Tag Archives: rations

Pat Burt, Annette Haynes: WWII food 1940s

We had our groceries delivered from Higginbothams  2 doors away. I used to write the order in the book every week  – sugar, butter, marg, lard, tea, bacon, cheese because  they were the things that were rationed. We were only allowed so much of those.  That was my job to write the order. Pat Burt nee Adams b1929

We didn’t do too badly on it though. We were all right because we had the Naafi manager with us during the war. The Naafi was in the Kings Head. Annette Haynes nee Holloway b1929

Phil Kelsey: WWII food 1940s

We managed and that was it.  I think we had always been a pretty careful family.  Of course Dad always had the garden going; he never wasted any bits of garden.  He used to grow everything.  His favourite was growing onions.  He still had his little boat and eventually you could use it up the river, but first of all you couldn’t.  The RASC had one of these boats anchored – just for living in – he used to go up round there and got in with them, and take them up onions and if he had any other veg.  He got well in with them and eventually I think they let him go just out off the pier fishing.  Phil Kelsey b 1920

Mary Lord: WWII, school, rations 1940s

Mr. Burt, outside Burts Station Rd

Mr. Burt, outside Burts Station Rd

I remember having to take the gas mask to school every day, and hang it on the back of my chair.
My best friends at that time were evacuees, but we weren’t especially aware of the war, even though my dad was working in a shipyard in Cowes.
We were always hungry, we used to eat the acorns from the trees in the playground. We didn’t eat very many because they took so long to peel. We were sent out to pick blackberries, and rosehips for vitamin c to supplement the food.  It must have been along the railway line, and there were still trains, but I don’t remember any warnings or worries. The boys didn’t do much picking, just opened up the rosehips and put the seeds down people’s necks as itching powder.
I remember getting occasional packets of chocolate powder which was supposed to be for making hot chocolate, but my mother used to let me sit on the doorstep and dip my finger in the powder, the nearest we got to sweets, although later we did have a 2oz ration from Mr. Burt’s shop.  Mr Burt’s shop 
Mary Lord b 1936