Embroidered ration book cover (1940's, Britain)
© Imperial War Museum, acc. no. EPH 9720.
During the Second World War (1939-1945), rationing was applied in the UK and other countries, for many essential items, including clothing, food, paper, petrol and soap. People were issued with a variety of ration cards/coupons (clothing coupons, butter coupons, etc). When something was purchased a set number of coupons were stamped in order to cancel them. Rationing in Britain was only officially stopped in 1954.
Many women made special little bags to protect their ration books. These bags were often embroidered. The example shown here is in green cloth embroidered on one side using a form of free style embroidery that was popular at the time, namely a garden scene, often with a crinolined lady in it. The other side of the bag has the embroidered phrase 'Ration Book'.
Source illustration: Imperial War Museum online catalogue (retrieved 12 August 2020). Acc. no.: EPH 9720
GVE
