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The Home Front

During World War II Allied merchant shipping was targeted by German U-boats in a bid to cut off supplies. Before the war, Britain imported 55 million tons of food a year. A month after the war had started this figure had dropped to 12 million. In order to ensure that the available supplies were distributed fairly, from January 1940 until    July 1954 all sorts of foods were rationed, as well as clothing, furniture and petrol. Everyone was issued with a ration book which contained coupons that shopkeepers cut out or signed when people bought food and other items.

Three different coloured ration books were issued to ensure that everyone had the right amount and types of food needed for their health.

Buff-coloured ration books - Most adults had this colour

Green ration books - Pregnant women, nursing mothers and children under 5. They had first choice of fruit, a daily pint of milk and a double supply of eggs.

Blue ration books - Children between 5 and 16 years of age.  It was felt important that children had fruit, the full meat ration and half a pint of milk a day.

Each family or individual had to register with a local supplier from whom the ration would be bought. These details were stamped in the book and rations could only be bought from that supplier.

Rations varied from month to month depending on what was available.  This is a typical weekly ration for an adult .

In addition to the basic food allowance, everyone was allowed 16  “points”  every 4 weeks which enabled the  purchase of, for instance, 1 can of tinned fish or meat or 2lbs of dried fruit or 8 lbs of split peas.

Every farmer was required to record and report the birth of animals and the production of crops and produce but in reality, all over the country, many managed to keep back produce for their family and friends. Farms in the Haltwhistle area were no different.

“ If ten piglets were born, then nine would be registered – the tenth would be salted away- literally”

“Our sailors don’t mind risking their lives to feed you  - and your family - but they do mind if you help the U boats by wasting food” Government public information “advert”.

“Night and day men of the Royal Navy cheerfully risk their lives to guard your food.  They don’t mind danger but waste gives them the creeps.” Government advertisement.

Mock Goose – 4 helpings

1 ½ lbs potatoes

2 large cooking apples

4 oz cheese

½ teaspoon dried sage

Salt and pepper

¾ pint vegetable stock

1 tablespoon flour.

Method: Scrub and slice the potatoes thinly. Greece a fireproof dish, place a layer of potatoes in it, cover with apple and a little sage, season lightly and sprinkle with cheese.  Repeat the layers leaving potatoes and cheese to cover. Pour in ½ pint of the stock, cook in a moderate oven for ¾ hour. Blend flour with the remaining stock, pour into the dish and cool for another ¼ hour. Serve as a main dish with a green vegetable.

Mock apricot flan

1 lb finely grated young carrots

4 drops almond essence

4 tablespoons of plum jam (

4 tablespoons water

Shortcrust pastry/oatmeal pastry/potato pastry

Method

Blind bake a flan case

Meanwhile place the grated carrots, jam, water and almond essence into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook gently and stir for around 20 minutes until you achieve a thick pulp

Spoon into the cooked flan case and return to oven for 5 minutes

Serve with custard or mock cream

Steamed Fish Roll – a meal for four.

Pastry

8 oz Self Raising Flour

2oz suet, chopped

2oz raw potato, grated

Water to bind

Filling

4oz fresh salted cod cut into small pieces

6oz vegetables (grated raw cauliflower, mashed cooked carrot or parsnips, turnip or cooked peas)

1 tablespoon of gravy or brown sauce

1 teaspoonful vinegar

Method

Make a dough with the flour, suet, potato and water.  Roll out, spread with the vegetables moistened with the gravy and vinegar. Dust with pepper, roll up, wrap in greased paper and steam for 1 ½ hours. Serve with gravy or sauce.

Mock Banana – for sandwiches

Peel, chop and boil parsnips until tender. Mash and add a few drops of banana essence to taste.  A delicious and different sandwich filling loved by children.

February 1942 - Soap was rationed so that oils and fats could be saved for food.

The government announced that petrol was rationed in September 1939. Initially small allowance of petrol was allowed for private motorist but this was brought to an end in the summer of 1942.

Clothes rationing began on June 1, 1941 and ended on 15 March 1949.

Everyone was given a Clothing Book with coloured coupons in it. Every item of clothing was given a value in coupons. The coupon book had pages of different colours to prevent people using them all at once – the government announced when a new colour could be used.

Each person was given 60 coupons for the year which would allow them to buy one complete new set of clothes once a year. Later it was reduced to 48 coupons. Children were allocated an extra 10 clothing coupons above the standard ration to allow for growing out of clothes during a year.

Clothes Rationing

Food Rationing

Salad suggestions

Well shredded spinach, hearts of cabbage, leaves of spring greens, make a delicious salad base. And you have no idea how tasty young dandelion leaves can be. Choose young leaves, wash, chop finely and mix with grated root vegetables. A little sugar is a help in this kind of salad. Later on you can use carrot tops, turnip tops, radish tops and beetroot tops. The addition of any scraps of “points” meats, corned beef or fish make your salads still more substantial, nourishing and varied.

“When salvage is all that remains of the joint

And there isn’t a tin and you haven’t a “point”

Instead of creating a dance and a ballad

Just raid the allotment and dig up a salad”

Fruit from abroad was impossible to obtain. After the war one little girl in Haltwhistle was given her first banana. “I had never seen a banana before. I didn’t realise that I had to peel it first.  I ate the lot, skin and all.”