January - February 1917

I am very pleased to report that the House of Commons has finally made it seem as if we women might be getting the vote in Parliamentary elections after all. Herbert Asquith, the Prime Minister said that he had been against it before, but seeing how the women have pitched in to help the country keep going since the war started, he had to change his mind.

But there are other problems we now have to face. German U boats are destroying about 300,000 tons of our shipping a month. 230 ships bringing food and other supplies have been sunk. We have had to start rationing certain things. But it is also happening on the Isle of Man.

“Dear Barbara, Rebecca and Beth,

Things have become somewhat worse around here. Because some of the prisoners and internees took advantage of the good nature of the islanders and asked them to do favours for them, such as sending letters that wouldn’t go through the censors, there has now been a new government directive. I will quote from it.

“The attention of tradesmen and others is directed to the fact that prisoners of war are not permitted to leave their escorts when out on working parties, and it is contrary to the Camp Regulations for them to communicate with persons, or to make purchases, or accept parcels, letters, or other articles, when so working, either directly or through a member of the escort. Any tradesman or other person who has communication or dealings with a prisoner of war after this warning will be liable to prosecution under the Defence of the Realm Regulations.”

Our diet, which up until now has been quite liberal has also been cut back. I suppose this reflects food shortages in England and all over Europe so it is not really surprising. We can now have the following per day:

Bread 8 ounces
Flour ¾ ounce
Salt-cured Herrings 5 ounces
Meat (fresh or frozen) on five days a week 6 ounces
Meat, preserved (tinned) on five days a week . 3 ounces
Salt-cured Codfish (or Herrings) on two days a week , 12 ounces
Margarine 1 ounce
Tea 3/8 ounce
or Coffee ¾ ounce
Sugar 1 ounce
Milk (condensed) 1-20th of 1 lb. tin.
Salt ½ ounces.
Pepper (black) 1.72 ounces
Oatmea1 3 ounces
Syrup or Jam 1 ounce
Split Peas or Beans or Rice 2 ounces
Fresh Vegetables 10 ounces

Writing it out like this makes it sound quite good – quite a balanced diet with a fair amount of protein. But the things that are hardest are the small amounts of coffee and tea and there is no fruit allowed at all. Our diet a few weeks ago was almost twice this. But those of us who do a day’s work do get given four ounces of bread and one ounce of cheese in addition which is our packed lunch for when we are out working.

Love
Peter”

Once again the East Cheshire Herald is carrying stories of our local men who have been killed.

“Well-Known Vocalist Killed

News has been received of the death of Charles Henry Ingham, son of the late Mr. John Ingham, wheelwright, of Marple Bridge, and of Mrs. Ingham, of Lower Fold. The first intimation of his death came to his wife (née Emma Booth), daughter of the late Mr. James Booth, painter and decorator, Marple Bridge, in a letter received on Friday morning from his major, who said he was killed in the great fight near St. Quentin.

He was a blacksmith by trade, and previous to joining the army was working with his brother Walter at Greenfield, near Oldham. He joined the army in February 1916, and was married in June of the same year.

He was a member of the Marple Bridge Congregational Church choir, and was also one of the original Marple Bridge Male Voice Choir when it was instituted by Mr. J. B. Gatenby, A.R.C.O., now in Canada, and went with the choir when it won prizes at the Crystal Palace in London and at the Buxton Music Festival. He was a native of Marple Bridge, his mother being a Greenwood of Marple Bridge before she was married.”

I wrote to John, telling him about it. We didn’t personally know these people, but they were part of our village, and therefore it was a personal loss to all of us.
Here is my latest letter from John.

“Dear Barbara, Rebecca and Beth,

We have just had a rather unfortunate accident in the regiment when one of the drivers was killed in a road accident. He was in a private car at the time having got a lift to Kyrenia, a town on the other side of the mountains. The car apparently skidded on the mountain road and went over a cliff. One man was killed and 5 other passengers considerably shaken up. His family want him sent home for burial but the Government will not pay the cost, which seems a bit mean since they brought him out here. If not, he will be buried here, in the military cemetery. I know it is only one man dying here, and not in a war situation, but we are very sad all the same.

Thank you for my Christmas package and card. I hope you all had a good Christmas.

Love from John"