Videos tagged with rationing

Rationing and and Children's Routines during WW2

Rationing and and Children's Routines during WW2

In the second part of his interview Alex talks about rationing during the Second World War and how families struggled on a daily basis to feed themselves with the tiny quantities they were allowed. He talks of how his mother had to scrub floors to make ends meet whilst his father was away in the army, and of the short while he spent away when he was evacuated as a boy of 4. Alex also remembers a couple of cheeky adventures him and his friends used to embark on to get around their sweet cravings!

Childhood memories of post-war life in the North East of England (Part 2)

Childhood memories of post-war life in the North East of England (Part 2)

In the second part of her interview Sylvia recalls more of her childhood memories growing up by the River Tyne in the North East of England. Her father worked for the Co-Op and everything that the family needed was bought using tickets. Sylvia recounts her first trips to the big shopping centres to buy her first high heels and fabric to make micro min skirts in the 1960s. As a small child, some of the activities children used to invent to pass the time were highly imaginative and there was a real sense of safety on the streets. Games included dressing up, playing detective and 'Knock Down Ginger'. Children used to crave sweets and when rationing was still in place Sylvia and her friends used to concoct sweet replacements to get over their cravings.

Childhood memories of post-war life in the North East of England

Childhood memories of post-war life in the North East of England

Sylvia Curry was born and grew up in the North East of England. In the 1950s, after the 2nd World War, Sylvia was a small child and in this interview she recounts some of her happy childhood memories. Sylvia came from a very creative family and they were always making things. Children back then were allowed to play freely as there was a real sense of freedom. Sylvia remembers some of the childhood games her and her friends used to play, dressing up for the coronation in 1953 and making hand-made Easter eggs. Sylvia also talks about how post-war rationing affected people's lives and how the role of women has changed drastically since then.

Life during The Blitz in South London

Life during The Blitz in South London

Fred Folkard has lived in Eltham, South East London all his life. He was 16 when WW2 started and he experienced the worst of the Blitz first-hand, joining the army as soon as he was 18. In the first part of his interview he recounts how London changed during the war, close encounters with bombings, rationing and 'Dig For Britain'

The Blitz - Evacuation, Schooling and Rationing

The Blitz - Evacuation, Schooling and Rationing

Helen Penver recounts her experiences as a young girl growing up during The Blitz in London. In part two Helen tells us about her own personal experience of being evacuated as well as speaking about rationing and schooling during the war. She also tells us about how women had to make up their legs due to shortages in tights.