Monday 24 October 2011

Our World Tuesday - A Step Back in Time - Pickering's War Weekend

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Pickering’s War Weekend took place from Friday 14th through Sunday 16th October this year.  In the 20+ years I have lived in this area, this year was the first time I was able to visit for this special weekend, over the Saturday afternoon and most of Sunday.  The town was heaving, hundreds of people, from the local area and from far afield dressing up in 1940’s fashions or uniforms and taking part or attending as spectators.  The atmosphere was charged with jollity, bonhomie, and felt much as I would imagine it might have been on VE Day.  I was told by one visiting re-enactor that at least one pub ran out of Bitter by Saturday night.  

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There were uniforms from all branches of the military, British, American and Anzac as well as others.  Nurses, Waitresses and ladies and gents wearing 1940’s civilian clothing, and I must say that compared with some of today’s sloppy fashions, they looked very smart indeed, coupons and make-do and mend notwithstanding.  One gentleman I approached was dressed as a Spiv, dark suit, white tie etc., very flashy, and he flashed the black market goods lining his jacket at me!  Unfortunately I cannot show his photo as he is contracted to a theatrical agency.  Other individuals pictured here gave their permission for their photo’s to be shown on my blog. 
                                  Click on photo's to enlarge.
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I noticed quite a large number of the military personnel had been 'decorated' by the local ladies, with red kisses on their cheeks.
It's the uniform that does it every time.
All the photo's shown here were all taken on Saturday afternoon.  If you spot yourself here, and would like a copy of the photo, take a note of the code number beneath it and email me.  I will send you a .jpg copy via email.

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There were a large number of wonderful vintage cars on show along the main streets,
along with military vehicles of all types, jeeps, tanks, trucks, military motorcycles, and a beautiful old traction engine.
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 The next photo is of a beautiful cream coloured Bentley, occupied by two lovely, and well dressed ladies.  What a wonderful way to travel.  There seemed to be some doubt about whether the lady in the driving seat had legs, though she kept assuring teasing friends that she had actually left the car for a few minutes! 

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Now how about these two
impressive moustaches!  I couldn't resist them, I happen to like beards and moustaches, my husband has both, I threatened to divorce him if he ever tried to shave them off!  



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                                                                        Yup.... they're over here .. but I can't say too much
                                                                 cos I am married to one..!

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I loved the little produce van that was parked near the station, that's a friend standing in front of it.


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As I was about to take a photo of this US Army vehicle, this handsome young soldier strolled over, I gather it is his so he is in the picture too.  

The soldier on the right is on sentry duty I think.         
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     As the air raid siren sounded, the crowd on platform 2 at Pickering Railway Station calmly made their way to the air raid shelter, chivvied by the ARP's, whilst the Home Guard (lovingly known as 'Dad's Army') get ready to fire on any dive-bombing enemy aircraft.
 
                                                                              Members of our Senior Service
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This young man from Sidney, Australia is representing the ANZACS, where would we have been without all our brave allies.  He seemed to have an inkling of the future, knew all about computers...!

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Unfortunately, due to camera shake, the photo of this young boy soldier is blurred, but I got a better one next day.  He wasn't playing his ukelele though.  Here he was collecting for Platoon funds.

More photo's next week, from Sunday the 16th. including 'capture' of four SS Panzer Tank personnel, and if I can figure out how to do it, possibly a slide film of other pics I took on both days, featuring vintage cars, trains and other scenes.

                  For more photo's from around

                   Our World Tuesday

                                       visit HERE

                                             





16 comments:

Unknown said...

What a great post Jackie!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Cannada.

Jim said...

Terrific costumes.
Sydney - City and Suburbs

Lesley said...

This looks like wonderful fun!
(and you have done a great job of cataloguing these photos, must have been quite a time-consuming chore!)

eileeninmd said...

How cool, a very neat re-enactment. I love the 40's style clothes. Great post and photos.

Gaelyn said...

That looks like an interesting function to attend. I love dressing up. Did you did something out of an old trunk?

Gemma Wiseman said...

An atmospheric retro experience this must have been! Great that it lasted a weekend so that the whole flavour of time past can linger! Fascinating photos!

Stewart M said...

Hi there - great set of pictures. I have to say that the line of German soldiers in the header may not have been made that welcome under different circumstances!

Since I moved to Australia I have found out that the railway line at the bottom of our street was going to be used as a defensive line if the south coast had been invaded, so sleepy old Chilcompton in Somerset would have been in the front line. It’s a sobering thought.

On a different note - if you look at the nose of the Koala you can see it has a large scar - they may look cute, but they are actually rather bad tempered and frankly smelly close up! But it’s important that you do tell any tourists this!

Cheers - Stewart M - Australia

Anonymous said...

Love the vintage cars! Looks like great fun.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Fascinating! I've seen Civil War reenactments and never thought about WWII, since it wasn't on our soil I guess. I love the costumes and the step back in time. Very interesting.

Penelope Notes said...

This is the first I’ve heard of a reenactment of this era (other than in a movie) complete with cars, costumes and air raid siren! The clothes are terrific and show a wonderful sense of fashion. The people who actually lived through the trauma are dwindling but it is a good reminder that we don’t want to glamorize war and still have miles to go in finding other solutions to conflict.

Barb said...

Hi Jackie, My F-i-L served in WWII and still loves to talk about his experiences. I enjoyed seeing the uniforms and women's fashions from the 40's - my Mother's era. I also love the pic of the perfect rose in your sidebar. (It's snowing here in CO as I write this!)

Al said...

That is an amazing series of shots, I'd love to see that! I found it interesting that you had to get permission to post the photos. Where I live there is no assumption of privacy if you're in a public place. If you're in public (or can be seen from a public location) then anybody can take your photo and publish it, even selling it if they want. I'll have to remember that things are different when I finally re-visit the U.K. and Europe.

Gattina said...

The lady's fashion comes back ! I see Teens now wearing what I wore when I was a teenager, lol !
You certainly had a nice time !

NatureFootstep said...

cool! it is like being thrown back in time. :)

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

Thanks Jackie for your visit.

This post is marvelous. You can make this into a mini movie.

I am glad we agree with what to do with spam.

Max-e said...

Hi Jackie, this looked like a fun weekend. I really enjoyed your photos.
Thanks for your comment on by blog. The pictures I have been posting have been of the Little Karoo. In December my wife and I are planning to drive through the Great Karoo. Not the best time to go, because of the heat, but the car has an airconditioner, so it should not be too bad.

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