Rationing in Essex
Initially the Great War had no real effect
on the availability of food although there was a rise in price.
By 1916 things changed due to conscription
robbing farms of even more men, the mobilisation of the majority
of premises for the war effort and increased difficulty in
maintaining imported food supplies.
In the winter of 1916 and spring of 1917
there was a shortage of potatoes which led to the Government
imposing a maximum of one and a half pence per pound but many
Essex families had to manage without potatoes for several months
until the summer of 1917 brought new crops. Given that the
potato was the staple food of the masses this caused serious
hardship.
By spring 1917 the price of bread was also
rocketing and the government introduced a fixed price and took
control over flour distribution. No formal rationing was
introduced although a voluntary rationing of 4 pounds weight per
week for flour and bread products was introduced.
The first item to be rationed was sugar for
which registration cards were issued and half a pound per head
was allowed.
Sugar ration
By the end of 1917 there was a general
shortage of food and queues outside food shops were common in
both town and country. Butter was especially prized although
fish and meat also were short in supply.
By 1918 things were much worse with meat
quite scarce and even rabbits costing 4 shillings if you were
fortunate enough to be able to buy one. In February 1918 this
led to the introduction of meat rationing
with everyone being limited to one shilling and eight pence
worth of meat and a quarter of a pound of butter and 2 ounces of
lard per week.
Coal
Coal also increased in price during the war
and continued to do so until at least 1920. It was rationed in
the winter of 1918 to one ton for every room of the house. As a
few houses by then had electricity this allowance also included
the equivalent cost in electricity.
While this affected smokers it also caused
problems for most households who relied on coal fires for
cooking and heating.
Many people used spills from fires and
there was a growing trend for mechanical lighters.
As with many such shortages the government
stepped in and fixed their price at one penny per box and
limited each household to one box per week.
Prosecutions
Prosecution was the normal result to
breaches of the rations. Examples of this were at Harlow
Magistrates Court on 8 November 1919 where the following cases
were heard
Frederick Clarke, a baker from Potter
Street Harlow was summonsed fro selling currants at one shilling
a pound which was two pence above the price allowed under the
Dried Fruits Order.
Arthur Wood, a carpenter from Potter Street, Harlow and grocer , Mr George Dent were summonsed after it was shown that Wood had obtained 4 pounds of sugar in one week for his family of five when he was only entitled to 2 and a half pounds.
