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.