Food economy (1917)

Post date: Feb 03, 2014 2:22:46 PM

Extract from Parish magazine of December 1917

CHRISTMAS DINNER COLLECTION AND NATIONAL FOOD ECONOMY.—The first two years of the war Mrs. Livett distributed envelopes throughout the parish asking people to pass them round the dinner table on Christmas day for contributions towards the Red Cross Funds. Last year Miss Hinton and some of the school girls, in response to an appeal from Mr. Allison made a similar envelope collection for the Belgian Relief Fund. This year, with the approval of the Board of Education, an appeal for help has recently been sent to all the schools of the country by Sir Arthur Pearson, Chairman of the Blinded Soldiers' and Sailors' Care Committee, and originator of St. Dunstan's Hostel and its Annexes, where about 400 men blinded in the war are housed and instructed in Braille reading and typewriting and various occupations, such as massage, shorthand, telephone work, boot repairing, mat and basket making, joinery, poultry farming and market gardening. Already nearly 300 men have been enabled to earn sufficient, with their pensions and, in the case of married men, a special weekly allowance from the Government of 5s. for each child, to keep a home of their own. The Government allowance does not extend to children born to a man later than nine months after his discharge from the army, and Sir Arthur is now trying to raise a capital sum sufficient to guarantee a similar allowance for such children until they reach the age of 16.

In response to this appeal Miss Hinton and Mr. Smith are organising a Christmas dinner collection. The Boy Scouts will leave the envelopes, one at every house and cottage, before Christmas day, and will call for them on Boxing day and take them to Mr. Smith, who will send up the total sum collected. Anyone who will be absent from home, and yet may wish to contribute, will oblige by sending their envelope to Mr. Smith on returning home.

The approach of Christmas makes a suitable opportunity for referring to National Food Economy, the urgent need of which is being continually impressed upon us by the Government and the various departments of food control and distribution.

The need is twofold, arising not only from an almost entire lack of tinned foods, the shortage at present of such commodities as tea, sugar, butter and margarine, and the possibility of a shortage before long of meat and milk; but also from difficulties that attend a fair distribution of such supplies as the country possesses. Many people are only now, after three years of war, beginning to realise the facts and feel the pinch which is being forced upon them in towns by their having to wait in queues before the shops, and in villages by the recent impossibility of getting tea and other commodities which they consider essential. We have evidence to show that up to the present grocers have supplied such things as sugar to the so-called poor more readily than to the rich. Some of us, however, have long ago foreseen that the pinch would certainly come, and we have all along been loyally keeping well within the food controller's scale of rations—for example, in my own household, where all the members both in parlour and kitchen have been enthusiastic about the regulation of food consumption, we have not seen sugar on our tables for many months past, and the amount used in cooking has been small, while margarine (not so tasty as butter, but not one whit less nutritious) has been the staple substitute for butter. It was because we anticipated the shortage, and not for the mere fun of the thing, that we established the schools dinner canteen. It saves flour, the supplies of which must be conserved, and it uses potatoes, which are abundant and equally nourishing. Back in the summer, when many mothers were at work in the fields, the number of children sent to the canteen was well over 100; now, in the winter, it has dropped to about 40. This shows that many of the parents have used the canteen more as a convenience than from motives of food economy. The committee, however, don't mean to give it up, They feel sure that it will come to be better appreciated. Besides, in this matter we have set example which other places have tried to follow, and our efforts have been brought by Mr. Hannen under the notice of Sir Arthur Yapp, the food controller. Wateringbury has thus acquired a reputation, and I am sure that parishioners will feel that it is up to them to see that its good reputation is kept up.

To return to the question of the shortage and distribution of food. The submarine war is responsible for only a fraction of the shortage. The real difficulty of food importation arises from the fact that Government have had to commandeer more than half our merchant vessels, colliers, etc., for military purposes: for conversion into auxiliary cruisers, patrol boats, mine sweepers, and the like, and for transport of troops and munitions and food to our armies abroad. At home the distribution of food is becoming a crucial difficulty. Some districts and some shops get supplies, others don't. Then when they get it there is the question of distributing it to the consumers. It is absurb that in a town 10 milkmen, from 10 different dairies, should be crying their milk along a single street. Trade co-operation or combination seems to be the solution—but all this is a matter for organisation by the authorities.

What we have to do is loyally to fall in with their arrangements. In the matter of sugar, the change they have recently made from household cards to personal tickets is due, doubtless, to a wish to test the working of a system which may be suitable for use in respect of many other kinds of food, should compulsory rationing all round be found necessary. It will not become necessary if every householder and cottager will loyally submit to the voluntary system. That is the reason why the authorities are pressing the voluntary system of rationing upon our attention.

Quite recently both the Vicar and the Chairman of the Parish Council have received communications on the subject. We have consulted together and decided, with the co-operation of Mr. Smith and his Boy Scouts, to leave literature, with a copy of this Magazine, in every house and cottage. The literature consists of (1) a leaflet on food economy, supplied by the District Council, written by the Chairman, Mr. Wheeler; and (2) a printed post card, supplied by the Ministry of Food. We hope that every householder and cottager will read the leaflet and make use of the post card. The Ministry of Food is starting a League of National Safety. Every householder and cottager is asked to join the League. There are no fees or subscriptions to pay. All one has to do is to sign the card, add the address, and post the card, which need not be stamped. And then, afterwards, to carry out the promise which the signature involves—to do all in one's power, by economy in the use of food, by checking all waste of food, and by every other possible means, to assist in the campaign for National Safety. (P.S. A second leaflet from the Ministry of Food is enclosed.)

The next six months are going to be a time of tremendous stress for ourselves at home and for our allies abroad. During that time Germany will make a supreme effort, both by submarine warfare and military offensive, and by insidious propaganda—by peace intrigue—which we now call Boloism, either to snatch a decisive victory somewhere, or to induce one or other of the allies to follow the sad example of Russia, before America has had time to put her full weight into the conflict. We must stand firm as a rock until the United States can begin effectually to co-operate with our forces, and then the end, a complete victory for the allies, will be in sight. It is for this power of steadfast endurance that we have to pray on the Day of National Prayer which has been appointed for January 6th.

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THE PARISH MAGAZINE.— The nation has to economise in every way possible. At present there is an enormous amount of printing which is not necessary for national safety. It consumes paper, which has to be manufactured, and employs unnecessary labour in printing. Money and man-power is thus diverted from the prosecution of the war. For this reason it has been decided to discontinue the issue of The Sign in our Parish Magazine during 1918. The monthly magazine will consist only of what has hitherto been the outside cover containing local or parochial matter. The price of paper and materials has gone up. Information as to the price to be paid for the new magazine, or monthly sheet, cannot be fixed until we have received an estimate asked for from the printer. We hope we shall be able to make it less than 1d. for cottagers, and we hope that the number of those who have taken the magazine hitherto will not fall off.

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On Sunday evening, the 9th inst., a memorial service was held in Church for all those of the old boys of Wateringbury Church Schools who have fallen in the war. On the following day¹ a list of all the old boys who have been serving in the forces, including a "Roll of Honour" of the fallen, simply but handsomely framed in oak, was unveiled in the Boys' School by Mrs. G. M. Livett in the presence of all the teachers and boys and a few subscribers. The Hon. Henry Hannen, the representative of the district on the K.E.C., was prevented by indisposition from coming to perform this ceremony. The unveiling was preceded by a few words of explanation from Mr. Smith, who said that after the war the complete list of names would be inscribed in gold lettering on the panels, in place of the list inscribed in ink (with skill and beauty) by Mr. Herbert Green on temporary sheets of cardboard; and that the memorial had been fixed in position by Mr. Horace French and Mr. William Curd, and a heading in gold lettering inscribed by Mr. Horace French. The Vicar responded to a request to address the company. Mr. Baker proposed a vote of thanks to Mrs. Livett, and Mr. Richards to Mr. Smith for getting up the memorial, which contains about 200 names. The proceedings included a short programme of excellently rendered songs by the boys.

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The fruit and vegetables sent to the Church at the Harvest Thanksgiving were collected together by Mrs. Leney and Miss Goodwin, and despatched to the depot at Maidstone to be forwarded to the Fleet. There was a cart full. Letters of cordial thanks have been received.

The Autumn Show of the Wateringbury and District Cottage Gardeners' Society was held in the Church Room on November 14th. Out of the proceeds a sum of £7, being the whole amount realised by takings at the door, sale of fruit, etc., after deducting nominal expenses, was sent up to the Red Cross Society. The exhibition of fruit would have done credit to any Horticultural Society. Prizes amounting to £2 13s. 6d. were given only in Classes B and C. For these a special collection was made, the donors being:—Mrs. T. Brocklebank, Mrs. Flint, Miss Fremlin, Mr. Owen English, each 10s.; Mrs. W. English, 5s.; Mrs. E. Hollands, 2s. 6d.; and Canon Livett, 6s. (the balance). The Committee desire to express their thanks to the above; and also to the following, for excellent collections of fruit and vegetables not for competition :—Mr. G. Chambers and Mr. Owen English for collections of fruit: Mr. Brocklebank, Mrs. Flint and Canon Livett for fruit and vegetables; Mrs. W. Jude for vegetables : and to sundry other exhibitors of smaller collections ; also to Mrs. G. M. Livett for a competition cake and samples of dried and bottled fruits.

[accounts not transcribed]

KENTISH PRISONERS OF WAR.

Mr. W. W. Blest has put into our hands, for analysis and publication in the Parish Magazine, his lists of subscriptions recently collected for the above fund. He wishes to express his thanks to all the subscribers, and also to the several collectors who have helped him in an onerous task; and to add that he will wait a few days before sending the total sum (£40 7s. 5d.) to head-quarters, so that any others who may wish to contribute to the fund may take advantage of such opportunity to do so by sending him their subscriptions, to be added and acknowledged in the January Magazine:—

[ subscription list not transcribed]

Notes:

1. This is also recorded in the Boys School Log.