HISTORY QUICK READS - BRITAIN SINCE 1948 - Under the Counter

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Aria

A narrative set in Britain in the late 1940s follows Molly as she faces the realities of New Year and everyday life under rationing. Guided by her mother’s rules, Molly prepares to go shopping, carrying bags while family plans collide with shortages and strict allowances. The story shows how ration books, queues, and uncertainty shape choices for food, sweets, and comfort. It opens with Molly’s wish to stay up and her conflict with what adults insist is fair.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages52

Reading Time1 h 20 min

AccessFree to download

Under the Counter (1948)

Shopping and rationing in 1948

HISTC8QUICKPE BRITAIN SINCE 1948 Under the Counter·Ice-Cream Annie·The Monster Rat by Bovdoaden | ra e
EAST SUSSEX LIBRARY SERViCE | | --- | | SCHOOLS LIBRARY SF | | MONDS DRIVE | | 9RIDGE DROVE | | 山N PARK,EASTL | | TSUSSEX BN236r | | 01323416324 | 其 HISTORY QUICK READS BRITAIN SINCE I948 Under the Counterlce-Cream AnnieThe Monster Rat by David Oakdenlllustrated by Gillian Marklew First published in 2003Anglio YoungBoks glio YoungBooksis on imprint oMilIPublishingLtdPO Box 120BangorCounty Down BTI97BX @2003 David Oakden All rights reserved.No part of this publication may be reproduced,stored in a retrieval system,or transmitted in any form or by anymeans,electronic,mechanical,photocopying,recording orotherwise without the written permission of the Publisher. The moral right of the author has been asserted. llustrations by Gillian MarklewDesign by Angela Ashton British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN I871173906 | EA | | ST | | SUS
57 | | SEX
759 | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | (N | | | | | | | | | | | | TE | | | kO | | LOC | | L | OC | LOC | LOC | | | | | | | | | | | | | Printed in Great Britain by Ashford Colour Press,Gosport,Hampshire CONTENTS Under the Counter(1948) 5 Ice-Cream Annie(1955) 19 The Monster Rat(1965)33 # UNDER THE COUNTER 'Can I stay up tonight to see in the New Year?asked Molly.'My friend Lizzie is going to stayup with her dad and mum and the little ones.They're all going to drink sherry and smokecigars.' Molly's mum sniffed.'Oh yes?Her new babywill be drinking and smoking?I don't think so.No,Molly,you'll be up those stairs to bed,asusual,at seven o'clock.You can wait for 1949until you get up.' 'It's not fair,'said Molly. 'Fair's fair.You're eight years old and you cango to bed late and drink and smoke when you're twenty-one,if you are daft enough.Butthat's enough about that.Are you going tocome shopping with me?I need your help tocarry the bags.' Molly put away her box of crayons and exercisebook.They had been a Christmas present fromher Aunt Sophie.She put her special rubber,shaped like a rabbit,into her pocket. 'Are we going to get some sweets?"she said.'Can I have some of that white chocolate?Lizzie says her dad's got a cupboard full of it.He got it from a man who works on the railway.He says it fell off the back of a truckand nobody wanted it.' Molly's mum raised her eyes to the ceiling.'Felloff the back of a truck,indeed,'she muttered.Then she went on,'Just hurry up and put yourcoat on.' ‘Please can we get some chocolate,'beggedMolly. 'No,'said her mum.'There will be no chocolate,because we've used our ration for the month.But we have got enough meat coupons for some stewing beef,so we'llgo to the butcher's.We might be lucky.Mr Johnson might let ushave some sausages or a bit of liver.They’renot rationed,but he never seems to have anywhen l ask.' 'Lizzie's mum says he only lets his pals have it,'said Molly,fastening the belt on her school coat. 'Don't tell me any more about Lizzie or hermum.Just put on that woolly hat that your granknitted for you and those gloves that we got offthe rummage sale last week.' They walked out of the house.Mum shut thefront door with a bang.'Must get your dad tosee to the lock,'she said.'Somebody said thatthey had burglars up the road.We shall have to start locking all the doors and windows whenwe go out.Before the war we never used tobother.Times have changed.' They turned the corner into the main street.Look,'said Molly.'The grocery has gotraspberry jam.Pots of it.Can we have some?" 'Sorry,'said Mum.'If we have that then wecan't have any sugar this week.I used all ourration over Christmas,so no

FAQs

Why does Molly want to stay up for the New Year?

Molly asks if she can stay up tonight to see in the New Year, but her mother insists she must go to bed as usual at seven o'clock.

What happens when Molly asks for sweets or chocolate?

Her mother refuses chocolate because the family has used its monthly ration, though there are meat coupons for stewing beef and possibly other items at the butcher’s.

Why does the family mention locking doors and windows?

They discuss new fears about burglars, explaining that since the war times have changed and they now start locking up when they go out.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Aria