Housing Department workmen and staff pictured in a canteen in Pollok, 1947. The canteen could be taken down and moved to a location where the concentration of workmen was greatest. When workmen returned from the Glasgow Fair holiday of 1947, they discovered that the canteen had been dismantled and re-erected on a new site on the other side of the Levern Water.
At a time when food rationing was still in force, it was felt that the provision of on-site canteen facilities was essential to give workmen the nourishment required for manual labour. The Pollok canteen was able to provide substantial hot mid-day meals at a subsidised price, and in addition to the standard civilian ration. This removed some of the pressure from the men's wives, trying to provide their families with a nourishing diet with the limited foods available to them.
Despite this, regular pleas had to made to workmen to patronise the Pollok canteen, to ensure its continued viability. Petty theft of utensils and crockery was also noted to be a problem.
Reference: D-AP9/7/9/46
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
canteens, council houses, food, Glasgow Corporation, Housing Department, housing estates, housing schemes, labourers, Levern Water, navvies, rationing, rations, women workers, workmen
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