2026 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

Cherryfudge

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81904651#Comment_81904651

You are right - they start later than I'd realised, though from time to time she harks back to WW1. I think they cover roughly 10 years as Vicky is about 6 when they start and 16ish at the end.

This is the version I got:

The Provincial Lady - Complete Series (All 5 Novels With Original Illustrations): Witty interwar social satire of upper-middle-class life in a Devon village eBook : Delafield, E. M., Watts, Arthur: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

which is on Kindle and cost me all of 49p! One of the best 49p's worth I think I've had, though the illustrations are only in the earlier books (and are of their time and amusing). It includes the Russian story, though either I missed the explanation of how and why she got there, or we were just supposed to assume she was sent by a publisher, I don't know.

The wartime volume only deals with the Phoney War so if there is more, I'd love to read it! It seemed to end suddenly and left so many questions. I believe she wrote a great deal so at some point I will venture further, but I picked up a copy of 'Sagittarius Rising' (Cecil Lewis) while on holiday - set in WW1 and I doubt there's a great deal on domestic economy, but so far, a beautiful read. (I felt for his mother).

alicef

ah, @PipneyJane I should have acknowledged your mentioning of Anzac Day. I have no excuse and should have been more mindful, particularly as my father and father's family were NZ citizens.

Nelliegrace

Well found @Cherryfudge I read them on Open Library. There are a few Mass Observation diaries there. I have been listening A woman in wartime London : the diary of Kathleen Tipper, 1941-1945.

This was an interesting read, on Open Library. Suddenly WW2 Rations seemed very generous, and revolutionary to insist that children needed more than bread and margarine and potatoes.

https://the1940sexperiment.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/mof-10-your-childrens-food-in-wartime.pdf

Nelliegrace

I have ordered a fairisle sleeveless cardigan in lambswool, from the sales at Woolovers. Quite 40s fashion, though I would have preferred a sleeveless pullover. I hope it will fit, it seems to have been the last one. Is that 5 coupons?

Laura_Elsewhere

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81905041#Comment_81905041

yes, when people hark on about how everything was so wonderful in The Olden Dayes, I always think of solid factual research like this and think, good god, no!

There's an awful lot of bread and marge and tea, with not a thing else to flavour it all. Day after day, bread and marge… no wonder the average height changed after rationing!!

Cherryfudge

Oh - another 'must read'! Thanks for the recommendation, @Nelliegrace !

I have been searching the Persephone catalogue for a book I glanced into in their bookshop, and haven't forgotten. Can I remember the title? Not at all. Can I find it? Of course not. It was about a family in which the woman ran a shop… well, something like that. Yes, I could be the person who goes and asks the librarian for the large book with a red cover by someone called Montgomery, which turns out to be a small blue volume by Clarence.

Enjoyable hour or so, though, and I've spotted a few others of interest.

That's a beautiful piece of knitwear. I used to have a jumper in similar hues, which I wore till it came to pieces. A classic.

diminua

@cherryfudge - I suspect Delafield intended to write more but she didn't live to see the end of the war, sadly.

Re Persephone I can recommend London War Notes by Mollie Panter Downes, and Few Eggs and No Oranges by I forget who. Both non fiction though so they may not be the sort of thing you want.

I'm in Bath for two days at the end of this month so am planning to visit the shop myself and get my own copy of the latter (I borrowed it from Kensington Library).

What I really popped in here to say though is I have bought a blouse so am now down to 49.5 coupons.

PollyWollyDoodle

or if you prefer fiction try ‘One Fine Day’ by Molly Panter Downes, which is about how difficult it was adjusting to post-war life.

Cherryfudge

I will happily try both fiction and non-fiction, thanks ladies! I remember seeing the Eggs and Oranges book while looking through the catalogue, and I went down the wrong rabbit hole looking for Molly Panter-Downes, as I mixed her up with Molly Hughes, one of my Mum's favourite authors. So many books to read! I've got no further with Sagittarius Rising since I got home. Still, it would be a shame if ever I got to the end of things I still want to read.

Elizabeth49

I've really been enjoying reading all your posts, and I've certainly added a few books to my 'to read' list.

Well, I'd managed to get away without buying anything this year until M&S had a sale and I came away with a wool mix jumper, which I'm counting as 8 coupons and another 8 for a pair of pyjamas, so I think that leaves me 50 out of my 66 coupons.

I do like doing this, it's fun and it keeps me accountable 🙂