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66-515: National Benzole was a petroleum brand used in the United Kingdom from 1919 to the 1990s. In 1957, the National Benzole Co. became wholly owned by Shell-Mex & BP (through British Petroleum) but continued its separate trading identity. In the early 1960s, National Benzole was re-branded as National and continued trading as a UK retailer of petroleum products until the early 1990s, when

132-422: A 10,000-mile reliability trial fuelled exclusively by National Benzole. Problems arose in the same year from a coal strike which restricted benzole availability, and increased demand in the ensuing years led to frequent shortages of coal shale from which the benzole was made. At the same time, some reckoned neat benzole was a little strong for the average engine and started to mix it with petrol. This led in 1922 to

198-400: A book and seeing it published. Whether rationed or not, many personal-use goods became difficult to obtain because of the shortage of components. Examples included razor blades , baby bottles , alarm clocks, frying pans and pots. Balloons and sugar for cakes for birthday parties were partially or completely unavailable. Couples had to use a mock cardboard and plaster wedding cake in lieu of

264-467: A market leader. Switching from neat benzole to the fifty-fifty mixture was not a complete solution to the supply issue. It reduced but did not eliminate the company's dependence on the UK coal mining cartel, while it introduced an inherent tension in the relationship with the petroleum suppliers who were also major competitors for road fuel sales. The petroleum supply issue was to some extent addressed by "buying on

330-551: A post-war "benzole-lake". A group of men, including Samuel Henshaw, then the chairman of the Staffordshire Chemical Company, reckoned there was money to be made from these surplus-to-requirements stocks. Henshaw became the first chairman of the National Benzole Company. Although the idea of using benzole to power automobiles was not new, cars fueled on neat benzole needed altered carburetor settings which

396-581: A real tiered wedding cake, with a smaller cake hidden in the mock cake. Houseplants were impossible to get and people used carrot tops instead. Many fathers saved bits of wood to build toys for Christmas presents, and Christmas trees were almost impossible to obtain due to timber rationing. On 8 May 1945, the Second World War ended in Europe, but rationing continued for several years afterwards. Some aspects of rationing became stricter than they were during

462-512: A sales force was recruited, equipped with Morris Cowleys painted yellow, which had become the company's colour. The now famous 50/50 blend became a resounding success. To sustain the success, an imaginative advertising campaign was developed, and in 1928, Mr Mercury – startlingly naked – leapt for the first time from the pages of the national newspapers. Mr. Mercury, in National Benzole's black and chrome gold corporate colours, became one of

528-593: A week; expectant mothers two on each allocation. Arrangements were made for vegetarians so that other goods were substituted for their rations of meat. Milk was supplied at 3 imperial pints (1.7 litres) each week with priority for expectant mothers and children under 5; 3.5 imp pt (2.0 L) for those under 18; children unable to attend school 5 imp pt (2.8 L), certain invalids up to 14 imp pt (8.0 L). Each person received one tin of milk powder (equivalent to 8 imperial pints or 4.5 litres) every eight weeks. Persons falling within

594-477: Is agreed. Should it be decided that these functions should continue for a period after the transfer of the sales activities, then these will continue to be carried out by Shell-Mex and B.P. The employees of Shell-Mex and B.P. will be redeployed within the separate marketing organisations and redundancies will not arise as a result of this re-organisation. The company's head office was at Shell Mex House on London's Strand . Pool petrol Rationing

660-484: The Anglo-Persian Oil Company which foreshadowed still closer links with the future British Petroleum company: in the meantime National Benzole acquired oceangoing tankers of its own. Effectively promoted and distributed into the second half of the twentieth century, National Benzole continued to be popular with British motorists and the National Benzole brand remained a common sight at the roadside. However

726-534: The First World War , the government was initially reluctant to try to control the food markets. It fought off attempts to introduce minimum prices in cereal production, though relenting in the area of control of essential imports (sugar, meat, and grains). When it did introduce changes, they were limited. In 1916, it became illegal to consume more than two courses while lunching in a public eating place or more than three for dinner; fines were introduced for members of

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792-552: The Great Depression . Petrol rationing was introduced in September 1939 with an allowance of approximately 200 miles (320 kilometres) of motoring per month. The coupons issued related to a car's calculated RAC horsepower and that horsepower's nominal fuel consumption. From July 1942 until June 1945, the basic ration was suspended completely, with essential-user coupons being issued only to those with official sanction. In June 1945,

858-584: The London County Council 's Londoners' Meals Service , which began as an emergency system for feeding people who had had their houses bombed and could no longer live in them. They were open to all and mostly served office and industrial workers. Cooking depots were set up in Sheffield and Plymouth, providing roast dinners, stew and pudding. Hot sweet tea was often distributed after bombing raids. In December 1939, Elsie Widdowson and Robert McCance of

924-564: The University of Cambridge tested whether the United Kingdom could survive with only domestic food production if U-boats ended all imports. Using 1938 food production data, they fed themselves and other volunteers one egg, one pound (450 g) of meat and four ounces (110 g) of fish a week; one-quarter imperial pint (140 mL) of milk a day; four ounces (110 g) of margarine; and unlimited amounts of potatoes, vegetables and wholemeal bread. Two weeks of intensive outdoor exercise simulated

990-546: The 100,000 tons allotted to the Stationery Office, the War Office gets no less than 25,000 tons, or more than the whole of the book trade put together. ... At the same time paper for books is so short that even the most hackneyed "classic" is liable to be out of print, many schools are short of textbooks, new writers get no chance to start and even established writers have to expect a gap of a year or two years between finishing

1056-565: The Isle of Wight closed in recent years. Shell-Mex %26 BP The parent organisations demerged their United Kingdom marketing operations in 1976. The announcement of this action was as follows: Since 1932 the products of the Companies of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group and of The British Petroleum Group have been marketed in the UK through the agency of Shell-Mex and B.P. Ltd. In that year

1122-728: The National colours. However, during the 1980s, the National brand declined as BP focused on the strength of the BP brand. By the early 1990s, the brand name was phased out in favour of BP. There was a brief re-appearance of the National Brand from 2000 when Scottish Fuels branded its retail outlets as 'National'. These outlets have since been re-branded into the colours of Scottish Fuels . A number of outlets in Shetland and on Benbecula are still branded as National. The last National-branded filling station on

1188-404: The Second World War rationing—not restricted to food—was part of a strategy including controlled prices, subsidies and government-enforced standards, with the goals of managing scarcity and prioritising the armed forces and essential services, and trying to make available to everyone an adequate and affordable supply of goods of acceptable quality. In line with its business as usual policy during

1254-589: The Second World War were as follows. Quantities are per week unless otherwise stated. Vegetarians were allowed an extra 3 oz (85 g) cheese 1s 2d bought about 1 lb 3 oz (540 g) of meat . Offal and sausages were rationed only from 1942 to 1944. When sausages were not rationed, the meat needed to make them was so scarce that they often contained a high proportion of bread. Eggs were rationed and "allocated to ordinary [citizens] as available"; in 1944 thirty allocations of one egg each were made. Children and some invalids were allowed three

1320-414: The U.S. and Canada to Britain. Almost all foods apart from vegetables and bread were rationed by August 1942. Strict rationing created a black market . Almost all controlled items were rationed by weight; but meat was rationed by price. Fresh vegetables and fruit were not rationed, but supplies were limited. Some types of imported fruit all but disappeared. Lemons and bananas became unobtainable for most of

1386-624: The UK should now be brought more into line with this pattern over the next 4–5 years. Since 1966, the Shell and the BP Service Station networks have been managed by separate sales organisations within Shell-Mex and B.P. It is now proposed to extend this 'brand streaming' progressively to cover all products and all market sectors. This will ultimately lead to the establishment of two viable marketing organisations within Shell-Mex and B.P. thus facilitating

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1452-660: The United States avoided the U-boats, but rationing improved the health of British people; infant mortality declined and life expectancy rose, excluding deaths caused by hostilities. This was because it ensured that everyone had access to a varied diet with enough vitamins. Blackcurrant syrup and later American bottled orange juice was provided free for children under 2, and those under 5 and expectant mothers got subsidised milk. Consumption of fat and sugar declined while consumption of milk and fibre increased. The standard rations during

1518-444: The abolition of the basic petrol ration was announced, effective from the 1 July ( Ivor Novello , a prominent British public figure in the entertainment industry, was sent to prison for four weeks for misusing petrol coupons). Thenceforth, vehicle fuel was only available to official users, such as the emergency services, bus companies and farmers. The priority users of fuel were always the armed forces. Fuel supplied to approved users

1584-461: The age of four did not require coupons for purchase. The prices of second-hand clothing and fur coats were fixed, but no coupons were required to buy them. People were allocated extra coupons for work clothes, such as overalls for factory work. Manual workers, civilian uniform wearers, diplomats, performers and new mothers also received extra coupons. Garments of the same description but different quality would have different prices but require

1650-591: The amount of new clothes the public could buy, and therefore reduce the amount of clothing produced for civilians. Reported in local and national newspapers, clothes rationing came as a surprise to the public, in order to avoid panic-buying. Coupons were to be presented on purchase of clothing, shoes, and fabrics alongside cash payment. Until the issuing of Clothing Coupon books for 1942-43, consumers were to surrender unused margarine coupons from their food ration coupon book when buying clothing. Initially people were allocated 66 points for clothing per year; in 1942, this

1716-645: The basic ration was restored to allow about 150 miles (240 km) per month; this was increased in August 1945 to allow about 180 miles (290 km) per month. Newspapers were limited from September 1939, at first to 60% of their pre-war consumption of newsprint . Paper supply came under the No 48 Paper Control Order, 4 September 1942, and was controlled by the Ministry of Production . By 1945, newspapers were limited to 25% of their pre-war consumption. Wrapping paper for most goods

1782-574: The brand was phased out by parent company, BP . National Benzole was founded in February 1919 in a room next to the boiler house of the Gas Light and Coke Company in London's Horseferry Road . In the early years of the century, benzole production had been small scale. However, because it was as good at propelling shells as motor cars, production was expanded massively during World War I . This generally led to

1848-539: The company's business amounted to about 3 million tons, out of a total UK market of some 7 million tons. The activities of this most successful enterprise have extended greatly over the years. In 1970 Shell-Mex and B.P. Ltd. supplied 40 million tons of the UK petroleum market, amounting to a total of 100 million tons. In the majority of countries outside the UK. Shell and BP have always each marketed their products through their own entirely separate organisations and it has been decided that Shell and BP marketing operations in

1914-566: The country was about 50 million. It was one of the principal strategies of the Germans in the Battle of the Atlantic to attack shipping bound for Britain, restricting British industry and potentially starving the nation into submission. To deal with sometimes extreme shortages, the Ministry of Food instituted a system of rationing. To buy most rationed items, each person had to register at chosen shops and

1980-488: The diet. The scientists also noted that their faeces had increased by 250% in volume. The results – kept secret until after the war – gave the government confidence that, if necessary, food could be distributed equally to all, including high-value war workers, without causing widespread health problems. Britons' actual wartime diet was never as severe as in the Cambridge study because imports from

2046-515: The early 1960s onwards National sold only petrol. National Benzole joined the Shell-Mex & BP family in 1957 but continued to trade separately. In 1959, responding to the growing importance of benzole as a specialist chemical, it was decided to concentrate on this market by means of a new company named Benzole Producers Limited. At the same time the motor fuel marketing business was now fully merged with Shell-Mex & BP. Benzole (no longer part of

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2112-455: The event, the trade unions of the London docks organised blockades by crowds, but convoys of lorries under military escort took the heart out of the strike, so that the measures did not have to be implemented. Emergency supplies for the 4 million people expected to be evacuated were delivered to destination centres by August 1939, and 50 million ration books were already printed and distributed. When World War II began in September 1939, petrol

2178-465: The following descriptions were allowed 8 oz (230 g) of cheese a week in place of the general ration of 3 oz (85 g): As the war progressed, rationing was extended to other consumable commodities including clothing , which was controlled on a system of points allocated to different garments. Following the depletion of raw materials and redirection of labour towards wartime manufactures (such as uniforms), alongside rising inflation, and

2244-408: The high seas" whereby the company, having no oil refining capacity of its own, contracted to buy from shippers full tanker loads of refined fuel. As motoring passed from being a recreation for the leisure hours of a leisured class to a mainstream means of transport, the National Benzole business continued its growth path. A partial solution to the supply concerns was a long term petroleum contract with

2310-545: The inclusion of purchase tax on clothing in October 1940, prices of garments and textiles increased. As a result, civilian access to clothing was tightening. Government regulation was required in order to ensure the ability to buy clothing was maintained across the civilian population. The rationing of cloth, clothing, and footwear was introduced in June 1941, and remained in place until March 1949. Clothes rationing also aimed to restrict

2376-415: The mixture) was dropped from the fuel's name and Mr. Mercury's black and chrome gave way to sparkling new yellow, blue and white. Following the de-merger of Shell-Mex & BP in 1976, the National brand continued to be distinctively marketed by BP for over a decade. In the 1970s and 1980s, the company's petrol stations sold figurines of The Smurfs comic characters whose blue and white colouring matched

2442-489: The most powerful marketing images of this age. Almost every service station in the 1930s had a National Benzole pump, for single-brand sites were unknown in those days. Eventually, Mr. Mercury's head was used as the brand's logo. At the outbreak of the Second World War, all petrol brands gave way to pool petrol . Mr. Mercury returned in 1953, now more modestly attired in the advertisements, though he retained his winged helmet, and National Benzole quickly re-established itself as

2508-495: The motor cars of the wealthy. Before the war, motor fuel suppliers in the UK had typically included pharmacies, cycle shops or even blacksmiths, but after the war, commercial roadside garages began to appear albeit slowly at first. Because garages were initially sparse, the Automobile Association (AA) itself set up twelve strategically located filling stations, supplying fuel only to its own members and making no profit from

2574-511: The process, ration books were introduced in July 1918 for butter, margarine, lard, meat, and sugar. Each consumer was tied to a retailer. The basic ration of sugar, butter or margarine, tea, jam, bacon and meat came to about 1,680 calories . It was adjusted for vegetarians, children and workers performing strenuous labour. Nutritional programmes for nursing mothers and young children were established by many local authorities. Unlike most of Europe bread

2640-532: The proportion of benzole in the mixture was reduced progressively after World War II as the number of more lucrative specialist applications for the chemical grew with the development of the UK's chemical industry. During the late 1950s Benzole was determined to be hazardous to health: its anti-knocking properties as a fuel ingredient were no longer so important for the smooth running of engines, since various additives including, ironically, tetraethyllead were now routinely included in refined petroleum. Therefore, from

2706-519: The public found feeding the pigeons or stray animals. In January 1917, Germany started unrestricted submarine warfare to try to starve Britain into submission. To meet this threat, voluntary rationing was introduced in February 1917. Bread was subsidised from September that year; prompted by local authorities taking matters into their own hands, compulsory rationing was introduced in stages between December 1917 and February 1918 as Britain's supply of wheat decreased to just six weeks' consumption. To help

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2772-582: The replacement of benzole fuel with a "fifty-fifty mixture" of benzole and petroleum which addressed the supply issue and could be seen as an early example of customer responsiveness. Neat benzole continued to be marketed as an effective anti-knocking performance enhancing additive. Military service in World War I introduced many British men to motoring for the first time: returning survivors began, where funds permitted, to purchase small motor cars or motor bikes, while others set up in business to maintain and repair

2838-531: The same number of coupons; the more affordable clothing would often be less robust and wear out sooner, even with repair. This, therefore, led the Government to implement the Utility Clothing Scheme in September 1941, which was introduced alongside other measures, such as the civilian population being encouraged to repair and remake old clothes; pamphlets were produced by the Ministry of Information with

2904-590: The slogan " Make Do and Mend " in 1943 which gave ideas and instruction as part of a larger campaign which was put in place through collaboration with voluntary organisations. Clothes rationing ended on 15 March 1949. All types of soap were rationed. Coupons were allotted by weight or (if liquid) by quantity. In 1945, the ration gave four coupons each month; babies and some workers and invalids were allowed more. A coupon would yield: The Fuel and Lighting (Coal) Order 1941 came into force in January 1942. Central heating

2970-403: The strenuous wartime physical work Britons would likely have to perform. The scientists found that the subjects' health and performance remained very good after three months; the only negative results were the increased time needed for meals to consume the necessary calories from bread and potatoes, and what they described as a "remarkable" increase in flatulence from the large amount of starch in

3036-470: The termination of the agency agreement. The National Benzole Company will continue to trade under the National brand and will form part of the BP marketing organisation. The Supply, Storage and Delivery functions, and the Computer and other services, will be the object of further detailed study once brand streaming of direct trade is substantially complete and a plan for the treatment of Authorised Distributors

3102-463: The transactions. Initially, the AA fuel stations supplied only National Benzole which was seen a particularly patriotic fuel choice because the coal shale which was the principal ingredient of benzole was domestically produced. In 1927, the AA dismantled its small chain of service stations as the growth of a commercially motivated service station network rendered them unnecessary, but by this time National Benzole

3168-500: The war. Bread was rationed from 21 July 1946 to 24 July 1948. Average body weight fell and potato consumption increased. Certain foodstuffs that the average 1940s British citizen would find unusual, for example whale meat and canned snoek fish from South Africa, were not rationed. Despite this, they did not prove popular. In 1950 4000 tonnes of whale meat went unsold on Tyneside. When sweets were taken off ration in April 1949 (but sugar

3234-402: The war; oranges continued to be sold, but greengrocers customarily reserved them for children and pregnant women. Apples were available from time to time. Many grew their own vegetables, encouraged by the "Dig for Victory" campaign. In 1942, many young children, questioned about bananas, did not believe they were real. A popular music-hall song, written 20 years previously but sung ironically,

3300-492: Was dyed , and use of this fuel for non-essential purposes was an offence. In addition to rationing and price controls, the government equalised the food supply through subsidies on items consumed by the poor and the working class. In 1942–43, £145 million was spent on food subsidies, including £35 million on bread, flour and oatmeal, £23 million on meat and the same on potatoes, £11 million on milk, and £13 million on eggs. Restaurants were initially exempt from rationing but this

3366-430: Was " Yes! We Have No Bananas ". Game meat such as rabbit and pigeon was not rationed. Some British biologists ate laboratory rats . Bread was not rationed until after the war ended, but the "national loaf" of wholemeal bread replaced the white variety. It was found to be mushy, grey and easy to blame for digestion problems. There were four permitted loaves and slicing and wrapping were not permitted. Fish

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3432-420: Was a nationally established fuel brand in the UK. During this period the company consciously "smartened up" its public face. Initially the enthusiastic driver/ salesmen delivery drivers had also been the company's sales force, touting relentlessly for new business as they made deliveries to existing customers. Ten years later the head office had relocated to an upmarket location in London's Grosvenor Gardens and

3498-438: Was cut to 48, in 1943 to 36, and in 1945–1946 to 24. Different types of clothes were ascribed different coupon values, determined by how much material and labour went into each item's manufacture. For example, an adult's skirt would require seven coupons and a pair of child's pyjamas six coupons. As well as being used for clothing, coupons could be used for wool, cotton and household textiles . Clothing sized for children under

3564-524: Was established consisting of a few (initially) storage depots round the country, supplied by a small fleet of used lorries with solid tyres, acquired from the War Disposals Board. These transported the fuel in war-surplus drums and cans of 2, 4 or 50 gallons. The young company received a boost in 1920 with the award of the RAC Dewar Trophy to a Rolls-Royce 40/50 hp that successfully completed

3630-617: Was inconvenient for owners who had previously used petrol and the effectiveness of neat benzole as a paint stripper raised concern about the possible effect on carburettor floats made of varnished cork – a common feature in US vehicles which at the time were being imported in greater numbers. There was also concern about the variable quality and specification of the benzole. It was in the need to address these concerns, especially regarding consistency of fuel quality, that Henshaw and his colleagues recognized their commercial opportunity. A distribution network

3696-605: Was introduced temporarily by the British government several times during the 20th century, during and immediately after a war. At the start of the Second World War in 1939, the United Kingdom was importing 20 million long tons of food per year, including about 70% of its cheese and sugar, almost 80% of fruit and about 70% of cereals and fats. The UK also imported more than half of its meat and relied on imported feed to support its domestic meat production. The civilian population of

3762-430: Was not rationed, but its price was controlled - as with other unrationed, domestically produced produce, sellers imposed their own restrictions. All drinks except beer were scarce. Beer was considered a vital foodstuff as it was a morale booster. Brewers were short of labour and suffered from the scarcity of imported barley. A ban on importing sugar for brewing and racking made beer strengths weaker. On 13 March 1942

3828-646: Was not rationed, but prices increased considerably as the war progressed. The government initially did not ration fish, for fishermen, at risk from enemy attack and mines , had to be paid a premium for their catch in order to fish at all. Prices were controlled from 1941. Like other foods, fish was seldom available in abundance. During the war, the Royal Navy requisitioned hundreds of trawlers for military use, leaving primarily smaller vessels thought less likely to be targeted by Axis forces to fish. Supplies eventually dropped to 30% of pre-war levels. Wartime fish and chips

3894-419: Was not rationed. It was argued that the civilian population's health improved under rationing, though tuberculosis increased. During the war, average energy intake decreased by only 3%, but protein intake by 6%. Controls were not fully released until 1921. The government made preparations to ration food in 1925, in advance of an expected general strike , and appointed Food Control Officers for each region. In

3960-497: Was often felt to be below standard because of the low-quality fat available for frying. Due to the vital role beekeeping played in British agriculture and industry, special allotments of sugar were allowed for each hive. In 1943, the Ministry of Food announced that beekeepers would qualify for supplies of sugar not exceeding ten pounds per colony to keep their beehives going through the winter, and five pounds for spring feeding. Honey

4026-434: Was prohibited in the summer months. Domestic coal was rationed to 15 long hundredweight (1,680 lb; 762.0 kg) for those in London and the south of England; 20 long hundredweight (2,240 lb; 1,016 kg) for the rest (the southern part of England having generally a milder climate). Some kinds of coal such as anthracite were not rationed, and in coal-mining areas waste coal was eagerly gathered, as it had been in

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4092-458: Was prohibited. The paper shortage often made it more difficult than usual for authors to get work published. In 1944, George Orwell wrote: In Mr Stanley Unwin 's recent pamphlet Publishing in Peace and War , some interesting facts are given about the quantities of paper allotted by the Government for various purposes. Here are the present figures: A particularly interesting detail is that out of

4158-716: Was provided with a ration book containing coupons. The shopkeeper was provided with enough food for registered customers. Purchasers had to present ration books when shopping so that the coupon or coupons could be cancelled as these pertained to rationed items. Rationed items had to be purchased and paid for as usual, although their price was strictly controlled by the government and many essential foodstuffs were subsidised; rationing restricted what items and what amount could be purchased as well as what they would cost. Items that were not rationed could be scarce. Prices of some unrationed items were also controlled; prices for many items not controlled were unaffordably high for most people. During

4224-511: Was resented because of the public perception that "luxury" off-ration foodstuffs were being unfairly obtained by those who could afford to dine regularly in restaurants. In May 1942, the Ministry of Food issued new restrictions on restaurants: About 2,000 new wartime establishments called British Restaurants were run by local authorities in schools and church halls. Here, a plain three-course meal cost only 9 d (equivalent to £2.21 in 2023) and no ration coupons were required. They evolved from

4290-461: Was still rationed), there was, understandably, a rush on sweetshops, and rationing had to be reintroduced in August, remaining until 1953. At the time, this was presented as necessary to feed people in European areas under British control, whose economies had been devastated by the fighting. This was partly true, but with many British men still mobilised in the armed forces, an austere economic climate,

4356-544: Was the first commodity to be controlled. On 8 January 1940, bacon, butter, and sugar were rationed. Meat, tea, jam, biscuits, breakfast cereals , cheese, eggs, lard, milk, canned and dried fruit were rationed subsequently, though not all at once. In June 1942, the Combined Food Board was set up by the United Kingdom and the United States to coordinate the world supply of food to the Allies, with special attention to flows from

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