Having just got back home from London this morning, I wasn't planning to post this week, but a read of Lorraine's post this week prompted me to check out my mother Jean's scrapbooks of our year in England in 1953 - 1954, and here are a few photographs of the ration book that I needed as a temporary resident of 21 Eltisley Ave, Cambridge, where we lived while my father Ian was studying on a research fellowship. My parents' ration books were saved too. It appears that rationing for the items listed inside, namely meats, eggs, fats, cheese, bacon, sugar and milk, remained in force in the UK up until July 1954, although tea was no longer rationed after 1952.
Orange juice was also rationed, with just a couple of remaining coupons in the book.
The following notice was in an envelope addressed to me, labelled by Jean: 'Important letter all about milk and orange juice'.
And of course, adjacent to the ration book Jean also included an appropriate photograph of a certain small person, enjoying her rations.
Now to read other blogs for this week, just go to Sepia Saturday #248
12 comments:
Welcome home Jo.
Jean's scrapbooks are amazing! I love the way she's put a photo of you next to the appropriate ration book.
I was 16 in 1953 but I don't remember that there was still rationing then.
There was still sweet rationing when I was young in the early 50s. I think I’ve also seen some old ration books like this. Cute photo too.
Fun to see the ration books and your very sweet picture.
Welfare Orange Juice...the name leaves a little to be desired. Cheap milk also leaves me a little cold. I wonder what the vitamin foods were? Great to have this piece of history preserved. You were a darling.
In Australia I remember under the counter Nuttelex was available sometimes. A real hard lump that my mother would use for cooking.. It's been interesting to have a look at it - the first Australian margarine in 1932, and a nasty little intruder into the butter market. I've never been able to look at it since those years but apparently it is a niche market now.
I don't remember rationing books in the 50s, but I do recall, in the 6th grade during the "Cold War" with Russia, having to wear 'dog tags' on a chain around my neck engraved with my name and address. I also remember the "Duck & Cover" drills where we were supposed to dive under our desks - like that would save us from the H-Bomb!
Wow, even fats were rationed? Would that be lard? Butter? That's lovely curly haired little girl! Great post! :)
I didn't live through any rationing, but now I'm curious. How often were ration coupons renewed?
There were 52 coupons per food item in each person's ration book, so a family of three would be able to use 3 coupons per week when purchasing each item, and a new book would be issued for each year that rationing applied.
Rations was one of the reasons that my parents migrated to Australia. Its amazing that you still have them.
The variety of things that my mother saved in her scrapbooks certainly is amazing.
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