Last Monday morning I took my eight year old granddaughter to school. Apparently, the current topic is WW11 and the children had been asked to attend school dressed 1940’s clothes. As I had been in school in the late 1940’s my help for suggestions was asked.
A skirt, now on the shortside was found to which were attached two shoulder straps crossed over at the back, and a blouse with puff sleeves and round collar. My granddaughter arrived downstairs in these but also in white tights.
I said "tights had not been invented in the 1940’s. Come summer or winter I went to school in ankle socks.
She looked at me in horror and relpied "but my legs will be ever so cold,"
I said "Children were a hardy lot then"
Her hair was tied in two bunches with ribbons and she looked the part.
On arrival at shool, the boys were dressed in short trousers rather than their long ones, v-necked pullovers and sporting a variety of peak caps. One boy was very inventive and carried a gas mask holder over his shoulder made out of a cardboard box and string.
On Thusday the children have been asked to take a 1940’s packed lunch to school. So my granddaughter asked what could she have in her lunch box.
Well I said. "You will not be able to have your usual ham sandwiches as ham was very scarce like most foods and was only eaten on very special occasions. Neither will you be able to have your usual crisps, yogurt, banana or grapes or fruit drink. People could not just buy exactly what they wanted from the shops as all food and clothing were rationed"
"What is rationed" she asked
"It means that people were only allowed to have a set amount of anything every month".
"Well what can I have" she enquired with a grim look on her face.
"Spam sandwiches (which I believe is still available in supermarkets these days) and an apple". I told her.
"SPAM what is spam.........................??
Do I say more. Somehow I do not think my granddaughter is looking forward to this lunch.
However, not withstanding the enjoyment the children will have from, in some small way, re-living these times, hopefully they will also understand many hardships that generations in the past endured
I should imagine that there are many on FR who have memories of these times.
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Marie. During the War my sister used to get a small Food parcel sent from the family of her Pen Pal in the U.S. I remember the Powdered dried eggs which at the time we thought was wonderful. I think as a Kid at that time being always hungry was the biggest thing. Though my mother used to bake there never seemed to be enough to go round. Even my Missus, who was born in 1947 finds it hard to visualise what Food and clothing Rationing was actually like. When i was on school holidays we used to go to Town and join any queue we saw and then ask what it was. One time it was Hardware on sale and we got a bucket, that was really something at that time Another time some cups and saucers. Streets with never a scrap of litter about were the norm. as there was so little paper, tins or such like to throw away. T.T. F. N.
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Times Past
Ah, Marie, Spam - yum yum. I seem to remember sandwiches filled with every kind of delicious treats, cucumber, beetroot, tomato and onion. The great joy was swapping with the other children and discovering such glorious treats as brown sauce butties, chip butties, and the greatest culinary experience of all, bread and dripping.
We were a fit generation because our tums were full, and we had to do a lot of walking because our parents didn’t own cars. Even the Police rode bikes!
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Hhhmmm!!!!
I have just had Spam fritters for tea, as it goes. Why waste it on Carp??!!!!
If an infinite number of monkeys could eventually type the works of Shakespeare, could then, an infinite number of MPs ever tell the truth, hmmm!!!!!!????
Quoting: Mike Pass I have just had Spam fritters for tea, as it goes. Why waste it on Carp??!!!!
as i am sat here with modern technology at my finger tips ther drifts in to my nostrils the aroma of Pigs Liver and Onions (being cooked by the second best Cook in the World my dear old Mum was the best) it will be served with Creamed Potatoes, Savoy Cabbage Carrots and Parsnips with a plenty full amount of Gravey poured on top, All of this to be followed with Steamed Apple Pudding and Custard, Am i making any one hungry! because i am , So i,m just off to have it .
