Sowerbutt's Food

The retired writer for the East London Pioneer, who still has the notebook from his interview in the early 1960s with Jimmy Sowerbutt, said: "The thick snow everywhere in that terrible winter of 1947 meant that all the early veg were frozen in the ground. What with that and supplies being disrupted, food was scarce. Remember, too, the Docks were still getting back on their feet and imports were right down with the sterling crisis. People were hungry and as usual the toffs up the West End got more than their fair share.
"Jimmy had worked with the porters at Covent Garden and Smithfield for years and he organised swopping coal for food. Worked well, we did alright.
"The porters tipped Jimmy off about deliveries and there were a few lorry hijacks as they call it these days. Jimmy looked after the drivers, tying them up and gagging them so it appeared they weren't involved. He always saw them right after the hue and cry died down."
  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Colour-Lemon-Surrender-1940-ebook/dp/B008USR7FA