Sugar queue at Bedford [Bedfordshire Standard 14/7/1917]
Thursday
6th September 1917: Yesterday morning a rumour spread that a grocer
in Bedford’s High Street had a quantity of sugar for sale. The shop was soon
besieged by would-be purchasers and a lengthy queue formed. By 11 a.m. the
shopkeeper was obliged to close the door, but the crowd around the shop
continued to grow. Some left during the dinner hour, but by 2 p.m. the number
of sugar hunters was larger than ever. Those who had managed to secure a prime
spot in the doorway were “most inconveniently crowded” and P.C. Smith had
difficulty keeping the crowd in check. The pressure from behind eventually
caused a large side window to be smashed. The crowd remained until 3.30 p.m.
when an announcement was made that no more sugar was available, after which the
waiting shoppers dispersed quickly and quietly.
Source:
Bedfordshire Standard, 7th and 14th September 1917
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