Potato Queues

The humble spud is the star attraction for the long lines of people waiting to fortify their wartime Sunday lunches

Roasted, baked, boiled, fried, chipped, mashed… any threat to the availability of potatoes would surely throw the nation into a panic? Though never rationed, spud shortages were not uncommon in WWI, and scenes such as these - seemingly genial - queues made good newsreel fodder. The situation was certainly better than in Germany at this time, which was in the grips of its 'Turnip Winter' due to a poor potato harvest.