19 18 20 19 21 20 22 21 23 22 24 23 25 24 26 25 27 26 28 27 29 28 30 29 31 30 32 31 33 32

3. SPENDING OF CLOTHING COUPONS

The period to which this and the following table has reference is taken as the 10 months from 1st June, 1941, when rationing began, to the mid-point of the field work, 6th April, 1942. The field work took place between 23rd March and 18th April.

To obtain a first approximation early in the interview of what coupons had been spent during this period, Question 3 was asked. The topic of spending was returned to in Question 12, by which the worker was asked to account for coupons spent on each of 21 garment groups, a comprehensive grouping of garments. Where there was a discrepancy between the answer given to Question 3 and the total coupons given in the reply to Question 12, it was pointed out by the investigator, and an attempt was made to clear it up. This led to many corrections and additions. It is therefore likely that a more accurate account of coupon spending was finally obtained by having two such questions, separated from each other by others dealing with different subjects, than by a single question. A proportion of workers, especially men, were unable to answer these questions, or could give only a partial account. This was most marked with the workers who pooled their coupons with their families, or with men whose clothing was managed by their wives. These have been omitted from the sample in computing average expenditure for each garment group.

It was not within the terms of reference of this enquiry to report on cases in which illegal coupons had been spent, or where clothing had been obtained without coupons. Such cases were found by the investigators, but it is unlikely that the number of coupons involved would have much effect on the statistics.

Spending of coupons by men

The average number of coupons spent by men in these 10 special occupations is 76.84. This is 3.59 coupons less than the average spent by women. Distributive workers and agriculturists spent least, in fact, under the normal issue of 66 coupons. All other workers spent more than 66, particularly those in iron and steel manufacture, heavy engineering and shipbuilding, and ironstone quarries.

The five garment groups upon which most coupons had been spent are; 1. complete suits, jackets and trousers, 2. socks, 3. shirts, 4. underwear, 5. boot and shoes. These are the major expenditures in all occupations, and account for an average of 59.62 coupons. The garment group upon which most coupons have been spent is that of suits, jackets and trousers, and accounts for two-fifths of the workers’ coupons, with interesting occupational variations. Clay and Slate quarrymen spent much less on complete suits, and rather more on jackets and trousers.

The average expenditure on nightwear is less than one coupon, on handkerchiefs a little more than half a coupon, on slippers a tenth of a coupon, and on miscellaneous or “other” garments one and a third coupons. Of the 13 coupons spent on shirts, nearly 10 were spent on working shirts. 4.25 coupons were spent on industrial overalls, and .39 of a coupon on other kinds of overalls. The fractional coupon spent on garment group 12, petticoats, slips, etc. represents purchases by younger men of clothing meant as gifts for their women folk. All other items are garments concerned directly with work, such as trousers, jackets, shirts, underwear boots etc., or indirectly, such as overcoats, and raincoats. It is doubtful whether the worker buys any substantial clothing which is not intended immediately or ultimately for working purposes.

The spending coupons in these special occupational groups is compared with that of a sample representative of the normal population on page 22. It should be remembered that the period for the first is 10 months while that of the second is a full rotating year. In these ten months the great majority of workers in the special groups had spent all their coupons, including supplementary awards and coupons obtained from other sources.

It is shown that the special groups spent nearly 11 more coupons than the issue of 66 and nearly 8½ more than the normal sample. Expenditure on suits, Jackets and trousers, socks, shirts, underwear and footwear was 59.62 compared with 51.47 by the normal sample. The special groups also tended to buy more overcoats and raincoats, cardigans and pullovers, overalls and other purely working garments, but less nightwear, slippers and miscellaneous garments.

Information on the proportion of workers obtaining clothes by secondhand purchase, from employer, friends or relatives is given on pages 26 to 28. It will be seen from page 29 that few workers gave coupons for clothes obtained by these means.

Spending of coupons by women

Women in these five occupational groups spent an average of 80.41 coupons in the period covered by the enquiry. Those in Iron and Steel Manufacture spent the most, 103.98, and those in agriculture the least, 65.53.

The four garment groups of stockings, shoes, overcoats and underwear account for more than half the expenditure, 46.90 coupons. The single item upon which most coupons have been spent was stockings, accounting for an average of nearly 14 coupons The next largest item, shoes, accounted for an average of nearly 11 coupons. This is so for every occupation except that of heavy engineering, in which slightly more coupons were spent on shoes than on stockings.

The gross expenditure of coupons has been related to the expenditure of coupons on garments mentioned by workers as being especially needed for work. This is given on page 30. The coupons spent on all items mentioned by 10% or more of workers in this table have been summed for each occupation. The margin between gross expenditure and coupons spent on clothes needed for work is given in third column. A further column gives the average age of persons in each occupation, from the table on page 67 of the appendix.

The margin of coupons spent on clothes not necessary for work for most people is remarkably steady for all occupations. While the selection of only those garments mentioned by 10% of workers is arbitrary, it tends to show that, except for a uniform number not greater than 17-19 coupons spent on clothes for other than working purposes, workers of each occupation have spent their coupons severely in accordance with the requirements of their jobs. There is not a great dispersion round the average age, which tends to make for the uniformity of the marginal

figures.

As far as comparison is possible, this is also the case with the sample taken from the normal population on page 22.

EXPENDITURE OF CLOTHING COUPONS - MEN

Question 12 - “How have you spent your clothing coupons? From 1 ^st . June, 1941 to 6 ^th April, 1942”

EXPENDITURE OF CLOTHING COUPONS - WOMEN

Question 12 - “How have you spent your clothing coupons? From 1 ^st . June, 1941 to 6 ^th April, 1942”

Clothing Coupon Expenditure

COMPARISON OF OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS WITH “NORMAL” SAMPLE

Question 3 - “How many coupons have you spent?”

The average total coupons spent per worker per group is shown in this table, with the distribution of spending up to 40, from 41 to 66, and over 66 coupons.

Question 23 - “Do you tend to buy clothes each week haphazardly, or do you plan and save up for them?”

This question was included at the special request of the Consumer Needs Section. Some investigators reported an unfavourable reaction to the use of the work “haphazard”, and in these cases the question was altered to “Do you, or do you not, tend to plan and save up for clothes?”. The simple analysis of answers shows that most workers budget their clothing, or have their clothing budgetted for them by someone else, the mother in the case of the girl or young woman, the wife in case of the married man, and that there is a tendency for women to budget rather more than men. An analysis of this question by age group, sex, and types of purchase is not included in this report, but will be issued separately.

Question 24 - “Were you well stocked with clothes when rationing began?”

An average of 15% of men in these occupations were poorly stocked when rationing began, on 1st June, 1941, and 85% were either well or fairly stocked. Ironstone quarries had the greatest proportion, one in four, of workers who were poorly stocked, and slate quarries the least. An average of 18% of women were poorly stocked, distributive workers having the greatest proportion. The other women’s occupations were fairly uniform having regard to the sampling error.

The replies to this question are analysed by the number of coupons spent, in the second table, which brings out the fact that the poorer the stock when rationing began, the greater the subsequent spending of coupons.

Question 13(a) - Clothes acquired by secondhand purchase

More secondhand clothes are acquired by men than woman. Highest proportion of secondhand purchase is of outer garments, particularly jackets and trousers by Limestone quarrymen and workers in the building trades.

Question 13(b) - Clothes supplied by Employer

A distinction was made in the questionnaire between the personal supply of clothing to the worker, such clothing becoming the worker’s property, and the impersonal supply of clothing, mainly overalls, which were supplied to groups of workers, regularly collected for laundering, but which did not become the worker’s property. In the following table the proportions of workers having clothing supplied personally or impersonally is added together. The chief items of supply are oilskin or other special overcoats, overalls, and footwear for special purposes.

Question 13(c) - Clothes passed on from friend or relative.

More secondhand clothes are acquired by men than woman. Highest proportion of secondhand purchase is of outer garments, particularly jackets and trousers by Limestone quarrymen and workers in the building trades.

Question 13(d) - Workers giving coupons for cloths required by other than normal purpose.

The proportion of workers giving coupons for cloths obtained secondhand, from employer, or passed on from friend or relative is found to be very small, not more than one or two in any group.

Question 15. “Which of these items are needed especially for work?”

Of the items of clothing listed against Question 12 the worker was asked which were bought especially for work. This table gives the percentage of workers mentioning each garment.

Question 14. Cloths bought through Clothing Clubs

This table gives the percentage of workers who have bought garments through Clothing Clubs. Investigators reported reluctance on the part of some workers to answer the question, and consequently the results are not put forward without reserve. No one group appears to use clothing clubs more or less than another.

Question 16. Intended purpose of clothing with remaining coupons.

Those workers who had coupons remaining, or who were anticipating a supplementary award, were asked what clothing they intended to purchase with them. The table shows the percentage of workers mentioning each type of garment. Again it will be noticed the emphasis is upon clothing needed for work.