Saturday 28 July 2012

The date is 1940








Not sure why some folk feel the need to celebrate the 1940's. Maybe it is because we won the war.
Whatever the reason it is a big weekend here in our little town as the whole place goes 1940 for the weekend. I am pretty sure that if our town had been bombed to the ground and we had lost the war, we would feel no need at all to enter into the spirit of things.

As it is the town today is full of men dressed in army, navy and airforce uniforms, playing at being officers and looking really important. Many of them have a wife in 1940's gear hanging on to their arm. Our town is really dressed up for the occasion, including the shop windows.

In the market place a big area is cordoned off with a notice'Danger, unexploded Bomb'; a spitfire stands in the centre of the town; old vehicles are parked around and a G I sits in his Jeep chatting to the locals.

There are swing boats and roundabouts for the children and one of those lovely 'Roll a Penny' stalls - I haven't seen one for years.

The shops are selling 1940's type food and some of the cafes are doing Spam fritters on the menu.

I went to the Library and walked down to have a look at it all, and as I left 1940's music started playing in the square and G I's and girls began to jive.

In the grocer's shop all the assistants were wearing big old fashioned pinnies and turbans and all the men had on brown overalls. As I bought four of their delicious chocolate covered picnic slices I couldn't help but remark to the aproned assistant that they seemed largely out of keeping with the food situation in 1940 - and in any case my mother would have died in 1940 rather than feed us on what she disparagingly called 'shop bought cake.'

14 comments:

Bovey Belle said...

Boughten cake? Tut tut Weaver!!! Looks like a great weekend and I would love to dress up for something like that : ) Hope the weather holds for you all.

mrsnesbitt said...

We saw the posters advertising this last week - we just may pop over tomorrow. Will give you a call if we do. Dxx

angryparsnip said...

At lest the weather looks nice.
Was the GI really an American ?
Any reason to have a party in the summer seems like fun.

Store bought cake sound lovely to me.

cheers, parsnip

Heather said...

Just as well it wasn't too authentic or you might have needed your ration book! I love your photos - they looked as if everyone was going to have lots of fun and I hope the weather was kind.

Hildred said...

I love the '40's, despite the war we were young, and for the last half of the decade newly married. I guess the first half we lived on the edge, but you know how the Young feel so invulnerable. I often play '40's music on Sirius radio and sometimes even quick step a bit around the kitchen.

I had been married many years before I even bought a cake mix, but every morning I made a from scratch chocolate cake and tucked it into a drawer for after school snacks. Not a good thing to do. Charles already had his sweet tooth when we married but somehow none of the children are great dessert people now.

Hildred said...

P.S. - thank you for your kind words about my Header, Pat.

Canadian Chickadee said...

Your town's celebration looks like a lot of fun.

Perhaps people remember the 1940's fondly in spite of the war because times truly were simpler then.

And as someone once pointed out, people were united to work for a common goal -- to survive the war. To do that, they had to stick together or die.

In today's world there are so many competing forces at work, splintering our efforts at cooperation and good will, that it's harder to connect or to get things done.

Titus said...

That looks fabulous Weaver. I love a man in uniform!

Pondside said...

I guess any excuse for a party and for dress-up is a good excuse. I like the music of the 40's.

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

Would have liked to have seen that (having missed the 40s due to lack of urgency among my ancestors!)

mumasu said...

My mum and dad were born in 1940! When I was growing up we used to have a baker come round with his van every third day and people would buy cake and bisuits as well as bread. We always begged for the pretty packaged sweetness but her reply was "I'm not paying that for that. If you want it, I'll make it". And so she did. She baked almost every day I lived at home. No wonder I'm fat.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Glad you all enjoyed the photos. We could hear the market place music from our garden and could imagine everyone dancing to it. I am old enough to remember (6 at the time) and I suppose to me it was all quite exciting. Most of the participants yesterday looked to me to have been born after the forties. Thanks for visiting.

Tom Stephenson said...

The kids around here even celebrate by having 1980s themed parties! I can sort of understand the 1940s ones, having been born just after they ended.

Joanne Noragon said...

Oh, for store bought cakes. My grandmother had no problem buying me a cookie at Hough Bakery.