The Tripe and Dripping Dispute 1949
It was January 1949; war time rationing was still in force, with some foods more strictly rationed than during the war. Bread was rationed during the years 1946 -48, potatoes briefly in 1947, tea until 1952 and cheese and meats until 1954. Although most food products were rationed by weight or number, meat was rationed by price, hence when it was available the cheaper cuts were the most popular. Unbelievably now, tripe the edible lining from the stomachs of cattle and sheep, was much sought after. It was usually boiled in milk with onions and flavoured with salt and pepper.
The dispute began with an accusation by Mr J. S. Hallam of the Torquay Butchers Group that Newton Abbot was trying to deprive Torquay of their supplies of Tripe, Dripping and other Offal. Mr Cecil Ford who represented the Newton Abbot Urban Butchers on the local Food Control Committee and Mid-Devon Meat Traders on the South West Area Council alleged Mr Hallam was not in full possession of the full facts.
Mr Ford said, “All we are seeking is implementation of a promise made by the Food Ministry to allocate 25% of the Tripe from the Newton Abbot, Torquay and Paignton Slaughterhouses”. “We do not want any of the Tripe supply at present going to Torquay; they are entitled to 25% of the Tripe available within their area.”
Headlines in local newspapers included:
Newton Not Trying to ‘Rob’Torbay.
Newton Butchers want Increased Allocation
It is not known how the dispute was resolved, but such arguments between the Food Ministry and local Butcher Groups continued until Meat rationing ended in 1954.
Cecil Ford’s Shop next to Ridgeways in Wolborough Street.