V For Victory

The general election shocks and surprises of today has somewhat overshadowed the 70th anniversary celebrations of VE Day, when the fighting stopped in World War 2.

Some celebrations have taken place across the country. I saw on Facebook some photos that a friend took in Birmingham of a street party and they actually had a real Spitfire parked outside their new library.

But sadly there has been nothing similar in Nottingham. Some schools have done projects on the subject or dressed up in period costumes. They have lit a beacon in the Old Market Square, which I don't think was advertised very well.

So I've looked through my archive and selected this photo of "Churchill" that I took last year at the annual May Day Knees Up at the Brewhouse Yard Museum.

Poise

Something from the archive today, in the form of this model who was posing for a photographer (not me) at the 1940s weekend at the Brewhouse Yard near the castle in May.

Military Man

I saw this very distinguished looking man dressed as a WW2 army captain, smoking his pipe at the 1940s Knees-up, so I just had to take a photo of him as he looked like he belonged to the 1940s.

Off Down Pit

Another shot from yesterday's 1940s Knees-up at the Brewhouse Yard. Something a bit different too; a wartime miner.

He obviously is just starting his shift, as his jumper is still clean. Miners would have played a very important job in keeping the war effort up, with supplying coal; not only to heat people's homes, but to power the railways (no electric trains then) and keep the factories that made bombs, planes and all the other weapons of war going.

Knees-Up

The Brewhouse Yard area below the castle is usually a calm and quiet area. But the sights and sounds of the 1940s were bought to life today with music, fashion, vehicles and dancing.

Obviously the war years played a big part, with guys dressing as both British and American soldiers, like this guy surveying the scene below.

Quite a few old cars had been bought alongs. A couple of Rileys. I even saw an old Citroen. There were a couple of Jeeps there and an old ambulance.

Some of the ladies had really gone to town with their outfits, like this young lady who happily posed for me whilst enjoying an ice cream.

I'm always amazed as to how much effort some people go in recreating the past, and what era they pick. I have a couple of friends who like wearing vintage gear. Amy, who I saw today, loves the 40s/50s and Tricia who loves the Mod fashion and sounds of the 1960s. I don't know what era I would choose, if I wanted to go revisit the past. Maybe the 1930s, as I love art deco, or I wonder if its too early to become a 1980s New Romantic?

Then there was Frank the chihuahua. He was happily sat on the bonnet of a Jeep. But when I tried to take his portrait, he just wouldn't sit still. It took ages and many shots to actually get one where he was in a good position and not moving. That's his slightly blurred owner in the background.

Shades Of Autumn

Another bit of welcome autumn/winter sunshine today, so I took this photo of the castle, Castle Rock and the Brewhouse Museum from the grounds of the Brewhouse yard.

Caves of Good Hope

Yesterday I was telling you about the Brewhouse Yard Museum, but I didn't say is that the building itself is built into the rock that the Castle is built upon. Today's photo shows the join and it's where the World War 2 display is held, and how people survived during the Blitz.

You Can't Buy Things This Way Anymore

Close to the Castle, and adjoining the Trip to Jerusalem is the Brewhouse Yard Museum. It's a small museum, but each room is packed with things from a bygone age. One of the rooms, which I am showing here represents a corner shop. These used to be quite common across the country, before the giant supermarkets swallowed up all the trade.