04-06-2019, 09:26 PM
In the late '30s and early '40s my RP belonged to a Miss Betty Lewis of Bishopstone, Herefordshire. She worked as the Secretary to the Manager of the local electricity company (SWS) in Kington, some 12 or 13 miles away.
When petrol rationing was introduced, Miss Lewis' job was in jeopardy, as she couldn't get to work. Her boss, Mr Elson, was entitled to a ration, but didn't own a car. He was "courting" at the time and somehow a deal was done whereby he claimed the petrol ration for the car, allowing Miss Lewis to commute, in return for use of the car at the weekend to conduct his romantic assignations.
Miss Lewis herself told me this story in the late 'seventies, and it's borne out by the ration stamps in the car's logbooks, which I'm lucky enough to have.
When petrol rationing was introduced, Miss Lewis' job was in jeopardy, as she couldn't get to work. Her boss, Mr Elson, was entitled to a ration, but didn't own a car. He was "courting" at the time and somehow a deal was done whereby he claimed the petrol ration for the car, allowing Miss Lewis to commute, in return for use of the car at the weekend to conduct his romantic assignations.
Miss Lewis herself told me this story in the late 'seventies, and it's borne out by the ration stamps in the car's logbooks, which I'm lucky enough to have.