Thanks to Nick for sharing his memories with ORAFs.
ORAFs seems to recall that 1 (one) unit equalled 1 gallon of petrol.
Each motorist had to advise the relevant authority of the distance
to and from work and this was the basis of one's monthly allocation.
For holidays and trips elsewhere one also had to advise the authorities
and if approved coupons were allocated.
------------------------------------
Dave Macdonald Writes:-
Your Bits 'n Pieces prompted me to dig these out - souvenirs of a slightly earlier sanctions period (in the late 60's) when petrol was on ration. Off ration coupons could be bought at Post Offices adding a whopping 5c to the cost of a unit (which I also think was a gallon). I guess our farm/family ration was sufficient that we never used/needed these ones.
There was joke going around at the time that in answer to the question (which really was asked when making an allowance application) "Do you use your vehicle for pleasure?" our man Van answered, " No. The back seat's too small!"
Lewis Walter Writes:-
Thanks for interesting petrol rationing items recently.
These coupons were issued to my father in Bulawayo in 1946. "S1975" was a beautiful old Vauxhall he had just bought on returning to Rhodesia after serving with the 6th SA Armoured Division during WW2.
I seem to remember there was petrol rationing again about 1949/50, and that we used to put a mixture of benzine and petrol into our motor bikes to eke out the ration. This was illegal, and potentially lethal, but no-one seemed to worry ! My bike at that time was a second-hand 250cc BSA bought from John Waterworth. (A 350cc AJS and a beautiful 500cc AJS Twin followed later).
Thanks to Dave and Lewis for sharing his memories with us all.
BSA - Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA) motorcycles
(Many a Rhodesian school boy owned the BSA Pellet Gun.)
AJS - A J Stevens & Co (AJS). British motorcycle manufacturer.
Syd Wheeler Writes:-
ReplyDeleteI was VERY heavily pregnant with twins during some of the rationing and we had NO coupons left.
I waddled into the local garage and dramatically pointed at my VERY large stomach, "In here are twins. They are imminent. I have no petrol. Perhaps I should pop in here when the time comes, before going to the hospital......"
They filled my tank
Bob Manser Writes:-
ReplyDeleteI remember back in the very early days of petrol coupons and petrol rationing and in Salisbury we had to go to the old Magistrates Court in Forbes Avenue to get registered and issued a brown ration card with a tear off portion for each months ration of coupons.
The rationing office seemed to be run by retired civil servants who were very strict in their assesment of, not only the distance from your normal place of abode to your workplace, but also what vehicle you owned. Proof of all this was log books and electricity accounts etc.
They then wandered over to a large map of Salisbury and very diligently measured your route from home to work using a piece of string and then using some secret code decided what you would be allowed in monthly coupons.
I might add that at some time during this fuel crisis, the owners of petrol driven lawnmowers were allocated two very precious coupons a month to cut their grass.
At the time I lived in a flat in Mazoe street which was all of about two miles from work, plus owned a small Honda 50cc motorbike that did all of about 100 miles plus per gallon or whatever.
The rather dour examiner went over to the map after taking note of my particulars and took careful measurments with the aforementioned piece of string.
Then he returned to the counter and said rather scathingly that my monthly ration would be ONE coupon.
I naturally remonstrated saying ##### etc, , a b####y lawnmower gets double that. I did not win and was duly granted one monthly coupon, I only wish I had kept this ridiculous allowance for history's sake.
At least it only took me 15 minutes to walk to work but I was pretty vexed about this injustice and wished I was back in the mob where I could have run my Honda for free on a weekly sample of greeners from 3 Squadrons ample supply as did so many others.
Bob Manser Writes:-
ReplyDeleteI remember back in the very early days of petrol coupons and petrol rationing and in Salisbury we had to go to the old Magistrates Court in Forbes Avenue to get registered and issued a brown ration card with a tear off portion for each months ration of coupons.
The rationing office seemed to be run by retired civil servants who were very strict in their assesment of, not only the distance from your normal place of abode to your workplace, but also what vehicle you owned. Proof of all this was log books and electricity accounts etc.
They then wandered over to a large map of Salisbury and very diligently measured your route from home to work using a piece of string and then using some secret code decided what you would be allowed in monthly coupons.
I might add that at some time during this fuel crisis, the owners of petrol driven lawnmowers were allocated two very precious coupons a month to cut their grass.
At the time I lived in a flat in Mazoe street which was all of about two miles from work, plus owned a small Honda 50cc motorbike that did all of about 100 miles plus per gallon or whatever.
The rather dour examiner went over to the map after taking note of my particulars and took careful measurments with the aforementioned piece of string.
Then he returned to the counter and said rather scathingly that my monthly ration would be ONE coupon.
I naturally remonstrated saying ##### etc, , a b####y lawnmower gets double that. I did not win and was duly granted one monthly coupon, I only wish I had kept this ridiculous allowance for history's sake.
At least it only took me 15 minutes to walk to work but I was pretty vexed about this injustice and wished I was back in the mob where I could have run my Honda for free on a weekly sample of greeners from 3 Squadrons ample supply as did so many others.
Mike Hamence Writes:-
ReplyDeleteTucked away with other memorabilia in the back of Ian Smith's 'Great Betrayal', I have umpteen litres of coupons! But the hypocrisy of the so-called "petrol rationing", was the sale of the '50 cent' coupons, in other words, a government controlled 'black market'.
I trust you will publish this.
Thanks for providing the more information in web blog and please provide the Debenhams Discount Code details
ReplyDeleteNice information to us for getting discount in Fashion coupons thank you so much regards: Debenhams Discount Code
ReplyDeleteCan anyone remember when petrol rationing ended in Rhodesia? Thanks.
ReplyDelete