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This story appears courtesy of and with thanks to The Liverpool Diocesan Care and Repair Association and James Taylor.

Food rationing began in 1940 with sugar, meat, bacon, ham and butter, other items were added as the siege economy heightened. The basic rations per person, per week were:-

1s. 2d. worth of meat
3oz. Bacon and ham
8oz. Sugar
2 ½ tea
2oz. Butter
2oz. Cheese
4oz. Margarine
1oz. Cooking fat
1 egg per fortnight
2 ½ pints liquid milk
12oz. Sweets per month

In order to receive the basic fixed rations the customer had to register with a particular shop keeper for a twelve month period.
The ration book also contained ‘points’ coupons which could be exchanged for other foods, including fish, meat and vegetables, as well as dried foods and fruits. To stabilise the cost of living index, food subsidies and price controls were applied to a variety of foods which were in short supply. Surveys of opinion showed that rationing was popular because it was regarded as fair.
In June 1941, the rationing of clothes was introduced on a principle of ‘points-rationing.’ The basic entitlement for each adult was 66 points, or coupons, per year. The coupon holder could purchase clothes to their points value throughout the 12 month period.
A lady’s winter coat required 15 coupons.
A pair of men’s trousers required 8 coupons.
Consequently a standardised look in men’s and women’s clothing developed as manufactures concentrated on a limited range of designs and materials. This ‘Utility’ principle was later extended to furniture.

How to ‘defend the home front’ — a special wartime plan of action — meet new conditions with new methods.

Hints on Wartime Economy

1. Select food for its nourishing value.
2. Plan meals ahead and cook as much as possible once the cooker has been heated up.
3. Use a 3-tier steamer so that the complete meals can be cooked on one burner.
4. Make a haybox and save fuel.
5. Use surplus dripping in place of margarine for cakes made by the rubbing-in method.
6. Serve dripping toast and fried bread to save butter ration.
7. Joints of meat lose less weight during the cooking if they are stewed or boiled instead of fried or baked.

Some Typical Meals of Wartime

Pig’s Trotters and Dumplings, Sheep’s Heart Pie, Coe Heel Stew, Sheep’s Head Broth, Sheep’s Head and Parsley Sauce, Tripe and Onions, Dripping cake, Spotted Dick, Eggless Cake.

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