Government advice given to Expectant Mothers, during th Second World War, on the food they should be trying to eat to help with their health, and the health of their growing baby. How has the advice changed today? Mother and Child Of course you are anxious to do everything in your power for your baby’s well-being both before he is born and afterwards. The Government wants to help expectant mothers on the important matters of diet. There’s no need to worry about special food, the expectant mother wants a good…
Category: News
Penny-a-Week fund
One of the most successful ways of obtaining money during World War 2 was through the Penny-a-Week fund. The fund was set up through a joint venture between the British Red Cross and St Johns to raise vital funds. The scheme worked by a voluntary contribution by wage earners of one penny per week, to be deducted from their pay. During the Second World War the average weekly wage was about £10. The funds was then supplemented by collecting cards and house-to-house collections. Within six months of the scheme being…
The Durling Sisters
It wasn’t only sons who helped fight the war in WW2. Many families with girls were also proud of their daughters achievements. This feature from the Bromley and District Times promotes the efforts of three sisters from Bromley. Two in A.T.S. and one in Land Army Many parents speak proudly of their sons in the Forces, but Mr and Mrs G. Durling, of 72 Martins Road, Bromley, are proud of their three daughters in the Services. Before the war Joan and Dorothy worked at Morris’s of Bromley, and Margaret was…
Put Some Beef into it
Torox Cubes was a lesser known beef bouillon brand made in England by Hugson & Co. Ltd. Manchester (“Manufacturers of “Atora’ Beef Suet). The story of Hugson & Co began in 1893 when Gabriel Hugon, a French engraver living in Manchester, noticed that his wife was having difficulty cutting-up blocks of suet in the kitchen. He saw an opportunity, and setup the first ever factory to manufacture shredded suet, in Manchester, UK. Although ‘Atora’ was no doubt its most popular and well-known product (still available today), they no doubt attempted…
William Noel Hickmott
Lance Bombardier William Noel Hickmott was the son of Thomas William and Beatrice Hickmott of Bromley. He married Amy Rabbeth in 1932 and had four children; William (1932), Sheila & Maureen (1935) and Ann (1937). William was part of the Royal Horse Artillery, 2 Regiment (Servie no. 1089687). He died on the 9th May 1943 and is buried at Massicault War Cemetery in Tunisia. After William’s death, Amy married Timothy O’Brien in 1945. Lance-Bombardier W. N. Hickmott Mrs W. N. Hickmott, 19 Mosul Way, Bromley Common, has been notified that her husband,…
RAF “Presents” for Hitler
By the mid end of the Second War World, Britain began using larger ‘giant’ bombs against the enemy. They were nicknamed the ‘blockbuster bomb’ by the press and referred to a bomb which had enough explosive power to destroy an entire street or large building through the effects of blast in conjunction with incendiary bombs. By informing the reader of the weapons being used upon the Germans during the Second World War, was this a form of propaganda to scare the enemy? This small feature appeared in the local newspaper in May 1943,…
What they Do and What they Wear: Lifebuoy Toilet Soap advert
Lifebuoy Toilet Soap was very much of a popular product being used during the Second World World. It reached it peak during this period, before its popularity dwindled when rationing ended and more appealing products came to the market. We previously featured an advert for Lifebuoy from 1940, which featured a young boy and his granny: Lifebuoy Soap – Advert 1940 The Mechanised Transport Corps A khaki “British officer” tunic with a fleur-de-lis stamped on each button, royal blue piping round the cuff, title and crest worn on the right…
Lost Books – help needed to recover
The bombing raids on Britain during the Second World War took in toll in many places, including libraries! England saw some 54,000 children’s books go up in flames during the bombing of England, and thousands of special collections housed in the libraries were lost forever. Of the 1,145,500 books destroyed in the ruins of the bombed libraries, 982,000 were in city libraries; 155,813 belonged to university libraries, and the rest in county libraries. Dartford set up a ‘Book Recovery Drive’ in the May of 1943 to encourage readers to help resupply…
Swat that Squander Bug
The Squander Bug was propaganda character created during the Second War War by artist Phillip Boydell, an employee of the British National Savings Committee. The unpleasant-looking character was used for press adverts, as well as widely used by other wartime artists in poster campaigns and political cartoons. At the time, the British National Savings Committee had become concerned that inflated prices were being paid for consumer goods that were in short supply and believed that the money would be better spent on savings certificates to help with the war effort.…
‘Staycations’ are nothing new!!
All through the second world war there were ideas and discussions on taking holidays at home. Here’s what was going on in Bromley for your delectation in 1943 The band of the Royal Artillery, Woolwich A concert in the hall of the County School for Boys, Hayes Lane The Leslie Bridgewater Quintette – well-known singers The Ripley Choir and the Bromley and Chislehurst Orchestra Captain Joe Merrill of the Hayes Home Guard will produce a play: ‘The man who Stayed at Home,’ at Crown Lane A circus and zoo at…