Food Shortages |
As war dragged on and shortages of basic commodities including paper, fuel, and food increased, the British government introduced nationwide rationing.
Despite rationing supplies, prices climbed and by May 1917, food process were almost twice those of July 1914. This severely impacted morale, and public attitudes to anyone flouting the new rules or seeking to profit from the shortages were hard.
The Herald newspaper of 5 January 1918 reported on a butcher from King Street, Richmond who was “summoned for selling meat at prices exceeding the aggregate prices prescribed… The Bench fined defendants 40s each.” [40 shillings is around £90 in modern terms.]
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