History Teacher Notes The Literacy Key

Search on www.literacykey.co.uk for the finest primary school resources available.

HOMEPAGE    HISTORY    GEOGRAPHY    R.E.

World War II - Rationing

1. Britain imported about fifty-five million tons of food a year from other countries.

2. When war broke out Germany did all it could to cut off supplies.

3. The British Government introduced a system of food rationing on a fair shares for all basis.

4. Food prices were fixed so there could be no overcharging.

5. Ration books were issued in 1940.

6. People were given sixteen points a month, which was later raised to twenty, to purchase things with.

7. Rationing improved the health of the nation as it encouraged a balanced diet.

8. Butter and bacon were the first goods rationed in Jan 1940.

9. Then meat and preserves in March, tea, margarine and cooking fats in July 1940 and cheese in 1941.

10. Later, rice, canned fruit, condensed milk, breakfast cereals and biscuits were added.

11. Milk was in short supply and dried powder was used as an alternative.

12. Much fruit, such as pineapples, grapes, bananas, oranges was not available.

13. Sweets were rationed, people were allowed 12oz (350g) every four weeks.

14. People had to queue as more and more food vanished from the shelves.

15. New recipes were introduced because of rationing such as, crow pie, baked hedgehog and squirrel tail soup.

16. A typical week’s ration for one in 1942 was, 4oz (100g) bacon and ham, 2oz-8oz (50g-225g) cheese, 4oz (100g) margarine, 2oz (50g)

butter, 3 pints milk (1800l), 8oz (225g) sugar, 1lb (450g) jam every two months, 2oz (50g) tea, 1 egg per week, 1 packet of dried eg

every four weeks

17. Furniture was rationed.

18. The only people that could have any were newly-weds, those that had been bombed or those having a baby.

19. Clothing and cosmetics were rationed as was washing and soap powder

20. People were given sixty-six coupons a year for clothes, equivalent to one outfit per year.

21. Women stained their legs with tea, or gravy colouring.

22. Boys wore short trousers because they needed less coupons than long ones.

23. Soap was restricted to one bar a month.

24. Medicines and bandages were in short supply and herbs were often used as an alternative.

25. Petrol was rationed except for essential services.

26. The Dig for Victory campaign was launched to get people to grow their own produce.

27. Parks and gardens were dug up and ‘Potato Pete’ and ‘Doctor Carrot’ became famous.

28. Many people kept hens, ducks, goats, pigs and rabbits.

29. Rationing finally ended in 1954.