Horrible Histories: Rotten Rationing

• The Queue for Fish

  The Queue for Fish

  Men, women and children queue for fish along High Road, Wood Green, London. Fish was not rationed during the war but was often scarce, and by 1941 prices were 17% higher than in 1939.

• Oranges for Children Only

  Oranges for Children Only

  Like many other foods, oranges, although not rationed were also scarce in wartime, so priority was given to children over adults.

• Allotment in the East End of London

  Allotment in the East End of London

  A group of boys set to work with forks and spades amidst the rubble of a bomb site in the East End of London. They are creating an allotment on this small patch of wasteland.

• Jimmy West

  Jimmy West

  Jimmy West, aged 11, smiles as he begins work on the allotment. According to the original image caption Jimmy had been evacuated to Hertfordshire but was now returned to ‘put London right’.

• Allotment in Dulwich, London

  Allotment in Dulwich, London

  Tending the allotment on Dulwich Common. These allotments had been created from the tennis courts which had originally been there. The Dig For Victory campaign was launched in October 1939.

• Weekly Rations

  Weekly Rations

  Weekly rations of sugar, tea, margarine, ‘national butter’, lard, eggs, bacon and cheese. Rationing continued long after the war. It was finally lifted on 4 July 1954, when meat became freely available for the first time in nearly 15 years.