How Wartime Britain Fed Its People Through Pie Schemes and Canteens

How Wartime Britain Fed Its People Through Pie Schemes and Canteens

I have been learning a little more about the lives of the people on the home front during the Second World War. I found something that fascinated me, the “pie scheme.”

By the early 1940s, rationing had become a normal part of life for people in Britain. The government had to think about how to make sure that everyone got enough to eat. That is how initiatives like the pie scheme came in to effect. It was introduced as part of a much wider effort to make the most of the available ingredients, especially meat, which was very strictly rationed. Rather than individuals using up their small meat allowance at home, butchers and caterers were encouraged to produce pies in controlled quantities. The pies often contained a mix of meat, vegetables, and other fillers that stretched resources a lot further. The pie scheme was primarily for workers that had no access to a canteen, it was not just to stretch rations.

In rural areas, it helped to manage local supplies that might otherwise have been unevenly shared out. Even though farms were nearby the meat and produce was still tightly controlled. The scheme made sure that the resources were used efficiently. By turning available ingredients into regulated pies sold in set portions, it helped prevent waste while making sure more people could benefit. The pies that were supplied to rural workers were made from rationed food that was allocated specifically for catering and communal feeding. So it didn’t come out of an individual worker’s personal ration.

Even though ingredients were limited, the idea of a hot meal must have been wonderful, which would have definitely improved  morale.

The pie scheme was not the only approach. There were several other schemes designed to support the population. One of the most important was the British Restaurants initiative. They were government-run canteens. A place where people could buy cheap and nutritious meals without having to use their ration coupons. For those who were working long hours, or for the poor people whose homes had been damaged in bombing, these spaces must have been a lifeline.

There was also the Dig for Victory campaign, which encouraged people to grow their own food in gardens, parks, and allotments. It turned ordinary citizens into part of the food supply system.

School meals and milk schemes were expanded as well. They ensured that children received at least one proper meal a day. It goes to show just how much thought went into the schemes.

The Women’s Voluntary Service, often known as the WVS, played a vital role in supporting food schemes during the war. They also became involved in supplying the pies to rural workers, particularly during busy periods like harvest time. Volunteers helped to make and distribute the food, including pies that were made under the scheme. These schemes were not just about convenience, it also helped to maintain the workers energy and improved morale.

The WVS stepped in wherever they were  needed. They ran mobile canteens and served meals in British Restaurants and rest centres. They also helped to organise the distribution of food, clothing, and essentials, for anyone in  most need.

Image info:

The Woolmore Street British Restaurant

Date: 1942

Canadian Mayor Harry Markland Molson’s Final Hopeful Moments Aboard Titanic

Canadian Mayor Harry Markland Molson’s Final Hopeful Moments Aboard Titanic

I want to continue my look into some of the people who were on board the Titanic. Today I want to tell you about Harry Markland Molson.

He was born on the 9th of August 1856 in Montreal, into a well-known Canadian family. His life changed when he inherited a fortune from his uncle. He became involved in both business and public life. He served as Mayor of Dorval and also supported important institutions, including the Montreal General Hospital.

In early 1912, he travelled to England for business. He had planned to return home earlier on another ship, but after being persuaded by a fellow businessman, he extended his stay and sailed on the Titanic’s maiden voyage instead.

On the night of the 14th of April 1912, everything changed. As the ship started to sink, Molson was seen removing his shoes. He was preparing to enter the freezing water. He believed he could see a light in the distance and hoped to reach it.

He sadly did not survive, and his body was never recovered. He was 55 years old.

Do you think, in those final moments, hope can outweigh fear?

Atum: The Creator God and the Setting Sun of Ancient Egypt

Atum: The Creator God and the Setting Sun of Ancient Egypt

As many of you know I have been learning a little bit about some of the many ancient Egyptian gods. So today I want to tell you a little bit about Atum.

Atum was seen as a creator who emerged from the chaotic waters before anything else existed. There was nothing no land, no sky, no people. From that stillness, Atum was believed to have brought into existence the first gods, beginning the process of creation.

As Egyptian belief developed, Atum became connected with the setting sun. While other forms of the sun represented different times of day, Atum was linked to its setting.

Atum was part of a cycle, connected with other aspects of the sun’s journey. There were several ancient gods connected to the sun. Ra was the midday sun, Khepri the rising sun, and Atum the setting sun.

The idea that the sun could be different at dawn, midday, and dusk.

Image info;

Atum wearing a simple kilt with the Double Crown, Osiris is shown with the more elaborate Atef crown

Date: 1400- 1353BC

Collection: Museo Egizio

The Wartime “Spiv”: Black Market Traders and Life Beyond Rationing Rules

The Wartime “Spiv”: Black Market Traders and Life Beyond Rationing Rules

I have been finding out a little about what life was like on the home front. We talked about rationing recently and that got me thinking about the Black Market. And more particularly the “spiv”. The word “spiv” came into common use during the Second World War. Though the behaviour that it described had much earlier roots, including in the First World War. It referred to people who operated outside of the law. They traded in scarce or controlled goods for a profit. In wartime Britain, rationing was part of everyday life and so the spivs became a familiar and controversial presence.

Three Spivs in London.

During the First World War, shortages began as the imports were disrupted and the resources were redirected to the military. Some individuals took advantage of this by hoarding goods and then selling them at inflated prices. However, it was in the Second World War that spivs became far more visible. Rationing was far stricter, longer-lasting, and a lot more complex. Rationing covered food, clothing, fuel, and many everyday essentials. This created an environment where illegal trading could and did thrive.

Spivs obtained goods in a variety of ways. Some Spivs found ways to exploit their connections with factory workers, warehouse workers, and Dockers. They acquired items that were either stolen or diverted away from the official supply chains. Others dealt in surplus or second-hand goods. They often altered them so that they were like new. There were also some that manipulated the rationing system. They collected coupons from multiple sources or they forging them entirely. Imported goods, especially the luxury items like cigarettes or silk stockings, were particularly valuable and coveted.

These goods were then sold on the black market, usually at prices far beyond what ordinary people could afford. Transactions most often took place discreetly, through word of mouth or in back rooms of shops and pubs. Spivs became a recognisable image. The stereotype being that they wore flashy suits, bold ties, and trilby hats, with slicked-back hair.

One of the more unusual tricks associated with black market fuel involved altering petrol. Because fuel was dyed to distinguish different types and in an attempt to prevent misuse, criminals attempted to remove the colouring. A commonly repeated method was filtering petrol through bread to strip out the dye, making it appear legitimate. While this was not always very effective, it does go to show the lengths that people went to in order to bypass the restrictions.

Spivs had a direct impact on rationing. Rationing was brought in to make sure that the limited supplies were fairly shared and the black market undermined this system. It let people with money or connections to get more. This obviously created resentment, especially with the people who had followed the rules and were making do with very little. Many people saw Spivs as selfish during a time that called for a collective sacrifice.

Public opinion was divided, some people condemned them. They saw them as dishonest and worse unpatriotic during wartime. Many people believed that they were exploiting the situation for personal gain. Others, though, turned to them, particularly for things like clothing or extra food for children.

The government took the black-marketing seriously. Punishments could include a fine, the confiscation of goods, and even prison. In some more severe cases, especially where there was large-scale fraud or theft, sentences could be significant. Authorities ran campaigns in an attempt to encourage people to report illegal trading.

Harold Lowe: The Titanic Officer Who Chose to Turn Back and Save Lives

Harold Lowe: The Titanic Officer Who Chose to Turn Back and Save Lives

I have been learning about some of the people who were on board the RMS Titanic. I want to tell you a little about Harold Lowe.

He was born on the 21st of November 1882 in North Wales. As a young boy he sadly lost his older brother, who died in a boating accident. You can only imagine the effect this would have had on him. He may well have seen the sea as offering opportunity, but also dangers.

Determined to make his own way in life, he ran away to sea when he was a teenager. He wanted to earn his place. Over the years, he worked on different ships and routes, and he steadily built up his experience. By 1911, when he joined the White Star Line, he had already seen a lot of the world and had proved to be capable. He boarded Titanic in April 1912 as Fifth Officer, this was his first crossing of the Atlantic.

On the night of the 14th of April 1912, everything changed for him and everyone else on board. After being woken after the collision, he very quickly realised the seriousness of the situation. At first, his role was to help load lifeboats, trying to keep some order as the fear and chaos began to grow. At one point, he was even forced to push back some who were trying to rush a boat. He was eventually put in charge of Lifeboat 14.

Lowe made a decision, he gathered the nearby lifeboats together, organised the survivors, and then chose to go back. It was not without risk, by the time he reached the area again, the cold had already sadly taken most lives, but he and his crew managed to pull a small number of people from the water and later rescued others from a swamped collapsible boat. It is often said his was the only lifeboat to deliberately return.

After being picked up by the RMS Carpathia, he like the others were faced with the aftermath. During the inquiries, he spoke plainly and sometimes quite sharply, maybe feeling frustrated at being questioned by people who had not lived through that night.

He continued his career at sea, later serving in the Royal Naval Reserve during the First World War, and eventually retired in 1931. He served his local community and even volunteered during the Second World War, though ill health did eventually slow him down. He died on the 12th of May 1944, at the age of 61, after suffering a stroke, he became the first of Titanic’s surviving officers to pass away.

Khepri: The Ancient Egyptian God of the Rising Sun and New Beginnings

Khepri: The Ancient Egyptian God of the Rising Sun and New Beginnings

I have been learning a little bit about the ancient Egyptian gods. And want to talk about Khepri.

Khepri was associated with the rising sun. Unlike Ra, who represented the full power of the sun, Khepri was connected to that first moment of light, when the sun appeared on the horizon. The focus is not on the peak of power, but on that first moment.

He was often represented as a scarab beetle. Which may well seem unusual. Scarabs were seen rolling balls of dung across the ground, and the Egyptians connected this with the idea of the sun being pushed across the sky. It also became a symbol of creation and rebirth.

As Egyptian beliefs evolved, Khepri became part of a wider understanding of the sun’s journey. The sun was not just one thing, it was a cycle. Khepri represented the morning, Ra the midday sun, and Atum the setting sun. It seems like they were trying to break it down into something easier to understand.

Khepri was also linked to the idea of self-creation. It is the idea that change is not just something that happens to you, but something that can come from inside.

Do you think that the people of Ancient Egypt found some comfort in the idea that every day offered a nee beginning, no matter what happened before?

The American Flight Nurse Who Flew 425 Missions Across Two Wars

The American Flight Nurse Who Flew 425 Missions Across Two Wars

I have been learning about some of the people who served in the world wars. I want to tell you a little bit about Lillian Kinkella Keil.

She was born on the 17th of November 1916 in Arcata, California. Her father left when she was still young, so she and her siblings were raised in a convent.

After finishing high school, she trained at St. Mary’s Hospital in San Francisco and qualified as a registered nurse. By 1939, she had become one of the first stewardesses for United Airlines. But when the United States entered the War, like everyone else, her life changed. She joined the United States Army Air Forces after a passenger encouraged her to do so. She went on to train as a flight nurse.

By 1943, she was serving in London, and not long after that, she was caring for the wounded after D-Day in June 1944. She worked close to the front line, including with the forces of General George S. Patton as they advanced across France. She flew hundreds of evacuation missions, transporting injured soldiers to safety.

After the war, she briefly returned to civilian life, but when the Korean War started, she joined the United States Air Force. She became one of a small number of nurses stationed in the Far East, making even more evacuation flights. Across both wars, she flew around 425 missions and is believed to have cared for over 10,000 wounded service members.

She earned 19 medals and ribbons, including four Air Medals, two Presidential Unit Citations, the World War II Victory Medal, four World War II battle stars, and the Korean Service Medal with seven battle stars.

She went on to marry and she continued nursing in civilian life. Lillian Kinkella Keil sadly died of cancer on the 30th of June 2005 at the age of 88.