Ministry of Food 1942-1943, (Nowt to do with Jaimie Oliver)

Being a grumpy old git, as you have probably noticed, my memories go back to World War II.

On a tidy up I came across a little item from the 1940s published on a paper bag (Anybody remember paper bags?) from Eden Camp, Yorkshire. Quite a treat if you've not been. Right then, back to the item and memories.

It's about rationing we endured during World War II. I remember it so well, only two ounces of sweets a week, taking the ration books down to the corner grocers and green grocers. (Hands up who remembers them?)

Well here's what we entitle to for a week:

Bacon or ham - 4oz (I never saw ham until 1946 at my great grandfather's wake.)

Meat -1s. and 2d. worth. (In new coinage = three and half pence)

Butter - 4oz (Again I never saw butter until 1946)

Cheese - 2oz-8oz

Tea - 2oz

Sugar -12oz

Margerine - 2oz (Brilliant stuff- fit for greasing lorry bearings)

Milk - 2-3 pints (This is when our famers actually farmed and were not a benefit receiving culture)

Eggs - 1 small egg every four weeks. (Not a typo, every four weeks)

Dried Eggs - 1 packet every four weeks (Brilliant stuff! At the time I preferred it to proper eggs.)

Yes, what memories running to the shops in winter, grey shorts flapping against my legs, causing chapped legs (Remember them and chilblains?)

Eden Camp is worth a visit. Memories for us old ones and how the grandparents lived for the young ones.