Rations
During World \War II all sorts of essential and non-essential foods were rationed, as well as clothing, furniture and petrol.
Why and when was rationing introduced?
To make the British weak, the Germans tried to cut off supplies of food and other goods. German submarines attacked many of the ships that brought food to Britain. Rationing was introduced to make sure that everyone had a fair share of items that were hard to get hold of.
Rationing was introduced at the beginning of 1940. On National Registration Day on 29 September 1939, every householder had to fill in a form giving details of the people who lived in their house.
Rationing was introduced at the beginning of 1940. On National Registration Day on 29 September 1939, every householder had to fill in a form giving details of the people who lived in their house.
Ration Books
Using the information gathered on National Registration Day, the government issued every on with an identity card and ration book. The books contained coupons that had to be handed to or signed by the shopkeeper every time rationed goods were bought. This meant that people could only buy the amount they were allowed.
Ration books were books which contained coupons that shopkeepers cut out or signed when people bought food and other items. Although people still had to pay for the goods with money. They were issued to make sure that everybody got a fair share. The government was worried that as food and other items became scarcer, prices would rise and poorer people might not be able to afford things. There was also a danger that some people might hoard items, leaving none for others.
Some people considered food rationing to be very unfair. Eggs, butter and meat could be obtained fairly easily without coupons in rural areas. By the summer of 1941 greengrocers in the towns were taking their lorries into the countries into the country to buy vegetables direct from growers.
Ration books were books which contained coupons that shopkeepers cut out or signed when people bought food and other items. Although people still had to pay for the goods with money. They were issued to make sure that everybody got a fair share. The government was worried that as food and other items became scarcer, prices would rise and poorer people might not be able to afford things. There was also a danger that some people might hoard items, leaving none for others.
Some people considered food rationing to be very unfair. Eggs, butter and meat could be obtained fairly easily without coupons in rural areas. By the summer of 1941 greengrocers in the towns were taking their lorries into the countries into the country to buy vegetables direct from growers.
Weekly ration for 1 adult
- Bacon and ham 4oz
- Meat to the value of 1 shilling and sixpence
- Butter 2oz
- Cheese 2oz
- Margarine 4oz
- Cooking Fat 4oz
- Milk 3 pints
- Sugar 8oz
- Preserves 1lb every 2 months
- Tea 2oz
- Eggs 1 fresh egg per week
- Sweets/Candy 12oz every 4 weeks
When did food rationing stop?
After fourteen years of food rationing in Britain, it finally ended at midnight on 4th July 1954, when restrictions on the sale and purchase of meat and bacon were lifted. This happened nine years after the end of the war.
Clothing Rationing
It wasn't just food that was rationed during World War II. Clothing also became scarce. Clothes rationing began on June 1, 1941, two years after food rationing started. Clothes rationing ended on 15 March 1949. They were rationed because there was a shortage of materials to make the clothes. People were also urged to 'Make do and Mend' so that clothing factories and workers could be used to make items, such as parachutes and uniforms, needed in the battle against Germany.
How did people buy their clothes?
Everyone was given a Clothing Book with a coloured coupons in it. Every item of clothing was given a value in coupons. To buy clothes people handed over their clothing book to the shop keeper who cut out one of the coupons. Then they handed over the money to the shop keeper to pay for their clothes. The coupon system allowed people to buy one completely new set of clothes once a year. The goverment gave every person a clothes ration book full of coupons. Each page of coupons was a different colour to stop people using up all their coupons at once. People were only allowed to use one colour at a time. The goverment would tell people when they could start using a new colour. Coupons from one colour could be saved and used with the next colour.
Each person was given 60 coupons to last them a year. Later on though it was reduced to 48 coupons. Children were allocated an extra 10 clothing coupons above the standard ration to allow for growing of clothes during a year.
