This article from 1947 surprised me because the Kinsmen were enlisting the aid of trick or treaters in collecting pennies for CARE parcels for Britain. CARE had been founded after World War II to send packages to Europe, and though I knew that rationing in Britain had lasted quite a while after the War, I didn’t realize that in many ways, rationing was worse there after the war than during. Rationing didn’t totally end in Britain until 1954, and had been an issue in national elections, contributing to the defeat of the Labour Government in 1951. This project of the Kinsmen club was a continuation of their efforts during the war in aid of the Milk for Britain Fund, which also used Halloween to raise extra funds.
On the lighter side, some thoughts by the Editor about Halloween from 1932.
Researched & written by Kathryn Auger
