Description:From 'Drake Hall - A War-Time Hostel', a souvenir book produced for staff and residents at the Swynnerton Royal Ordinance Factory hostel at Drake Hall, produced in 1945.
H. C. Bean, Catering Manager at Drake Hall. He comments on his time at Drake Hall:
"Two large dining-rooms each capable of seating 320 people, and large central kitchen at the end, was what we had to work with; nearly all the staff quite new and inexperienced, that was what we were up against. How well, we succeeded, you are the best judges. The average service was fourteen complete meals per minute, but on stop watch timing by a Ministry official we achieved sixteen per minute, and that after we had been open only six months. To give you a little idea of what food was required the following will reveal. Take your tea-pot and warm it, add one spoonful of tea for each person and one for the pot is the recipe for making tea, but for Drake Hall it would read as follows: take 36 lbs. of tea, 80 or 100 gallons of boiling water, 48 lbs. of sugar, 30 gallons of milk. This gives some idea of what is required when 4,000 to 5,000 cups of tea are required every day - 480 gallons of milk, 5 to 7 tons of potatoes, 130 lbs. butter, 260 lbs. margarine, 448 lbs. sugar, 1,300 loaves of bread, meat, bacon, fish, fresh vegetables on the same scale, are required every week, and in war-time food does not just come; numerous forms to fill in and others to say how many meals and cups of tea, etc. have been served; permits to get this and that, and when you have the permits getting supplies, trying to get enough of un-rationed food to help out — this, and many other things such as the steam that cooks your meal or boils water for tea, fail; bread or milk not delivered and so many other things that do happen, causing many headaches. Imagine fifteen minutes to go and you will be in from shift tired and hungry and the milk not delivered, but just as you come in the front door the milk arrives at the back, we are saved, your meal is ready on time, and we are proud that though we have served many late comers with a meal we have never been late ourselves. Thanks to the loyalty of the staff (many who have been with us since the start) who have served and prepared your meal cheerfully and willingly; to all who have done their share to feed you well to keep you well, tothem is due the praise, and we hope you will recall with pleasure the meals you have enjoyed in the Canteen, and look back and say, "It wasn't so bad at Drake Hall." "