Dorothy C. Maguire (nee Coles) recalls collecting Rose-hips in the 1950s and 60s

DURING the war years it was recognised that rose-hips were a valuable source of vitamin C. The picking season was during September and October.

The Rose-hip Collectors’ Club was a nationwide scheme in the 1950s and 60s, whereby schools collected rose-hips and were paid 3d, rising to 4d, (the old pence), for each pound gathered. To some children this was a valuable source of pocket money.

Underbarrow School was recognised as a receiving depot where I had to weigh the hips and pay the children.

The hips were then put into sacks, each sack holding several stones in weight.

A rose-hip collector’s badge was awarded to children who collected a certain amount.

I remember one small boy, David, used to bring in sackfulls of rose-hips. I think his parents must have spent the days in the lanes around Underbarrow collecting them!

I would store the full sacks in the fire place behind the fire-guard – no stoves were lit then! After several weeks the sacks were collected by lorry and taken to a central depot.

I’m sure sometimes the rose-hips weren’t fit for use because often after a long wait they were crawling with maggots!

I believe ‘Delrosa’, who made the Rose-hip syrup, were in the North East and the lorries would be taking our rose-hips over there to the factory.

Delrosa no longer operates in England, so we’ll have to make our own now, using 1kg of rose-hips and 1kg of caster sugar, boiled and then sieved in a muslin bag!