The Courier was preoccupied with the cost of living crisis
and high prices in Leamington at the end of October 1921. ‘It is generally agreed that in Leamington,
as elsewhere, the housewife is being charged far too much for meat and other
articles of food, and the time has arrived when a substantial drop will have to
be made. People simply cannot afford to
pay, and it is a question as to how much longer they will be able to hold out.’
‘That butchers are demanding prices of the average housewife
which, when compared with the wholesale charges, are unwarranted, was
illustrated at the meeting of the Warwick Joint Hospital Board on Wednesday,
when it was reported that good quality was being supplied to the Heathcote
Hospital at 1s 6d a lb. (£3.75 in 2020
prices). The housewife would be glad to
receive similar treatment. It may be argued by the butcher that public
institutions get a preference owing to their requiring large quantities, but
this cannot apply to Heathcote where there are six patients – the size of an
average family.
It is clear that some
butchers are not as desirous of grabbing the last penny as others, and there
are shops in Leamington where meat can be had at fairly reasonable prices. The housewife is advised to seek them
out. Enquiry will soon show, and it it
worthwhile – if indeed it is not a public duty to do so. Bring the butchers into closer
competition. Where prices are obviously
too high, why not transfer custom elsewhere?’
The Mayor, Councillor England, intervened in the debate: ‘I
feel very strongly so long as the prices of foodstuffs are kept up we cannot
expect a drop in the standard of wages, and until we get a fall in wages, we
shall continue to have unemployment.’
[1921 saw a severe post-war recession and unemployment was at 11.3 per
cent. After rising by over 15 per cent
in 1920, inflation fell in 1921].
‘Mr Leonard Lees of the Master Butcher’s Association was
cynical when we told him this morning that the farmers might conceivably help
consumers in the fight against high prices by arranging a direct supply. “They would find there is not so much in it after
all,” he said. “The butchers lost money
after control went off, and we had a shocking time for six months.” The farmer’s point of view is quite
reasonable, however, and as a consumer he naturally expects retail prices to
bear some relation to what he gets for his cattle in the market.’
‘The failure of retail prices to move in line with
producers’ prices costs the consumers 2.25d per lb on his beef, 5d per pound on
his mutton, and 2.5d on his loaf. Or,
put in another way, had the consumer benefitted to that extent, the Ministry of
Labour cost of living index on October 1st, instead of being 110 per
cent, would have only been 103 per cent above the 1914 level. At Banbury the fight has had beneficial
results. Yesterday well-fed English
mutton was sold at 8d a lb (£1.65 in 2020 prices) and the vendor’s stall was
cleared in an hour.
The reduction in
the price of bread in Leamington has come to pass, so that the quarter loaf now
cost 11.5d over the counter and one shilling if delivered. (£2.50 at 2020 prices). The Birmingham and District Master Bakers’
Association last night decided to reduce the price to 11d at the counter from
Monday. Why cannot Leamington bakers
follow suit?
[From the Leamington v. Kettering programme]
