1941 Wartime jam-making (Kirkwood, et al.)



CO-OPERATIVE SCHEME FOR PRESERVING
Ministry Announcement
The Ministry of Food announced on Tuesday that it will not be possible to give any special allocation of sugar to individuals for jam.

The co-operative preserving scheme in operation last year is to be extended to cover as much as possible of the fruit from gardens, allotments and private orchards. The scheme will be open to everyone. In the rural areas preservation will be done in school halls, domestic science kitchens or suitable private kitchens under the supervision of trained leaders. Fruit will be brought to the kitchens, purchased from the grower, and pooled for preservation. Sugar will be purchased with permits supplied by Food Executive Officers. The scheme is not intended to operate in Northern Ireland. Separate arrangements for Scodand are in course of preparation.
NOT FOR PRIVATE USE
Referring to last year’s allocation of sugar, Lord Woolton said that there was no evidence that the jam produced bore any proportion to the amount of sugar that was applied for. He created more discontent among the people who did not get the amount of sugar they thought they ought to have than contentment among the people who got perhaps rather more than they ought.

“For the soft fruit that will be made into jam we shall make no domestic sugar ration,” he said. “There is the later and larger problem of jam-making from stone fruit. We will wait until the Battle of the Atlantic is finished before we make prophecies about what will happen in the Autumn.” The jam to be made by the women’s organisations would be for public and not private use.

Miss Walker, of the Women’s Institute, said that “it was possible that jam would be made at between 8,000 and 9,000 centres. It would not be compulsory on growers to sell their fruit for jam-making, but the fruit purchased would be bought at wholesale market prices.”
ELMSWELL JAM CENTRE FORMED
At a public meeting on Monday it was unanimously agreed to start a jam centre in Elmswell. Mrs. Black (Beyton) explained the scheme. Mrs. Kirkwood, who presided offered the use of her kitchen, and nine preserving pans and nine oil stoves were also offered for use. The General Committee was formed, Mrs. Goode, Mrs. Oxborrow, Mrs. C. Hawes, Mrs. Roden, Miss Head, Mrs. Morrison, Mrs. Kirkwood, Mrs. Crosse, Mrs. Welham, Mrs. Simmion, secretary, and Mrs. Kirkwood was elected chairman, Mrs Simmion secretary, and Mrs. Welham treasurer. Mrs. Roden will act as supervisor, and Mrs. Kirkwood, Mrs. Crosse, Mrs. Salmon, Mrs. Roden, Miss C. Baker, and Miss Green will be chief helpers, while fourteen others also volunteered to assist. Miss Green is undertaking the collection of jam jars.