Great-Uncle On Secret Mission 4 Apr 1942

We don't know anything and just hope that he comes home safely.  Meanwhile at home, meat prices have risen and you really don't get as much for your 1/2 at the butcher's anymore; and there were no sausages this week either.  I'm really cross with Ted, Bill and Maggie as all the ham I got this week has gone already.  They'll have to have jam sandwiches tomorrow!

                                                                Wot no meat!

Japanese Attack Pearl Harbour 7 Dec 1941

I can't believe that this has happened.  As if we didn't have enough to cope with in Europe, now we have to deal with Japan as well.

At least we now have some American food - Spam is great in a pie with egg (which we have plenty of, thanks to Ted).  A GI also gave us some peanut butter, which Maggie and the Nameless One are particular fond of.

Chickens 6 May 1941

And here is Ted helping with the chickens.  He had a lovely time and we now have 6 extra eggs.  I think a cake would be nice.

Wot No Cheese?  5 May 1941

Cheese is rationed at 1oz per person. It really isn't enough to do anything with it. So no cheese sandwiches at the moment but I should be able to make a macaroni cheese. Ted's going to help a lady at church with her chickens in return for eggs. So I can throw an egg in for extra protein.

                                                         Wot no cheese!

London is Bombed  7 Sep 1940

First major air raid on London today.  I've had to remind Ted, Bill and Maggie about taking the gas mask cases with them every time they go out.  They can be so forgetful.  The Nameless One is complaining about the food but the children seem happy enough.  Maggie won a jar of sweets at the Church Fayre yesterday - she was so happy.  I don't know who donated their sweet coupons to provide them but I'm very grateful.

France Surrenders 23 Jun 1940

France surrendered yesterday.  We still do not know what has happened to our cousin.  He wasn't at Dunkirk and is probably still in France.

We are hoping that the blackberries will ripen soon so we can make some jam.  Nobody uses that much sugar but Ted, Bill and Maggie do like jam on their toast and the ration really doesn't go that far.

No eggs for us this week but the children all got one, so we made a sponge pudding with 2 of them.  Very extravagant!

                                                          Wot no eggs!

Dunkirk Evacuation 4 Jun 1940

As we have a cousin in France, we are really worried at the moment.  We do not know if he has made it out of France at all.

In the meantime, life goes on and rations go up and down.  We got 4oz of cheese each this week, which is nice but the prices at the butchers have gone up, so the meat ration doesn't stretch as far.  Maggie and Bill had a lovely surprise yesterday morning when we got up - they had already baked a batch of biscuits with the remains of last week's margarine allowance.  So the Nameless One is quite happy now as there were none to be had in the shops.

Preparing for Air Raids 26 May 1940

Well, after last night, we've decided that as we can't have an Anderson Shelter because we only have a yard, we'll have to use the understairs cupboard as the safest place during raids.  So the children have agreed to sort out all the stuff in there and we'll put a couple of chairs in.  They will also be responsible for making sure they have a torch by their bed, so they can see their way downstairs.

There are fewer apples in the shops and after managing to get some oranges recently, I've seen none since.  Bill says he dreams of bananas.

First Air Raid in the Area 25 May 1940

Middlesbrough was bombed last night - they were aimed at the Iron Works.  It can't be long before they attack here - we have the railway works virtually on our doorstep and the munitions factories aren't that far away either. 

We're getting used to rations now - Maggie is doing lots of baking as there is no shortage of flour and Bill makes a lovely crumble topping, which helps fill everyone up.  The Nameless One is complaining about brown bread and the shortage of butter.  The powdered milk isn't too bad for making porridge and custard - it means we can save our fresh milk for the children and for tea.

Rationing Starts 9 Jan 1940

Well we did the shopping today with our ration books.  It took quite a lot longer than normal and we have used up a lot of our points already.  The Nameless One insisted on wasting 4 points on a packet of biscuits - I can see that Maggie is going to have to bake some regularly or he will waste far too many points on them.

Rationing

          Wot no jam?

Well, having looked at our ration books, we can't buy jam this week as we don't have enough between us to buy a 1lb or even 3/4lb jar.  So we'll just have to do without till next week.  I will indulge in a tin of golden syrup - at a cost of 4 points!

Rationing Announced 29 Nov 1939

Today we received our ration books and have been looking at what we can have.  I don't think anyone will be hungry but we are already missing bananas.  I'm down to my last bag of onions and there aren't many available.  We'll have to go shopping tomorrow and see how it all works.  Even soap and soap powder are rationed and of course I've just run out of soap powder.

National Registration Day 29 Sep 1939

Everyone has to register so they can be issued with an Identity Card.  This is also with a view to rationing food, which will be happening soon.

The government have already issued everyone with gas masks and today we are making the boxes for them.

http://primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/war/gasmasks.htm

Ted, Bill and Maggie wearing gas masks at The 1940s Experience in Swansea.

Britain declares war on Germany 3 Sep 1939

Britain, France, Australia, New Zealand and India declare war on Germany.  Neville Chamberlain's speech is here:

http://primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/Britain.html

So our project now starts in earnest.  From now till the end of the 'war', there will be no technology for Ted, Bill and Maggie, apart from updating the blog and watching "The 1940's House" to see how we compare to them.  Clothing is reduced to 3 outfits plus 'Sunday Best'.  I did consider removing all Lego from the house as it hadn't been invented in 1939, but I would have needed a truck!

Maggie and I are crocheting old-fashioned dishcloths from some cotton from Nana.  The war will probably be over by the time she finishes hers!  The boys will be helping clear the weeds from the allotment.

Germany Invades Poland 1 Sept 1939

It has just been announced that the Germans have invaded Poland.
Poland has appealed to Britain and France for help and Neville Chamberlain has issued an ultimatum.  It looks as if war is imminent.  Make the most of your 21st century stuff!  1940s, here we come.  The nameless one is demanding burgers and sausages for lunch!

We are a home educating family in the North East of England who are about to embark on a one month long World War 2 Project.  This will include lots of stuff, including rationing, food shortages, air raids and power cuts.

There are other families who are taking part in varying degrees and this blog is to keep everyone up to date with what's going on.

To introduce ourselves, I am Arwen.  I have a husband, who will remain nameless and we have 3 children: Ted, 14; Bill, 12; and Maggie, 10.