Rationing Archives - Page 3 of 3 - Northumberland Archives

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 9 MARCH 1917

LOCAL NEWS

Local Minister and the Food Problem. – In compliance with the recommendation of the Food Controller the Rev. John Macaskill, M.A., on Sunday in Wallace Green Church, Berwick, directed the attention of the congregation to the circular letter he had received regarding voluntary rationing. To the young people present he delivered a short but most interesting address based on the words, “Gathering up the fragments.” He showed how much food could be saved if each was to take care of the small pieces of bread that were over at meal times, and how great this waste amounted to in the aggregate. The same lesson applied to the diligent use of time. People often remarked how clever such and such a person was, but the explanation of this was to be found in the fact the individual alluded to made proper use of his odd moments in improving and storing his mind with useful knowledge. The reverend gentleman’s subsequent sermon was in a similar theme, and in concluding he pointed out that no doubt after the war habits of thrift of a bygone generation would be inculcated. Some might be inclined to think that we would lose the habits of hospitality for which our nation had been known. While restraints were good we must see that in the end it did not deprive us of our open handedness and our willingness to share the good things of life with others, cultivating and social fellowship which we remembered as one of life’s assets.

The “Tanks” at the Playhouse. – This week the film on exhibition is the “Fools of Fate,” The variety part is sustained by Miss B. Wright, contralto vocalist, in scena song and gipsy

“The Battle of the Somme” (1916 British film) – Source: Yorkshire Evening Post – Author: British government

encampment. There should be a great desire on the public’s part to witness the film on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, as it is one which attracts attention everywhere. “The Battle of the Ancre and the Advance of the Tanks” will prove the most in spiriting war picture the world has ever seen. It is a noble and wonderful record of the great autumn battle, and is even more interesting than the world-famous picture “The Battle of the Somme.” The pictures have been taken on the actual battlefield, and contain nothing whatever in the nature of faked or made-up scenes. The film is divided into four parts, and the boldness of the forward dash, and the manner in which the Tanks arrived to upset the German calculations are all shown in these wonderful pictures, which in the wealth of their subject excel anything the world has ever seen. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday the film is to be “The Miracle of Youth.” It is a picture version of the famous novel by Bret Harte, with Hobart Bosworth in the title role. The characters portrayed are exceptionally fine, the settings and photography being magnificent. Carino, the boy violinist, should prove an excellent variety programme, as he is a master of this sweet instrument.

Speed of Military Motor Vehicles – an order by the Scottish Command states:- With reference to the W.O. Letter, 92/2508 (A.G.3), dated 4th February 1915 (Command Order No. 309, dated 9th February 1915), attention has been drawn to the increasing number of fatal street accidents caused by Government cars or privately-owned cars driven by officers and men in uniform, and it is desired to impress on all ranks that the local speed rates must be strictly observed when travelling on duty. Special arrangements have been made for authorising cars to proceed at a speed in excess of the legal limit in case of extreme military urgency by the issue of a special written authority, and it is solely under this condition that any deviation in excess of the normal speed rates is permissible. Should any omission to observe this order render an officer or man liable to prosecution by the police authorities, and subsequently conviction, they will themselves pay any fines which may be incurred. The attention of all A.S.C. M.T. drivers should be drawn to paragraphs 6 to 10, appendix 27, Army Service Corps Regimental Standing Orders.

BAMBURGH

German Claims Descent from Grace Darling – At Liverpool a charge of making a false statement was preferred against Weximilian Eugene Backhans (37), and alleged German who posed as a Belgian. A detective stated that prisoner married an English woman 14 years ago, and claimed that his wife was a descendant of Grace Darling. There were three children. Before the war the prisoner was known as a German, and had boasted of what Germany could do to England. Evidence was given by an hotel manager and a waiter, who had known and worked with accused, that he was undoubtedly a German. The latter witness added he knew accused to be German, and once gave him a thrashing, “Only as recently as January, “said witness. “I met him. I am in the Volunteers, and said to him: Haven’t the interned you yet? I’ll see that they do. I’m not going to do volunteering if your at large.” Accused contended that he was born at Ostend. The magistrate said accused must go to gaol for three months.

FOOD RESTRICTIONS IN WORKHOUSE

The Local Government Board recommended that selection of rations be made involving the consumption of smaller quantities of flour, meat, and sugar, and a list of alternative articles substituted could be revised with the assistance of the medical officer. No dietary tables which appeared in excess of the Food Controller’s recommendations was to remain in force after 31st March. The relief in kind to the outdoor poor was also to be revised, while allowances to officers were to be a matter of arrangement between them and the Guardians.

Shown in the top right of this recipe book, is the WW1 Barley Bread recipe.

Mr Banks, Workhouse master, said that in the matter of meat, sugar, and flour, they were already within the Controller’s standard. The Medical Officer had pointed out the difficulties in getting substitutes in some instances, but he agreed that barley should take the place of flour bread. He had communicated with the baker, and he had promised to send up samples of barley bread. It was stated by the baker that he could make 1 lb. loves of barley, and if this suggestion was carried out it would bring down the allowances of bread to 4 lb. 2 ozs, per week.

In answer to Mr Peacocke the Master said that the children got fed according to individual requirements.

It was agreed to leave the matter in the hands of the Master and the Medical Officer.

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 24 SEPTEMBER 1915

HINTS FOR THE HOME

Here is a good recipe for potted meat. Stew 1lb of stewing beef until tender. Pass this through a mincing machine. Season with salt and pepper, and work in also about 2oz of butter. Press the mixture into potted meat jars, and cover with melted butter.

Above a WW1 advert for potted meat and fish paste, both are still popular today!

When putting on kid gloves, always begin by buttoning the second button, then, when buttoned to the top, you can easily fasten the first button without tearing the kid. Never remove the glove by pulling the fingers, but by drawing the part covering the wrist over the hand.

When the hands are very dirty, use potato instead of soap. This will remove the dirt more quickly, and soften the skin at the same time.

When cut bread and butter is left over from meals, place it with a serviette which has been dipped in cold water. Place the food in a cool place and it will keep quite fresh and moist.

To prevent the juice from boiling over in a fruit tart, sprinkle the fruit with cornflower.

Never throw away your candle ends. Place these in a bag, and you will find them useful for ironing day. If the iron is occasionally passed over the bag, it will give the article a beautiful gloss.

THE PLAYHOUSE

Good programmes still continue to be submitted at the “Playhouse.” This week an excellent vaudeville turn is seen in “Stowe Brothers,” who present a novel acrobatic act. “Ashes” was the bioscopic feature during the first part of the week, while, commencing on Thursday, the feature will be “A Woman’s Triumph.” The latter is a fine film with a beautiful and impassioned story from the works of Sir Walter Scott. The feature films for next week’s programme are particularly good. At the beginning of the week the star film will be “The Link in the Chain,” a tense drama in three parts. The story is woven round the theft of a necklace. The charge is laid on an innocent man, who suffers imprisonment while his friends toil incessantly to prove his innocence, and they eventually do so to the undoing of the unscrupulous and the righting of the innocent. Commencing on Thursday next the feature will be “Temptation.” an intensely dramatic photo-play in three parts. The synopsis, which is a lengthy one, could not receive justice here owing to lack of space, but suffice it to say that it is a story of strong passions, full of sensations and thrills. Interest is held throughout because of its realism. “Harmon,” the dancing musician is the turn for next week. For further particulars see advertisement on front page.

RABBITS AS FOOD

Attention has been called to the value of the rabbit as an article of food during the present high prices of meat. Land owners and farmers, who have a sufficiency of hands left, should see to it and keep the adjacent towns as liberally supplied as possible, and meet the needs of the poorer inhabitants. The cutting of the harvest has tended to make the supply more liberal, but in Berwick on Saturday it was not equal to the demand, prices ranging from 1s 4d to 1s 10d per pair.

The above photograph is of Halliwells Butchers, Selkirk, Scotland, with a string of rabbits hanging outside, a rare sight these days! © William Stafford – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic License.

RECRUITING MEETING AT WOOLER

About a 100 of the 6^th Northumberland Fusiliers including the Band arrived at Wooler on Monday afternoon on their recruiting tour. They were encamped on Turvelaws haugh for the night. In the evening a meeting was held in the Archbold Hall at which Mr Noel Villiers of Weetwood presided. Addresses were delivered by the Chairman, Sergt.-Major Walsh, Rev. Lothian Gray of Sprott, Dunbar, and colonel Napier. As a number of meetings have already been held here, both Wooler and district having responded well to the call, recruits were invited to come forward, but apparently without result. A dance took place after the meeting to music supplied by the band. An officer’s wife expressed her disgust at seeing so many young men in civilian clothes dancing saying she felt ashamed of them.

This Week in World War One, 9 March 1917