Cost of living crisis in 1921

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 1^st, 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]