Sowerbutt's Rations

"Rationing continued for years after the war, but Jimmy worked out a good ruse." The retired writer for the East London Pioneer, who still has the notebook from his early 1960s interview with Jimmy Sowerbutt, said: "He had a deal going with the undertakers across the East End. As soon as they got a client, they tipped him off for a consideration. He'd pop round to the grieving family and buy the deceased's ration book. Ready supply of ration coupons - no-one ever checked up."
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Colour-Lemon-Surrender-1940-ebook/dp/B008USR7FA

Sowerbutt's Fuel

"Jimmy did some big deals after the war." The retired writer for the East London Pioneer, who still has the notebook from his early 1960s interview with Jimmy Sowerbutt, said: "Petrol was scarce with the currency restrictions and ordinary civilians didn't get their allocations back until '48. Jimmy had big cash reserves from the war and invested thousands of pounds in petrol, bought from the GIs. He stored it in tanks on the disused airfields and sold it gradually for a fortune. Made his money back many times over."
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Colour-Lemon-Surrender-1940-ebook/dp/B008USR7FA

Sowerbutt's Currency

"Jimmy had his own currency after the war - nylons and American cigarettes." The retired writer for the East London Pioneer, who still has the notebook from his early 1960s interview with Jimmy Sowerbutt, said: "Tobacco was very short with all the currency restrictions and nylons were worth a fortune.
"So he did his deals with the thousands of GIs and USAAF lads in Britain - some on their way home or off to Germany, some resting. They wanted girls, liquor or access to the nightclubs. Jimmy supplied them and took payment in cigarettes and nylons."
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Colour-Lemon-Surrender-1940-ebook/dp/B008USR7FA

Sowerbutt's Signs

"One of the biggest laughs Jimmy had in the dark days after the war was the Battle of the Signs." The retired writer for the East London Pioneer, who still has the notebook from his early 1960s interview with Jimmy Sowerbutt, said: "They took down all the street signs in 1940 so that Jerry would get lost if he invaded. In Poplar, they started putting them back up in '46. Some streets had disappeared in the Blitz, so that got them puzzled. Other signs were put on the wrong streets and had to be re-done. Come nightfall, the street boys got out and changed the signs over. Went on for months, Jimmy said. People loved it."
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Colour-Lemon-Surrender-1940-ebook/dp/B008USR7FA

Sowerbutt's Potatoes

"Another jingle we remembered from the war was the Potato Song," the retired writer for the East London Pioneer, who still has the notebook from his early 1960s interview with Jimmy Sowerbutt, said. "They were played on the wireless over and over again.
"Potatoes new. Potatoes old
Potato ( in a salad ) cold
Potatoes baked or mashed or fried
Potatoes whole, potato pied
Enjoy them all including chips
Remembering spuds don't come in ships."
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Colour-Lemon-Surrender-1940-ebook/dp/B008USR7FA

Sowerbutt's Garden

"We had a good laugh when I interviewed Jimmy," the retired writer for the East London Pioneer, who still has the notebook from his early 1960s interview with Jimmy Sowerbutt, said. "He remembered the Dig for Victory song that they played on the wireless. Back in 1940, Polly had had the garden behind their place in East India Dock Road dug up for vegetables. Any spare bit of land was used.
"Dig! Dig! Dig! And your muscles will grow big
Keep on pushing the spade
Don't mind the worms
Just ignore their squirms
And when your back aches laugh with glee
And keep on diggin?
Till we give our foes a Wiggin?
Dig! Dig! Dig! to Victory"
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Colour-Lemon-Surrender-1940-ebook/dp/B008USR7FA

Sowerbutt's Jingle

"Jimmy had a great sense of humour," the retired writer for the East London Pioneer, who still has the notebook from his early 1960s interview with Jimmy Sowerbutt, said. "When I interviewed him about the war, he kept whistling the Potato Pete tune. It was one of the jingles they pushed on the wireless to get us to eat our vegetables. Used to drive us potty."
"Here's the man who ploughs the fields
Here's the girl who lifts up the yield.
Here's the man who deals the clamp, so that millions of jaws can chew and champ.
That's the story and here's the star,
Potato Pete
eat up,
ta ta!"
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Colour-Lemon-Surrender-1940-ebook/dp/B008USR7FA

Sowerbutt's Keys

“Don’t you worry about the call-up Maud, it’s a few months off yet. I’m going to get my own back on that bastard manager. I’ve got hold of some spare keys, no-one knows, and I’m going to give them to Mr Sorbay. He told me to look out for him when I got the job at the Savoy.

“Once Mr Sorbay has done his thieving, I’ll slip the keys into the manager’s locker. When the stoppers come, he’ll get the blame. Mr Sorbay only takes the best stuff, it will serve that bastard right.”
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Colour-of-Red-ebook/dp/B00B1CWM5M/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1358353851&sr=1-1

Sowerbutt's Cuppa

Slumping into one of the leather chairs in Coach’s tiny office, Sowerbutt exclaimed: “I’m looking forward to this cuppa, Coach, old friend. That is some tough lady, I’m exhausted. What on earth gave you the idea of ballet lessons?”

“Something you mentioned, Jimmy. Remember you talked about employing Madame Komarovski to change One-Line’s walk? I got to thinking she might help the way our lads move about in the boxing ring. Give them a bit of an edge.”
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Colour-of-Red-ebook/dp/B00B1CWM5M/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1358353851&sr=1-1

Sowerbutt's Lesson

Shaking his long brown hair, Sowerbutt said: “You've started ballet lessons? I just cannot see you in a pink tutu, my  friend.”

Coach, thickset and bald, smiled: “Don’t you worry, Jimmy. When I heard you were back from the wilds of Wales, I put you down for this week’s session. Don’t be late, Madame Dragon-fire will have your hide.”
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Colour-of-Red-ebook/dp/B00B1CWM5M/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1358353851&sr=1-1

Sowerbutt's Education

Jimmy Sowerbutt had not expected Coach Marigold’s answer when he asked his old friend the previous day whether much had happened during his recent weeks away. The gymnasium in King George’s Hall on East India Dock Road had always been the same since he started boxing there as a boy.

Coach blurted out: “We’ve started ballet lessons, Jimmy.”
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Colour-of-Red-ebook/dp/B00B1CWM5M/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1358353851&sr=1-1