Eggs or Anarchy - Book Review

The wartime event at the railway museum had a small display about food rationing and by co-incidence I was reading this
 book, picked up by chance from the library van last month.

Lord Woolton, Minister for food during most of the war years kept a diary of his time in office and entries from this, his wife's diary and historical records are used to tell the story of how the nation was fed.
Thankfully the government had learned from the 1914-18 war that they needed to introduce rationing very quickly in the event of another war so all procedures to do this had been put in place before September 1939. Having been given the job of sorting out the problems of clothing the fighting forces in early 1939 and his speed in getting the factories on-side, in April 1940 Woolton was asked to take on the roll of keeping the country fed and healthy.

During the 1930s Britain had imported a large percentage of it's food,(food miles is not a new worry) but with shipping routes under attack and European imports lost Woolton had to find a way to ration what was available, to increase production at home and persuade people and the government that he knew what he was doing. Even Churchill, when he took over as PM,  doubted Woolton could cope and constantly questioned his decisions.

Using his business skills - he was in charge of several department stores in the north of England - he set about negotiating with factories, farmers and shipping lines. He wanted people to end the war healthier than they had been when it started and had to persuade them to not get involved in the Black Market, to use the rations wisely and then to use their gardens to grow some food to supplement the rations.

If you are at all interested in this subject you will find this book full of information that you probably didn't know. For instance - the majority of people working in the Ministry of Food were secretly moved out of London to Colwyn Bay in Wales, taking over hotels and schools.

A really good read, it will be added to my WWII  Home Front collection when I can find a cheap copy

Back Soon
Sue

In The War Years

Just across the fields from us is The Mid Suffolk Light Railway Heritage Museum and they held their annual "Middy at War" event so we went to have a look.
The first nice thing was they have a discounted entry for villagers.......half price.

The steam train with passenger carriages was chugging up and down the track. It's only quarter of a mile long at the moment but they have permission to extend another quarter mile............they just need to raise more funds.

They've restored some carriages and goods wagons that would have run in the 30's and 40's.



There were several old military vehicles, a Home Guard display, a couple of stalls selling vintage bits and bobs.

I succumbed to temptation and bought a book (no surprise there, although in my defence this is the only book I've bought all month!)  to add to my WWII Home Front collection-

Then they had a display of American and British Army firing guns.LOUD. Quite a few people came dressed up for the period, something I'd quite like to get involved with I think, although it's really just standing around all day.........so maybe not.

Son and Daughter in Law met us there and we looked round for a while, had a ride on the train, a hotdog and drink each and then home again. The sun was shining but by golly the wind was chilly.

There was no RAF Memorial Flight  flypast due to the weather being too windy for the planes to take off from RAF Coningsby - their home base- disappointing.

Thank you for all the comments on my poor frugal list, not a patch on the old days of 2013 - sadly.
 Welcome to new followers especially everyone who is remembering to click again on my new blog - much appreciated. 

Back Tomorrow
Sue

Frugal Notes from Last Month

Way back before illness and town living I always used to post a list of frugal type things done each month............time to start again, this sort of post helps to keep me on the straight and narrow, very necessary after the big spends of moving and furnishing. Now we will be trying to live on Col's County Council Pension plus interest from investments and the reduced ESA - and trying not to dip into the lump sum too often. We need to keep living carefully until we both get state pensions to add to our income (2021 me and 2023 Col..... unless a new government moves the goalposts again)

So .....April's list.

Car boot bargains for grandchildren...........a booster seat/feeding chair and toys.

I bought 4 bags of 20p parsnips  that were on special at Asda before Easter, chopped, par boiled and open froze. Nearly 2kg for 80p.

Also bought 2 bags of the 20p huge leeks, kept one leek for a pasta/leek/ham bake and chopped, blanched and put the rest into the freezer.

£1 for basket of mushrooms from Car boot sale, put most in freezer.

Bought 2 yellow sticker fresh chickens reduced by £1.50 each. Popped them in the freezer.

Found £1 on the ground in the Asda Car Park

Took a packed lunch on a long day out when I was  reading meter at the bungalow, taking keys to Estate agent, visiting youngest daughter and Florence and then Colin in hospital. Made coffee in the day-room at hospital for a donation. Colin takes a packed lunch when he has to be at hospital all day for blood transfusions.

Sowed  saved Climbing French Bean seeds in pots in the greenhouse,first lot failed so sowed again with some different seeds.

First "harvest" from the garden ..........chives, which I chopped and had with scrambled eggs two days running to use up some eggs before they got too old.

Sorted through 15 boxes of books and found some I really don't need. One box-full wanted by Ziffit  for £25 and  then another  box-full  for £28 plus 4 boxes to take to a car-boot sale, one box donated to the railway museum and three large bags for charity shop.

Car boot bargains - £1 bought me ....4 teaspoons, a tin of tomatoes, a roll of baking parchment and a plastic jug.

Given a bucket full of Wild Garlic Plants to plant in the Birthday wood

Started making bread again but although rolls were OK my first loaf was a dud. Think I need new yeast!

Col built a seat from pallets to put at the end of the meadow.

Picked up twigs and bits from the trees to use for kindling wood.

 Next Christmas (sorry for mentioning it already!) entertainment sorted.............4 seasonal magazines for 20p each from Charity shop  and a jigsaw for £1. The jigsaw is a bit unusual as its nearly a yard wide but only 9 inches tall............. a panorama.

Read library books - only one second hand book bought.

Now number 9 has sold I've applied for refund of the two home Stamp Duty Tax, which is enough to live on for a year!

Claimed a refund on half a month buildings insurance for number 9.

Unexpected £30 from Essex and Suffolk Water

Used few Nectar points for Sainsburys bargain bacon

Made birthday cards using bits from stash.


On the down side we had to spend extra on car repairs,book shelves, the cooker - it's fitting and the LPG gas, Col's lap-top repair and I'm still restocking cupboards and freezer after moving. There were birthdays and visitors so despite the frugal things our April spend was still HUGE.
Now we head into May - Must Do Better!