Uncovering Victoria Parks British Restaurant
Victoria Park, Anglesea Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO1 3HJ
Robert Dorritt will present a talk on the public canteen that was operating in Victoria Park from 1941 to 1949.
During the Second World War (1939-1945), ensuring the population had enough to eat was a major concern.
Rationing was introduced for many foods and attacks on shipping convoys meant that imports were limited to essential supplies.
In addition to this, air raids on major cities caused severe damage to many homes, making them uninhabitable. This meant many people had nowhere to cook and eat meals.
Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Food Lord Woolton knew it was vital to maintain the health of the population with decent food, in order to keep factories producing materials for the war effort.
So they came up with the idea to serve nutritious midday meals on a large scale for people who, for various reasons, couldn’t eat at home.
Victoria Park, Anglesea Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO1 3HJ