Getting prosecuted - pants

RATIONED GOODS OFFENCE - SOLD TIES WITHOUT COUPONS

Friday June 26th 1942

Fans of "Dads Army" might like this tale from the war. On March 28th 1942, Detective Officer Bramhall was "undertaking enquiries" in the Springfield Arms Public House, Grantham, when he came across quite a curious sight in the "smoke room". There, with a suitcase opened and displaying his wares was a Mr Megha Singh, of Nottingham. He was selling gentleman's socks and ties, along with all manner of ladies underwear.

Keeping the enterprising Mr Singh, (62), of Nottingham under watch, the detective watched on as two men approached the makeshift stall and each bought a tie. "No coopers were offered, asked for or produced" explained the officer to the court. The sleuth therefore approached the would-be entrepreneur, and told him that we would be summonsed for the offence of selling clothing otherwise than he should, given that the whole nation was under ration at the time. He replied, "I am sorry".

Using a translator in the court, Mr Singh apologised for having sold garments in this way. The bench fined the gentleman a whopping £10, with 6s costs to boot. In passing the punishment, they said, "The Bench feel they must protect the public". This is, of course, a noble sentiment by the magistrates, but one does wonder exactly how much damage could be caused by selling an unlicensed tie or un-couponed pair of ladies knickers? In any case, there was a war on, and Grantham magistrates weren't having clothes being sold from suitcases on their manor!

IN OTHER NEWS: EDUCATION IN THE USSR - INTERESTING GRANTHAM LECTURE - BY AUTHOR WHO MET STALIN

ADVERT OF THE WEEK: Soap Rationing and the Children - Bodyguard: The Soap to beat the germs