On this day in 1952, news of the end of tea rationing was announced, which meant Britons would soon be able to enjoy unlimited 'cuppas' for the first time in 12 years. During a speech in Newcastle the Minister of Food, Major Gwilym Lloyd -George, said rationing and price controls on tea would be lifted on Sunday. Major Lloyd-George said the Ministry of Food had taken advantage of a steady improvement in supplies of tea since the end of the war.
The price of tea would not rise due to the abolition of price controls, Major Lloyd-George added. And he hinted at a further easing of rationing in the near future. "We are getting out of the import of raw sugar and - it is only a little matter - we are getting out of the banana trade soon," he said.
The lifting of tea rationing follows the Uk's recent re-entry into the international tea trading arena with the resumption of public tea auctions in London.
Nearly a third of the tea produced in the world is consumed in the UK and Ireland and the government is no doubt hoping for a boost in popularity by making the nation's favourite beverage freely available again.
However, a rush to buy tea was not anticipated as the weekly ration was increased to 3oz per head - the pre-war consumption level - some time ago.
Rationing had been in force since January 1940, a few months after the start of the Second World war. In 1948 the government announced the start of a de-rationing programme but so far little progress had been made.
During World War II all sorts of food items were rationed as well as clothing, furniture and petrol. The year after tea was freed from rationing a host of other items including sweets, eggs, butter and sugar were made freely available again. Rationing of foodstuffs finally ended in 1954 when meat was taken off the ration books.
The video link below shows footage from the shipping docks as trading resumes in auction rooms. The footage is mainly silent, with sound for parts of pictures only:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_6560000/newsid_6568700/6568769.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm&news=1&bbcws=1
