. There my brother Tom and his friend George (who later became my husband) and I had the job of weighing out, for example, a chest of tea into 1/4 lb bags.

Sugar was in great demand, as well as any meats. The ones I remember most were the pieces of Pork or Ham, mother would insist on cooking them at night, which meant that my brother and I would be getting up in turns to baste the joint in the oven. This was so the policeman on the beat didn't smell the meat cooking. But guess who was an early visitor next morning to see if all was well.

Sometimes news would come that a shipment of salmon or fruit (tinned) had got through, and that everyone was allocated, say, 2 oz. This meant we would have to open every tin and weigh out the contents for each person registered. Can you imagine the comments of our customers if they thought they had more juice than the others in the dishes they had brought to collect their ration.

Milk was only for priority customers (i.e. nursing mothers and babies) on most days

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.