Catalogue Number
NMLH.1993.1.2
Object Name
Ration Book
Title
Minstry Of Food Ration Book
Place
66 Park Drive & London & England & UK
People
Goodchild, Charles Reginald
Events
War & World War II
Description
During World War II (1939-1945) there were shortages of essential foodstuffs, as well as luxuries like men's razor blades and ladies nylon stockings. Imported goods such as tea, oranges and grapes were no longer available, and it was to be as late as 1947 before bananas were seen in Britain again. Meat, butter, lard, sweets, sugar, cakes and flour became hard to get, and were soon rationed. Profiteering and the black-market, the illegal trading in restricted goods, soon developed. The crime rate in Britain actually went up during the war. Ration books were issued to each person, containing tokens which could be saved up. The shopkeeper would remove the tokens before he issued the goods. A green coloured token book was issued to expectant mothers as they had extra tokens.
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