On This Day, 3 April 1917

Birmingham Mail

Tuesday 3 April 1917

POTATO FAMINE

TICKET SYSTEM SMETHWICK

The position in the Birmingham potato trade remains unchanged. No supplies worthy of the name were received in the market to-day; and many retail shops are entirely without stocks. In several of the large city clubs rice as a potato substitute is being served with meat at luncheon, and swedes figure largely in the vegetable part of the menu.

At Smethwick the ticket system has been successfully introduced by a prominent potato retailer. He says: “We had to stop selling to children, and that caused long queues of grown-up persons whose time was wasted. I heard of individuals missing work in order get their share of potatoes. The ticket system allows persons to send their children for potatoes, and by stamping each ticket with a date of purchase no ‘twicers’ can get above their share. On Saturday I supplied without delay 7,500 persons each with 2lbs. of potatoes.”