Between 1942 1947, the government issued four different series of ration books. War ration book one ration coupons on the home front, 1942. Ration book four was printed in red, blue and green. Answered by a verified antique expert we use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our website. Each person was allowed a certain amount of points weekly with expiration dates to consider. More than 8,000 ration boards across the country administered the program. The ration books contained removable stamps good for certain rationed items, like sugar, meat, cooking oil, and canned goods. The paper stubs, or stamps, in each ration book purchased rationed consumer goods and foods. Most adults had pale brown books with the exception of pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and also children under five years old who used green books. Fabric was needed for the war effort to make uniforms, parachutes etc. Ration book definition and meaning collins english dictionary. Ration stamps became a kind of currency with each family being issued a war ration book. This ration book belonged to luella runck of oxford, indiana. This meant planning meals carefully, being creative with menus, and not wasting food.
It was where ration books were issued once a year and everyone who needed coupons if they were going away to relatives had to come in and youd give. The small coins introduced in 1944 were used by retailers to give change back for food bought with ration stamps. How the ministry of food managed food rationing in world war two. World war ii rationing stamps program, 19431946 overview of the collection title world war ii rationing stamps program dates 19431946 inclusive 1943 1946 quantity 1 box. Rationing of food lasted for 14 years and ended on july 4, 1954. Ration books, world war ii, original object lessons. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. Bbc ww2 peoples war issuing ration books in the food. The shop keeper cut a coupon out of the book every time they bought a rationed food. Rationing was introduced temporarily by the british government several times during the 20th century, during and immediately after a war at the start of the second world war in 1939, the united kingdom was importing 20 million long tons of food per year, including about 70% of its cheese and sugar, almost 80% of fruit and about 70% of cereals and fats.
Ration books, stamps, and tokens an anti hoarding, prorationing poster from the united states in world war ii. World war ll ration book printable pdf teaching history. So complicated were the clothing ration books that the government launched annual quiz to encourage people to get to grips with it. During the war, average calories intake decreased only three percent, but protein intake six percent. To monitor rationing everybody was given their own ration book, this contained tokens that shopkeepers would sign or remove when people bought their items. Mar 23, 2007 i have wwii ration books 14 and would like to know what each stamp allowed you to buy.
Ration book definition and meaning collins english. It began after the start of ww2 with petrol and later included other goods such as. They were also allowed double egg ration and one pint of milk per day. Ww2 replica junior ration book and identity card 4. Four different series of war ration books were issued. Firstly there was the simple, ordinary rationing of basic foodstuffs. Food rationing in britainration booksbuffcoloured ration books were for adultsgreen ration books were for pregnant women and children under five years of agethey were also allowed double egg ration and one pint of milk per dayoranges, when available, were for them alsoblue ration booksthese were for children between five and 16 years of agethey were. They still had to pay but the coupons meant that no one bought more than their fair share. They were then not allowed to buy any more of it until the following week. During world war ii, ration books were distributed to families by the office of price administration opa to help regulate food shortages as a result of the war. Rationing using ration stamps is only one kind of nonprice rationing. Rationing is the controlled distribution of scarce resources, goods, services, or an artificial. Families were given a ration book and they could only buy their ration from certain, local shops.
What you need to know about rationing in the second world. Rolling out the rationing program was an amazing story in and of itself. Around 1939, when world war ii began, the united kingdom imported twothirds of its food, all of which had to be shipped over oceans teeming with german uboats. A dorking cleaner spoke of how the price of food at the local grocer is. Initially used to ration sugar, coupons were later designated for other products. Create a role play area and provide students with one, and let them experience rationing firsthand. Food was in short supply because it was needed to be sent overseas to the troops and to feed our allies where it was desperately needed. The public went to their local designated ministry of food offices to collect their ration books. It will limit their purchases of sugar beginnning around the middle of march to 12 ounces per individual per week. Food rationing appeared in poland after the first world war, and ration stamps were in use until the end of the polishsoviet war. Home page ration book search why war ration book no.
Once a persons ration stamps were used up for a month. People were only allowed so much of some particularly scarce foods. Clothing rationing was introduced in 1941 and lasted eight years. Bread, which was never rationed during wartime, was put on the ration in july 1946. In 1942, five months after december 8, 1941 the united states entered the second world war, book one series were issued. Food rationing during world war 2 primary homework help. Ration books notice the dates these ration books were issued to doris and montague corri.
Other meat value of 1 shilling and 2 pence equivalent to 2. Rationing officially ended in 1954 after cheese, meat and all fats came of ration. The overall condition of the booklet as well as the stamps have the biggest impact on the resale value, with a large number of these available on the market. Jan 31, 20 the small coins introduced in 1944 were used by retailers to give change back for food bought with ration stamps. I have all four books, the first one only has three stamps left, book 2 is empty, book 3 has three full pages and one page that is only missing three stamps, book four has one full page of green stamps, five red stamps, nine blue stamps loose, 34 black spare stamps attached, with three more. Every man, woman and child was given a ration book with coupons. People were issued with separate ration books of food and clothing coupons. Send by email or post, confident in the knowledge that you are sending the perfect gift whilst supporting the raf museum.
Every american was issued a series of ration books during the war. What you need to know about rationing in the second world war. Wartime kitchen ration book cooking farmersgirl kitchen. Jun 02, 20 what is the value of war ration book no. By 1942 many other foodstuffs, including meat, milk, cheese, eggs and cooking fat were also on the ration. Jan 08, 2018 the end of the war saw additional cuts. Throughout the 1940s every man woman and child in britain owned ration books of coupons that had to be used to obtain food and clothing. The ministry of foods carefully formulated diet is generally believed to have improved the nations health.
The ministry of food s carefully formulated diet is generally believed to have improved the nations health. Food rationing, as what was mentioned above, went on even after the war ended. For most of the war years and after, the rationing of food took five principal forms. This was partly because it made things fairer for everyone, but it was also because the rationing was a lot better for us. The office of price administration opa was in charge of rationing consumer goods such as sugar, coffee, shoes, household appliances, and other goods during world war ii. It involved distributing ration books to every man, woman and child. Did you know that these books could hold significant clues into your ancestry. Shopkeepers were then supplied with sufficient food for everyone registered.
Rescuing texas history, 2015 and one other and was provided by pioneer city county museum to the portal to texas history, a. Make offer vintage wwii world war 2 war ration book dated 1943 stamps united states gov. Ration books are particularly associated with the second world war, when many countries experienced shortages of needed consumer goods, and they decided that a rationing system would ensure fair and even distribution. To deal with sometimes extreme shortages, the ministry of food instituted a.
Oct 10, 2017 the weekly food ration for two people, uk, 1943 this photograph shows the amounts of butter, milk, bacon, lard, sugar, cheese, tea and jam received by two people per week in britain. Because of these shortages, the us governments office of price administration established a system of rationing that would more fairly distribute foods that were. Green ration books were for pregnant women and children under five years of age. How the ministry of food managed food rationing in world. The weekly food ration for two people, uk, 1943 this photograph shows the amounts of butter, milk, bacon, lard, sugar, cheese, tea and jam received by two people per week in britain. Wwii gasoline coupons, a basic mileage ration from office of price. Ww2 peoples war homepage archive list timeline about this site. War ration book one, ration book, world war ii, united states of america, sugar. How we lived and how we ate during the war, as in ww2, has been well publicised recently with the excellent bbc programme wartime farm, but, my plan to try to live off wartime rations started earlier this year, when i attempted to live on. Original wwii ministry of food ration books 194345 and wallet. The work of issuing ration books and exchanging used stamps for certificates was handled by some 5,500 local ration boards of mostly volunteer workers selected by local officials. A person could not buy a rationed item without also giving the grocer the right ration stamp.
The ministry of food was a government department set up from the start of the. Definition of ration book from the collins english. See more ideas about wwii, wartime recipes and vintage recipes. Other meat value of 1 shilling and 2 pence equivalent to 2 chops butter 2 oz. Mar 04, 2010 the ministry of food exhibition at the imperial war museum in london marks the 70th anniversary of the introduction of rationing and examines how the british public adapted to a world of food.
A responsible person in the household could pick up and sign for the ration booklets for everyone in the household. Blue stamp rationing covered canned, bottled, frozen fruits and vegetables, plus juices and dry beans, and such processed foods as soups, baby food and ketchup. Throughout the 1940s and for nine years after the end of the war every man woman and child in britain owned ration books of coupons for food and clothing. War ration book one ration coupons on the home front.
Food rationing was introduced in 1940 and clothes rationing the following year. Use this ration booklet to teach about ww2 and rationing. The ministry of food exhibition at the imperial war museum in london marks the 70th anniversary of the introduction of rationing and examines how the british public adapted to a world of food. Once a persons ration stamps were used up for a month, she couldnt buy any more of that type of food. To assist with rationing, ration books were introduced on 15 july 1918 for butter, margarine, lard, meat and sugar. Wwii broke out on the 03 rd september 1939, ration book cookery will again rise from the ashes like a rather lardy and badly plucked phoenix on the 03 rd september 2014 with new recipes, shopping lists, money saving tips along with some much needed wartime wisdom. It was not until the early 1950s that most commodities came off the ration. Ration books worked on a coupon system, so people could only purchase their entitlement and no. A brilliant example of a ration booklet that children can use during their learning on the second world war and rationing. This was because they were allowed a daily pint of milk, double the amount of eggs and first choice of fruit. There were three different colours of ration books. The ministry of foods carefully formulated diet is generally believed to have impro. During the war, and also for several years afterwards, there were many food shortages. Of the 180,000,000 printed, 123,000,000 were issued.
I only recommend products or services i use personally and believe will add value to my readers. My grandmother recently died peacefully at 95, and while my sisters and i were. The book contains pages of coupons for clothing, tea, sugar and food. Each stamp was illustrated with a military symbol such as a naval ship, airplane, tank, gun, horn of plenty or torch of liberty, adding a patriotic flair. I have looked all over the internet and have found explanations of how the rationing work during the way, but not how the stamps themselves worked.
Ration book in collectable historical memorabilia for sale ebay. The opa accepted ration book applications and issued ration books, from which consumers tore out stamps in order to purchase food and other supplies at grocery stores. The goal was to make sure everyone got the same amount of food. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. Each stamp was worth 1 lb of sugar and was given a designed two week period during.
A ration book was issued to each person and each child. Rationing was introduced temporarily by the british government several times during the 20th. Issuing ration books in the food office by helengena. This article may feature affiliate links to amazon or other companies, and purchases made via these links may earn us a small commission at no additional. In january 1940, every individual was issued with a ration book and registered at their local shops.
Includes instuctions on how to use your ration book. Living off rations with ration book cooking day one. There were food and clothes shortages in britain during world war ii. In fact, two food items which never went on ration during the war, bread and potatoes, went on ration after wwii. Front cover blank, inside cover lists names and addresses of retailers. Then from 1st december 1941, there was points rationing for tinned goods. Ration book four also introduced red and blue cardboard tokens, each valued at onepoint, to be used as change for ration coupon purchases. Individuals used these books daily to purchase rationed goods such as sugar, butter, beefsteak, and gas. Ration books were given to everyone in britain who then registered in a shop. Did you scroll all this way to get facts about war ration book. The british ministry of food refined the rationing process in the early 1940s to. Bbc ww2 peoples war issuing ration books in the food office. Purchasers had to present ration books with them when shopping so that the. Find highquality stock photos that you wont find anywhere else.
Search from 60 top ration book pictures and royaltyfree images from istock. American civilians first received ration bookswar ration book number one. A ration book is a book of coupons which is used to control consumption of certain products which may be in high demand. The most common war ration book material is cotton. Food rationing childrens british history encyclopedia. Meat was the last item to be derationed and food rationing ended completely in 1954. The ministry of food exhibition at the imperial war museum in london marks the 70th anniversary of the introduction of rationing and examines how the. The 1939 register was used to devise a carefully detailed rationing plan. The ministry of food s carefully formulated diet is generally believed to have impro. They had to register and buy their food from their chosen shops. Ration book cookery eat your way to health and wealth.