Women stapling ration books, 1943

Educational value

• This asset illustrates an aspect of the rationing system that was in operation in Australia during the Second World War to limit consumption at home so that the military forces overseas were well supplied with what they needed.
• It shows cardboard ration book covers for coupons which were issued annually - rationing began in 1940 with petrol, and was extended to food and clothing in 1942, including meat, sugar, tea and butter, and all manufactured apparel, hats, footwear and handknitting wool; in 1943, household drapery and furnishings were added; although food and clothing restrictions were gradually reduced from June 1945, petrol continued to be rationed until early 1950 because of post-War difficulties with foreign exchange and oil supplies.
• It illustrates the large manually operated stapling machines of the era.
• It shows women working in the public service - at this time, married women could not be employed in the public service on a permanent basis, although manpower regulations in 1942 registered women for work to fill in gaps left by men serving in the defence forces.
• It illustrates clothing and hairstyles for women workers during the Second World War - the women are wearing simple long- or short-sleeved knitted wool jersey dresses, or tops and skirts, all of which would have required ration coupons to buy new; and they have rolled or curled shoulder-length hair.

Year level

F; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12

Topics Posters Propaganda War Conscription Printing Australian history Length Censorship Labour market Domestic war effort Public servants Printing industry Rationing World War II