Long-Awaited Relief

COPYRIGHT CURRENTLY UNKNOWN

 As we have come to understand – and to recall if we were of an age to do so – there was huge anticipation. No-one could say exactly when the war would end, but it just had to be close, close enough to be mere days; hence the tense excitement and a more positive feeling in the air.

Since the earlier days of the war casual conversations has been looking hopefully forward, beginning with phrases such as "When this war is over..." all sorts of promises were being made between each other.  Now the war was indeed nearly over how will life be different on the home front?  Of course circumstances will be better, although no-one imagined now long that improvement will take.  So most people focused of the immediate and short term, for wasn't it those first few day which would set the scene.  Wouldn't we want a party?  Several in fact, for our family, for our street, for those groups and organisations we were part of?  Parties could be had for very little outlay, and many families had been setting aside small amounts of food to enable simple menus to miraculously appear on table whenever it came, and came it did on the 8th May.  Never had so much largesse been revealed in spite of the restrictions forced on us through rationing.  Families found a way, and enjoy ourselves we would.

Happy Cavendish Road children whooped with joy at their party at the Cecil Road end of
their road.

Flags and pendants would appear as if from nowhere, even decorations from Christmas. Almost none of it was newly purchased; it mattered not that they showed signs of age.  There were no inhibitions either from switching on the radios (or wirelesses as they were known), playing records, and playing various musical instruments.

Another half-built road was Woodland Drive, but once again, food materialised from an
unknown number of kitchens so that children could enjoy a party and entertainment. 
Floodlights were fitted to the front bedrooms of the homes behind so that the grownups 
could sing and dance in the evening.
COURTESY THE CLEMENT COLLECTION

Even though Longacres was a far-from-completed road, there were still enough children
to make a party table halfway along the roadway.
COURTESY THE HERTS ADVERTISER

In towns and cities, large and small, formal ceremonies were held, and squares and streets were filled with both sombre moments for those whose family members were lost or remained on station in a thousand places across the world; and lighthearted dancing embraced all in their happy tearfulness; grown-ups and children.  At the same time portrait photos and lighted candles occupied prominent positions in the front windows of many houses.  Wait in hope.

Not every road had a street party, but children at Fleetville School helped
and a VE party was held for them in the hall – this is the hall of the infant
school today.  We hope everyone enjoyed themselves.
COURTESY ST ALBANS MUSEUMS

As the days proceeded, there was a recognition that clothes we had worn throughout the past few years had to do still more service on our backs for there was no sudden appearance of affordability just because The Peace had arrived.  The "making do" we had become so used to, would need to continue, perhaps for several years, worn both with resignation but also with a modicum of pride.  New products joined the rationed list and much as those ration books we took with us to the shops were detested, we continued to recognise the system was acknowledged to be as fair as could be managed under the circumstances.  Children could not be absolved from their responsibility either; several years would pass before sweets "came off the ration", and toys relatively aplenty before the war, remained seriously absent afterwards.  Clothes and toys alike were all essential contributors to the "hand-me-down" generation.

In the immediacy of the relative European Peace, we would do our best to keep a smile on our face.  Shopkeepers would compete with each other to dress their windows for the momentous occasion; each display making much of the letters V E and the colours blue, red and white.

Access to beaches was denied to all throughout the war. We would have to remain impatient
until beaches, as here at Eastbourne, had been cleared.
COURTESY EASTBOURNE HERALD

Much work would be undertaken in the months and years ahead to clear debris from bombed buildings, restore roadways, reconnect seaside piers and open up beaches. We put up with the periodic irritation of detonating and making safe unexploded devices – we became so used to cleared areas following redevelopment ground works to discover yet another UXB (unexploded bomb); and eighty years on such events still occasionally interrupt our lives.

Roads with only one entry, as here at Arthur Road, could be more
adventurous.  A piano was moved into the middle of the road for a sing-song
to accompany much eating!

At least, for the few days following the declaration and the days surrounding celebrations we settled into an excitable mood and considered the long-term but unsteady expectation of a better world.