Was there rationing in the UK in ww1?
In 1918, Britain began rationing to try and make food more equal. Everyone was provided with a ration book that showed how much food they were allowed to buy, including sugar, meat, flour, butter, margarine and milk. Even King George and Queen Mary had rationbooks!
When did rationing start in ww1 UK?
January 1918
Food shortages were a problem for all the nations involved in the First World War. In January 1918 the British government introduced compulsory rationing to try to ensure that staple foods were distributed fairly.
What was the ration allowance in ww1?
The weekly allowance was for: Bread including cakes, puddings etc – 4lbs (1.8 kg) Meat including bacon, ham, sausages, game, rabbits, poultry, and tinned meat – 2½ lbs (1.1 kg) Sugar ¾ lb (340 grams)
Why did the British begin to ration food in 1917?
The war took men and horses away from farm work. Imports of nitrate fertilizers were hit. Reduced agricultural output forced up prices and encouraged hoarding. Governments responded by putting price controls on staple foodstuffs.
What foods were rationed during ww1?
The following foods and ingredients were rationed by the Food Administration during WWI with appropriate substitutes.
- Wheat: substitute corn, oats, rye, and barley products.
- Meat: eat fish and other sea food, poultry, rabbits, and beans instead of beef, mutton, and pork.
How did rationing affect people’s lives in ww1?
Rationing made sure everyone in the country got some food. People could only have certain amounts of sugar, meat, butter and milk. Richer families discovered what it was like to go hungry. Some of the poorest families found rationing left them better-fed than before.
How long did rationing last in ww1?
Bread was subsidised from September that year; prompted by local authorities taking matters into their own hands, compulsory rationing was introduced in stages between December 1917 and February 1918 as Britain’s supply of wheat decreased to just six weeks’ consumption.
What did the British eat during ww1?
By the First World War (1914-18), Army food was basic, but filling. Each soldier could expect around 4,000 calories a day, with tinned rations and hard biscuits staples once again. But their diet also included vegetables, bread and jam, and boiled plum puddings. This was all washed down by copious amounts of tea.
What food did the British soldiers eat in ww1?
The bulk of their diet in the trenches was bully beef (caned corned beef), bread and biscuits. By the winter of 1916 flour was in such short supply that bread was being made with dried ground turnips. The main food was now a pea-soup with a few lumps of horsemeat.
What was the last item to be rationed?
Meat
Meat was the last item to be de-rationed and food rationing ended completely in 1954. One way to get rationed items without coupons, usually at greatly inflated prices, was on the black market.
What were the effects of rationing?
Rationing resulted in one serious side effect: the black market, where people could buy rationed items on the sly, but at higher prices. The practice provoked mixed reactions from those who banded together to conserve as instructed, as opposed to those who fed the black market’s subversion and profiteering.