Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester

Getting around

Short branch line train travel times

A local branch line train between Oxenholme and Windermere stopped at three intermediate stations over a 10-mile distance, with the journey taking 25 to 30 minutes.

At the table

Strict Wartime Food Rationing Limits

During wartime rationing, each person was typically limited to one fresh egg per week, 2oz of butter, 4oz of margarine, and 8oz of sugar. Many families supplemented their meals by growing their own vegetables in gardens or allotments through the Dig for Victory campaign.

What people wore

Turbans served as safety and style

The turban, initially a safety device to protect hair from factory machinery, became popular everyday wear that also disguised unkempt hair during the war.

Music

Civic celebrations and improvised instruments

To celebrate victories, civic bands often led parades through city centers, although this tradition was more common in northern industrial regions than in others. Fans traveling to major events also used improvised instruments like mouth organs, tin whistles, and rattles to provide music.

Daily life

Schooling and Classroom Life

Schools often lacked lunches, so children in winter brought a potato marked with their initials to be baked in the school coal-oven. Pupils were taught using rote learning, and in smaller schools, might start by writing in trays of sand before using chalkboards or expensive pencils.