Buy British Goods

This letter shows that some concerns were as live in 1925 as they are today but also highlights some interesting differences.

It must have been a topic of discussion at the time because in November 1925, the Guardian published an article ‘Food Variety is the Spice of Life’ which was encouraging the use of ‘unusual fruits and vegetables imported from foreign lands’. The article mentions goods coming from Greece, Italy and elsewhere including aubergines, sweet potato, celeriac, green and red peppers and sweet corn.

In 1921, a Government report shows that 77% of the wheat required was imported compared with just 15% today. Almost all sugar was imported in the 1920s, now it is 50%, half being produced from sugar beet which can be grown here, the other half from sugar cane which needs warmer climes.

Although some Commonwealth countries remain important trade partners for food imports, 39% now come from the Netherlands, Ireland, France or Belgium.

The first adverts for Christmas puddings also appeared in this edition of the Tiverton Gazette. Amongst the Museum’s archive are a selection of recipes for Christmas Cakes. Although the two recipe books were published more recently than the 1920s, both Birds and Be-Ro are long established firms. Birds founded in 1837, Be-Ro in 1880 and through the years both companies used recipe books as publicity material.