Rationing

You'd got to find the coupons for everything ...

During and after the war, rationing made acquiring anything very difficult. Tea came off ration in October 1952 and sweets in February 1953, but sugar, butter, cheese meat and eggs continued for longer. Many residents kept chickens both during and after the war and some people even kept goats.  Growing vegetables in gardens and on the allotments also helped to eke out supplies.

I do remember after the war with the ration books and going up to The Circle and getting my weekly ration of sweets.  You had a book, a ration book, and they used to take a stamp out of it and then it would be passed on. (Barry Hackett)

Planning a wedding

Clothing was a real problem, especially to the young who wanted some fashion for special occasions.  Edna Smith remembers her struggle to get the wedding of her dreams. (Ration books by permission of Doreen Porter)

Image accompanying MP3 audio clip: smith_e_rations-wedding_mp3.mp3 ( KB)
This page was added by Cheryl Bailey on 21/06/2010.
Comments about this page

Hi- I can remember one of the little buildings at each end of the St Helier Arms was the off licence and the other one my mum used to get the baby milk and bottles of concentrated orange to make up into juice. I remember ration books, i still have my ID card but I don't know what happened to the unused ration book.

By Carole Ayres (Nee) Chapman
On 04/10/2018
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