ONE spin-off for people living in the St Barnabas Road area of Middlesbrough during war-time rationing was the shop kept by the Saville family.

The family of Orthodox Jews closed on Saturdays, but opened on Sunday, giving many folk the chance of trading in their food coupons a day before they were due. "The Food Office was always surprised by the amount of coupons we handed in on the Monday;" recalls Rose Saville, now living in Jerusalem.

The family were friendly with Canon Wareham, of St Barnabas Church and regularly offered him matzos (unleavened bread) at Passover time to explain its significance to the congregation. During war time, says Mrs Saville, the canon would offer her husband Maurice, a voluntary fireman, a gallon of petrol after air raids to visit members of the Jewish faith and others.

When Maurice received his call-up papers, the clergyman told his commanding officer that he was more use in Middlesbrough - but he was still called up.

With two young sons - Michael and David - Mrs Saville ran the business with the help of good friends and neighbours. Michael later went to Middlesbrough High School and Leeds University, marrying a girl from Leeds where he still lives. Being the first member of his family to visit Israel, he advised the rest of his family to move out there - and although his mother, brother David and sister Ruth live in Jerusalem, Michael remains in Leeds!