Fine recollections, and interesting for me (who wasn't quite yet born then) to hear of the wartime fish'oyles still churning out a supply of unrationed grub. I think I'd have had fish, scone and chips every day from 1939 to 1945 from Monday to Friday, saving my food ration for Saturday and Sunday. Spare a thought for the fishermen who must've risked life and limb dodging the U boats to bring home the catch.

Not a fish and chip tale but still food. During the war part of West Lane Mills was given over to be storage for the Ministry of Food
Some days lorries arrived with big jute bags stacked three high and we found out they held peanuts for margarine manufacture. Being nosey kids we spotted the odd bag that leaked and we could get to the far side when the chaps were unloading and find a corner which could leak and soon could pour peanuts . These were unobtainable in the war and amazingly none of us was allergic to peanuts!!! And our dad was a police sergeant.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 43-46

Current location (optional) Over here

Good one Mike, you have reminded me about a "nut" story going back to the end of the war, late 1945 or 46 I can't be sure now. Here is a wee extract from my own memoirs of life in Keighley during and after that war. It was a family joke for years! It is easy to forget about the shortages we took for granted. Thanks for the memories Mike. Cheers.

It was about this time I started to help mum with the weekly shopping and after a couple of practice runs with mum, I was sent off to the market in Keighley every Saturday morning with my shopping list, to buy the greengroceries. We still had food rationing of course, and I went off armed with the family ration books. This eventually led to what became a long standing family joke, when one day, when I had finished my shopping list and had a half crown left, I spotted a pile of nuts - remember I was about 10 years old, had read and heard about nuts but had never seen them because of the food shortages in the war. When I saw these I had to have some. I was so proud and knew that mum would be pleased with me, so I spent the whole 2/6 on a bag of nuts and proudly took them home to show mum. Imagine my disappointment when mum started to laugh and explained that these nuts really were nutmegs! She used these for years! It was also at this time I saw my first bananas - dried, horrible brown things!

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1947-51

Current location (optional) Auckland, New Zealand