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Gallery Package - Peak Oil: Eco-inspiration from the 1940s
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Two Soviet soldiers and a woman gathering cabbage near St. Isaac's cathedral in besieged Leningrad. The main square in St Petersburg ploughed up to grow emergency food. ©RIA Novosti / TopFoto
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Deutschland Nachkriegszeit, Frauen mit vollen Rucksäcken und Taschen auf der Landstraße bei der Rückkehr vom Hamstern.<br>- undatierte Aufnahme (um 1946)<br><br><english> Germany. Postwar period. Women on their way home after having collected food in the countryside - date unknown, c1946 </english>
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An informal portrait of a woman shearing a sheep at the Royal Show at Long Ashton, Bristol, Avon, c1946-c1959. <br>Credit: English Heritage.NMR / HIP / TopFoto
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Stopping for tea and a picnic<br>7 January 1947
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Pretoria Youth Club members dancing to music of records they have borrowed for the evening from the local library<br>25 March 1947
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Classical music concert in a Sheffield public house .<br>4 January 1947
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Bread Rationing - queue for bread outside a bakers in Bexley Heath<br>July 1946
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The Padua 1931<br>A four masted barque and tall ship The Padua was one of the famous Flying P-Liner sailing ships of the German shipping company F. Laeisz She was given to the USSR in 1946 as war reparations and now is renamed the Kruzenshtern.
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WWII America. Poster in all shopping centres to remind people to conserve gasoline and paper has motivated American housewives to dispense with the luxury of store delivery and carry their own shopping bag.
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Toddlers from Barker Street day Nursery watch boys of the 3rd Enfield Boys Brigade Company mending their toys. 1947
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More people that ever were queuing for fuel at the Gas Light and Coke Company's depot at Nine Elms. It is a grim job waiting in the cold, but the people were all smiles as they carried away the precious coke. Photo shows: Londoners waiting outside the Nine Elms Depot present a grim picture in the cold.<br>15th February 1947
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Fuel Crisis of 1947
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At noon German children receive one half litre of soup made from cabbage and flour as their main meal. They are very conscious of food conservation and one child licks the soup from the outside of the pot. October 1947
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Post war Germany. Children from Sudetenland & Poland outside the huge Bunker School. An empty soup container has been left in the playground for removal. The kids, still hungry after their soup ration cluster round to scrape the leavings with their hands. 1947<br>
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Nursemaid in a governess cart taking children for fresh air at the Victoria Homes, Margate, Kent, 26 June 1946.<br>©TopFoto
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Children of Deerhurst, Glos., collecting rose hips from the hedges. These are then sent to manufacturing chemists for the production of rose hip syrup for infants - 18th September 1947.<br>©TopFoto
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The National Federation of Women's Institutes Home Produce Exhibition which officially opens at the New Horticultural Hall, London tomorrow<br>Mrs Arthur Watson, Market Organiser of West Sussex, arranging some of the exhibits of jam.<br>8 October 1948
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The National Federation of Women's Institutes Home Produce Exhibition which officially opens at the New Horticultural Hall, London tomorrow<br>Mrs Arthur Watson, Market Organiser of West Sussex, arranging some of the exhibits of jam.<br>8 October 1948
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Life in a prefab. A man makes his own lampshade.<br>1946
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Hundreds of miles of waving corn may grace the roadsides of Britain, and yield tons of extra food, if this experiment on the Barnet by-pass proves successful. Yesterday five 'pocket-sized' tractors set to work to plough up a mile-long stretch of the unproductive grass verge. The experiment has Ministry of Agriculture approval.<br>10th Feb 1948.
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The empty military camps and gun sites were tempting homes for squatters. Twenty thousand people moved into derelict camps in 1946.<br>Eventually the government accepted their presence and six thousand families were allowed to stay. No less than 563 camps, full of squatters, were handed over to the local authorities.<br>Mr and Mrs Hopson in Crayford, Kent
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Old crafts survived<br>In Clerkenwell a spinner and weaver made tasssels loops and fringes for the curtains of Clarence House the London home of Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh <br><br>Two workmen in mr Clarke's establishment, Mr Walter Clarke weaver and Bill Morgan spinner 1948
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London Housewife 1946<br>Mrs Gill using toilet soap for washing
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This butcher's customers felt themselves lucky to get their full meat rations which in 1948 was 13 ounces per week for the average man<br>Housewives all over London will envy customers who are registered with the butcher in Crofton Park SE <br>10 january 1947
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Photo shows: Miss Evyline Nichol and her ATS friend Audrey Towend wheeling a pram load of bedding to their new home in Duchess of Bedford Walk, West Kensington.<br>September 8th 1946.<br>Story: In heavy rain, 1500 Londoners converged on Kensington High Street in a well-planned operation to take over a block of flats in Duchess of Bedford Walk, West Kensington. The block housed refugees from Gibraltar during the war and was next a hostel for a local building trades school. After being repaired and decorated the building was to be handed back to the owners by the Ministry of Works and luxury flats were to be let at a minimum rent of ten guineas a week. More people arrived seeking homes than could be accommodated. The police arranged for hot drinks to be served and among those present at the invasion were a number of Councillors for Kensington and other boroughs including Stepney, from where a party of squatters had come seeking homes. Mr. Denis Goodwin of the London District of the Communist Party hoped the action taken by 1500 Londoners would call attention to the existence of places such as these.<br>©TopFoto
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A previous definition of luxury home. Brickbarn Close, a new block of luxurious workers' flats built by the Chelsea Council on a bombed site in King's Road, is almost finished. Each flat contains three bedrooms, a living room, kitchen and bathroom, and an exclusive rent of 16s 6d has been recommended. Mr Anthony Smith, G.C., who gained his award during a bomb incident on the site in 1944 is to perform the opening ceremony on the 21st. The picture shows Mrs G Arnold, wife of a postman, and one of the first occupants, pictured in her living room. 1948
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Fuel crisis of 1947:<br>London offices and shops, when the lights went off as a result of the electricity cuts, carried on with varying types of illumination. Photo shows shopping by the light of hurricane lamps in a grocer's store in Blackfriars, London. E.C. on 10th February 1947.<br>©TopFoto
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More furniture was moved into Duchess of Bedford House, Kensington, London. Earlier, Ministry of Works officials forced entry into the block of luxury flats but were forced to retreat before the squatters who threatened them with an iron bar. Photo shows squatters' furniture being moved into the Duchess of Bedford House on 11th September 1946.<br>©TopFoto
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The London squatter movement developed further when a number of families took possession of apartments in a block of luxury flats at Fountain Court near Victoria Station. The government is expected to take legal action soon to deal with the situation created by seizure of property in the London area. Photo shows a woman squatter assisted over railings to get into her new home in the luxury flats at Fountain Court on 10th September 1946.<br>©TopFoto/AP
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With many people having great difficulty over the shortage of coal and boiler fuel and the long delays in delivering, there were big queues outside many of the gas works for coke. Photo shows a scene inside the Nine Elms Gas Works with people buying coke by the bag. - 13th January 1951.<br>©TopFoto
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Because electricity obtained from windmill generators is exempt from the Order prohibiting the use of power for advertisement lighting, workmen and engineers have been spending the weekend erecting four windmills on the 150 ft. high roof of the Cumberland Hotel, Marble Arch, London.<br> These windmills will provide the electricity to illuminate the shop windows of the adjoining Corner House. As the propellor like blades are turned by the wind they charge ordinary car batteries wired up to a special lighting circuit. Tests have shown a 25mph wind to be sufficient to operate the generators.<br>Photo shows the windmills being made ready for service on the roof of the Cumberland Hotel. In right background is the Park Lane area - 28th January 1951.<br>©TopFoto
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In these days of power cuts, baby often gets his bath by candlelight. According to his expression in this picture its all a touch puzzling. 20 February 1947
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The unofficial strike of petrol tanker men is now seriously affecting London garages, many of which are today displaying Sold Out notices. At one Hendon garage, the girl assistants having no petrol to sell were whiling away their time on various activities such as reading and knitting.<br>Picture shows Pauline Piercy and Rene Thursfield with a Sorry No Petrol notice in front of them.
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Bank clerks work by candlelight as London's Electricity is Cut.<br>Work went on by candlelight in banks, offices, shops and other business establishments when electricity was switched off in London in accordance with the Government's plan for dealing with Britain's fuel crisis. With generating plants' coal stocks desperately low, there is no electricity at all for non-essential industries in London, the Midlands and North West England. Other establishments are switched off between 2 o clock and 4 o'clock in the afternoon. The government say the switch off which comes at a time when Britain is striving to increas exports will last until coal supplies interrupted by the severest winter weather for at least 25 years, are restored.<br>February 10th 1947.
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This mother with her baby loads her prams with coke after a long wait in the queue at South Metropolitan Gas Company's Depot at Vauxhall this morning. 13/2/ 1947
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Coal trains arrive in London, extra effort begun to show dividends. That extra effort urged by the poster in Ludgate Circus, London, has come in good measure from miners, railwaymen, lorry drivers - and from the mass of the public who have suffered the fuel shortage, but who have done their bit by switching off.<br>Coal stocks at the Power Stations and the gasworks throughout the country are nearing the safety level after weeks of shortage.<br>Poster in the foreground shows Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman in Alfred Hitchcock's &quotNotorious".
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Whilst the electricity was shut off today, this Fleet Street hairdressers establishment carried on by using tapers instead of electric lights in spite of the difficulties, the barber still managed to his regulars a close shave.<br>1st Feb 1947
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How to overcome the cuts in electricity is well illustrated by this picture showing girls as they take turns to pedal the cycles which keep the machines running at Mile End Road, East London tent and tarpaulin factory. 1947
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A problem is set for Mr. David Miller, aged 75, of 15 Westview Road, Dartford, Kent - for he is slowly dying of cardiac trouble, has an eviction order in the offing, and has nowhere to go. For six weeks he has been in one room, with nobody to look after him - and his landlady, who has cared for him until now (Mrs. G. Harris, same address) cannot cope any longer, and has applied for an eviction order - and has even asked the local authorities for their help. But Mr. Miller is still in his one room. Photo shows Mr. David Miller, sitting on the couch which he has occupied for six weeks. 31st January 1946.<br>©TopFoto
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Some of the members of the 8th Bexleyheath Company of Boy Scouts decided to save the cost of transport when they went to camp - and did the haulage work themselves Photo shows some of the members during their six mile treck with camping equipment climbing a hill near Dartford, Kent. (Photo taken 11th May 1946)<br>©TopFoto
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Supporting the planet! A large balloon, representing the world, is passed over the heads of the scouts in the Arena at Moisson, France, which formed part of the ceremonies at the closing of the Sixth World Jamboree there. Photo taken 20th August 1947.<br>©TopFoto
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Cooperstown, New York, USA, Lady Baden Powell, widow of Lord Baden-Powell, founder of Boy & Girl Scouting movements, samples some Girl Scout cooking in 'primitive' camp run by Senior Girl Scouts at Cooperstown. She was guest of honour at the 12th Biennial Conference of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts here. - 24th August, 1948.<br>©TopFoto
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&quotToday's storage is Tomorrow's Dinner."<br>From FSA filmstrip no.19.<br>USA 1940 reserves.
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A Canning Demonstration<br>by Evelyn Dunbar<br>Imperial War Museum<br>Evelyn Dunbar (1906-1960) holds a unique position in 20th century British art. She was described by Sir William Rothenstein as having &quotreal genius" and was the only salaried woman war artist during the Second World War. Today Dunbar is best known for her wartime output and her depictions of life on the home front are much-reproduced. She was also an accomplished illustrator and muralist.<br>She has a strong association with Hampshire through time spent with the Women's Land Army at the Sparsholt Farm Institute near Winchester. Her experience there inspired her most celebrated work A Land Girl and the Bail Bull. This unique exhibition featured major works on loan from a number of national, regional and private collections.<br>©2006 TopFoto
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In Roderick Avenue Peacehaven Sussex these tanks filled twice daily with drinking water and housewives queue up to draw their ration 13th September 1949
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Harrowing the cabbage crop on the shore of the Thames at Manor Farm, Crossness, near Woolwich SE18<br>1949
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16 August 1946<br>After four weeks of bread rationing, millions of surplus units were being exchanged by housewives for points to allow them to buy other goods thus causing a crisis. This London food office was one of many that had to suspend bread unit exchange.<br>©2005 Credit:TopFoto
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Mother with her little daughter on a bicycle and the shopping in a basket. 1946
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Bread rationing. Housewives and children queue at the bakers in Bexley Heath. 1946
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War 1939-1945. queue to obtain ration cards and heater. Paris, city hall of the XVIII-th district. RV-521207
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One ton of waste paper will make ceiling board for 12 houses. Waste paper is still urgently needed for reconstruction. Please dont destroy it.<br>Waste Paper Poster
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Front page of the Radio Times - May 4-10 1947 - dealing with Britain's Crisis, The Challenge to Action: Ways and Means, a series of talks and discussions under this title
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Let us go forward together<br>Winston Churchill war poster
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Austerity Olympics.<br>Fredrick Station <br>Olympic Banners <br>Welcome Visitors <br>20 July 1948
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Unable to get their weekend meat rations owing to the transport strike Londoners queue for horse flesh outside a shop in Brixton<br>11th January 1947
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Housewives queuing for food put on a brave face for the camera<br>In 1947 every woman in Britain was spending at least one hour every day waiting in the queue<br>Coping with shortages<br>Housewives shop in the snow<br>A scene at Catford
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The cold was all the harder to bear because of the lack of nourishment particulary fats<br>The 1948 ration was 1 ounce of cooking fat per person per week<br>This cupboard was typical of thousands of British larders<br>Even dried eggs had disappeared from the shops the packet in the picture had been hoarded<br>At one village raffle the prize was a solitary fresh egg<br>A British housewife larder with no exaggeration this is typical of thousands of British larders<br>Mrs Gill has no reserves to fall back on she uses all her rations from week to week
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A previous definition of luxury home.<br><br>The lucky few obtained council flats<br>This block in Chelsea was built in 1948 and was considered luxurious. Each flat had three bedrooms a living room kitchen and bathroom and the rent was 16s 6d a week
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WW2: Grow Your Own Food poster.
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The latest of a number of a new power - driven runabouts which have made their appearance since the war in the USA is this lightweight power bicycle and trailer. It is especially convenient for shopping - the 200 pound capacity trailer may be disconnected for use as a handcart inside stores. The power cycle is light, fast but not dangerously so, and is equipped with auxiliary pedals for use when the motor is not required.<br>16 July 1947<br>
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Sugar can be replaced by various other food sources.
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'Fuel Saving - Turn It Down When You're Warm', World War II poster, c1939-c1945. 'Fuel Saving - Turn It Down When You're Warm', World War <br>Credit: The National Archives / HIP / TopFoto
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'Fuel Saving - Danger Hours For Electricity Cuts', World War II poster, c1939-c1945. 'Fuel Saving - Danger Hours For Electricity Cuts', World War <br>Credit: The National Archives / HIP / TopFoto
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'Dig for Victory', World War II poster, c1939-c1945. <br>Credit: The National Archives / HIP / TopFoto
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'Dig for Plenty', WWII poster, c1939-c1945. This Ministry of Information poster was produced during WWII to encourage individuals to cultivate their own gardens. 'Dig for Plenty', WWII poster, c1939-c1945. <br>Credit: The National Archives / HIP / TopFoto
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'We Cut The Coal' message, World War II poster, 1942. 'We Cut The Coal' message, World War II poster, 1942. <br>Credit: The National Archives / HIP / TopFoto
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'Is Your Journey Really Necessary?', World War II poster, c1939-c1945. 'Is Your Journey Really Necessary?', World War II poster, c <br>Credit: The National Archives / HIP / TopFoto
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'Make Do And Mend - Mrs Sew-And-Sew', World War II poster, c1939-c1945. 'Make Do And Mend - Mrs Sew-And-Sew', World War II pos <br>Credit: The National Archives / HIP / TopFoto
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'Salvage - Save Kitchen Waste To Feed The Hens!', World War II poster, c1939-c1945. 'Salvage - Save Kitchen Waste To Feed The Hens!', World Wa <br>Credit: The National Archives / HIP / TopFoto
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'Fuel Saving - Lag To Keep Heat In', World War II poster, c1939-c1945. 'Fuel Saving - Lag To Keep Heat In', World War II poster, c <br>Credit: The National Archives / HIP / TopFoto
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'Fuel Saving - Cut Your Gas And Electricity', World War II poster, c1939-c1945. 'Fuel Saving - Cut Your Gas And Electricity', World War II <br>Credit: The National Archives / HIP / TopFoto
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'Lend A Hand On The Land - Dig For Plenty', World War II poster, c1939-c1945. 'Lend A Hand On The Land - Dig For Plenty', World War II <br>Credit: The National Archives / HIP / TopFoto
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'Lend A Hand On The Land - Your Help Will Stop Waste', World War II poster, c1939-c1945. 'Lend A Hand On The Land - Your Help Will Stop Waste', Wo <br>Credit: The National Archives / HIP / TopFoto
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The East Kent Federation of WI gave a very fine demonstration of wool spinning embroidery needlework, glove making and handicrafts at the annual show of Kent County Garden Produce. Womens Institute members spinning. 2nd October 1948
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The Last Days of Berlin - Life in the Doomed Nazi Capital<br>In the centre of Berlin, many bomb holes are preserved as reservoirs. Under no circumstances must they be filled in for the water in them is very precious and printed notices posted near the holes warn the people not to cover the holes. A 1000-pounder made this hole in front of the Esplanade Hotel which itself was struck by six bombs. People from nearby houses are arriving to collect their ration of water from the bomb-hole. The man with the huge ladle serves them. The water is used for cooking purposes. <br>(Picture smuggled out through private channels.)<br>24th April 1945
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Auerbach Nursery School.<br>Scene at the &quotRachel McMillan" open air nursery school, Creek Road, Deptford. Busy mothers can leave their children all day long to be fed and trained by experts. Cost for whole day's care is ninepence. <br>In the workshop corner, Kathleen does some carpentry, helped by David. Without knowing it, she is thus training hand and eye to work in unison. 1948.<br>
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British family eating a ration dinner.
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Poster issued shortly after the end of WW2 and the foundation of the U.N. 1940.
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How food rationing developed during the second world war.<br>
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World War Two<br>Ration tins<br>
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Potatoes are usually plentiful - just along the road from her grocer's Mrs Gill gets 7lb of potatoes from her greengrocer Mr Ferraro<br>No fruit of any kind says the card ( all cards say NO ) which is what Mrs Gill expected<br>Oranges now come in every few months <br>Babies can get a pound on their green ration books and what's left over goes to the grown ups<br>Bananas are now very occasionally seen in London ( half a pound for under eighteens )<br>1946
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Wool-gatherer of a practical and businesslike type is Peggy Budd of Hainault, Sussex, seen with a pile of fleeces from the newly-shorn sheep in Hyde Park, central London<br>May 14th 1949
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