Ella's Date Slice

I looked in the cookbook from Ella's house that had the most clippings and recipe cards stuck in it (The Best of Goodhousekeeping, 1973) and sure enough her recipe was there. It's not from that book, she'd written on to a blank bit of page.

Date Slice

1/2 lb stoned date chopped
1/4 pt water - boil til soft, then cool
4 oz SR [self-rising?] flour
4 oz quick cooking oats
4 oz sugar
4 oz marg
1 level teasp. bi-carb
7" x 11" tin greased. Half mixture, cover with date then level off remainder. Gas mark 4 , [180 degrees C / 350 degrees F] 20-30 minutes. Cut and leave in tin till cold.