On this day, we commemorate the courageous soldiers who fought in World War Two for our freedom, often necessitating the highest possible sacrifice.
Today, in 1945, Victory in Europe was declared. Marking the defeat of Nazi Germany, it was met by jubilant celebrations in the UK, after 6 years of war which caused the deaths of 67,100 civilians, 383,300 soldiers in Europe, Africa and Asia. In Britain, there was an immense amount of damage and destruction to many major cities.
A History on Wartime Rationing in Bishop’s Stortford:
German attempts to force a capitulation of Britain centred in part on the use of submarine warfare to sink merchant ships carrying vital food and supplies for the island. Initially operating individually, after March 1941 they started operating in groups (what the British called wolf packs), increasing their successes in sinking merchant ships. Such efforts were intended to cut off supplies to Britain, forcing it to surrender.
To help counter the resultant loss of food imports, the government introduced rationing in January 1940, with the Ministry of Food giving a ration book with coupons to every individual in the UK. The list of restricted items included everyday basics such as sugar, meat, fats, cheese and bacon. This continued until 1954, when the last item on the rationing list (meat) was finally de-rationed.
To help people conserve food, the department organised campaigns designed to help the public make the most of the food available. The booklets within our archives showcase the advice provided at the time. They are a fascinating insight into the towns’ history and the locals’ experiences. Advice was given at many points throughout and just after the war, and on a range of items. This included: how to prepare for the Christmas holidays; how to reduce the use of energy when cooking (fuel was in short supply more generally, as underlined by how petrol was the first item rationed); and to how to best use certain types of food, such as eggs.
to the product (due to the heads bones being removed) and it being relatively easy to cook. The booklet then describes how it could be boiled, fried and baked, as well as being made into fish paste.
There was also an effort to ensure the food eaten was made as healthy as possible. They provided booklets on how to make salads, again with an emphasis on being “economical” with the available food. This advice extended not just to how to cook, but how to best preserve the foods, again with an emphasis on cutting the quantity of food wasted. This encompassed a range of foodstuffs, including tomatoes, with details provided on the different methods available, including by skinning the tomatoes and
The broad range of advice given to Stortford residents and the wider population underlines the all-encompassing nature of the conflict, and how everyday life was guided and directed in order to survive the conflict.
It should also be noted that infant mortality rates declined during the war, while the average age when people died from natural causes increased, underlining the successes of the Ministry of Food’s efforts in helping to maintain the health of the nation.
To those interested in World War Two history, we invite you to Bishop’s Stortford Museum, where you can find out more about the contributions of the townspeople. This includes information on the donations from the community towards HMS Clover, as well as the contextual significance of this at a time when the Navy was of critical importance to the British war effort.
Written and researched by volunteer Thomas
Citations and for more information:
1940 – Life in World War 2 in Bishops Stortford and Thorley – A History and Guide
The Ministry of Food in the 40s | 1940s Nostalgia
Lord Woolton: Feeding Wartime Britain – Historic UK
Rationing In World War 2 – What You Need To Know
Food Shortages and Rationing WW2
U-boat | German Submarine Warfare in WWI & WWII | Britannica
Wartime rationing helped the British get healthier than they had ever been
