AS housewives prepared to collect their extra tea and sugar Christmas rations, the Ministry of Food announced time saving changes to the rationing procedure. Tiresome paperwork had been removed and it was no longer necessary to fill in the counterfoils at the top of each page of the ration book.

And in the unlikely event of any Christmas over indulgence, the Ministry issued a cheery little verse – Reflect, whenever you indulge,/It is not beautiful to bulge/A large untidy corporation/ Is far from helpful to the Nation.

Weddings this week at Christ Church included that of Frederick Reginald Voisey and Mollie Nora Walker both of 69 Goddard Avenue.

Londoner Harry Arthur Tyler married local girl Jessie Woodcock at St Paul’s and proving you are never too old to fall in love, William John Lamprey aged 77 of 4 Victory Row married 72 year old Ada Annie Hanney of 26 Albert Street at the Bath Road Register Office.

“We don’t want a lot of publicity,”

Mr Hanney told an Advertiser reported. “It’s nothing to make a fuss about.”