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English pig farms

To: Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2002 11:23 PM
Subject: [YKS] PIG CLUBS DURING WW2


Dear Listers,

During WW2, when the weekly meat ration per person was only 1 shilling and tenpence halfpenny, many people in village/near country areas became members of pig clubs. About 6 or more people between them bought a piglet from one of the local farmers and we saved our kitchen scraps to feed it. When it was fat enough to be slaughtered the village butcher killed it and cut it up, sharing the meat among the members of the club. I think this happened about twice a year. I suppose one had to register with the Food Office (my father was in a pig club) as my Grandmother did with the dozen hens she kept in her back yard. She was allowed to sell some of her eggs and always kept a few for the family. When they stopped laying she wrung their necks and prepared them for the pot.

Regards, Pam SMITH, Brisbane, Australia.