On This Day, 25 February 1918

Birmingham Daily Post

Monday 25 February 1918

MEAT QUEUES IN BIRMINGHAM.

PROBLEM STILL UNSOLVED.

Although in certain parts of Birmingham the meat queues have been largely reduced, a very unsatisfactory state of affairs still prevails in some of the working-class districts. It is by no means uncommon for people to begin assemble outside butchers’ shops at 7 a.m., and it almost invariably happens, when the limited supplies give out, as they must necessarily do when customers are being served as fast as possible over a period of several hours, that very many have go with their wants unsatisfied. In one instance a pork butcher cut up the available meat into small portions about 2lb. to 21/2lb. These were sufficient for about 200 people, but as a matter of fact before the shop was opened the queue numbered at least fifty beyond that total. On Saturday several women who were standing in queues declared that they had not had any meat for several weeks. Women munition workers appear to be hardly hit by the scarcity of meat. It is a frequent occurrence for these workers to leave work on the night shift and go straight into a queue, where they have to wait several hours with the doubtful prospect of being able to secure supplies at the end of that period. Within the last week an attempt has been made by some firms to solve this difficulty by giving employees certificates that they are engaged on munition work, and asking that the police in charge of the queues should accord them preferential treatment. At the end of the week, however, these cases became so numerous that the police had to ignore such requests.

Soldiers hitherto have been allowed to be served without having to wait in the queues, but it has been found, it is said, that this privilege is being abused, as in many instances they go from shop to shop getting meat not for themselves or their families, but for other people.

It is anticipated that the supply cards for general rationing will be received in Birmingham to-morrow. In that event immediate steps will be taken to issue the cards; but before that can be accomplished an immense amount clerical work will have to done. It is hoped put general rationing into operation in the early part of next month.