Memories of Melton’s VE Day celebrations 75 years ago

Exactly 75 years ago today (Thursday), radio broadcasts late in the evening revealed that what the nation had longed for had finally happened and people took to the streets in the town and countryside to dance and embrace one another.

The following day, at 3pm, on what is now known as VE Day, Prime Minister Winston Churchill made a radio speech to confirm the news that eager journalists had already conveyed in print and on the airwaves.

Families across the Melton district were grieving the loss of loved ones in the conflict but for others it was a time to celebrate the better times ahead.

The Melton Times interviewed several town residents for the 50th anniversary of VE Day back in 1995 and their memories gave a great insight into the joyful mood during that momemtous time in our history.

Essie Spiby, whose husband was an airgunner in the RAF during the war, said: “We did not know it was the end of the war until 10pm at night when it was announced on the radio.

“They said VE Day would officially begin at midnight but we went into the yard and yelled and shouted that the war was over and woke everybody up.

“The next day we went into the market square.

“I remember somebody brought out a piano and lots of people were dancing - they opened the market and it was packed.

“I went round all the pubs with my husband looking for a drink but it was very difficult because of the rationing.

“There was no beer although we did manage to find a drink in the end.”

Mrs Spiby added: “Afterwards each street organised street parties.

“People got together and fished any food and drink they could out of their cupboards.

“We all mucked in together and despite the rationing we were able to make a good job of it.”

Marion Pick, who lived on Thorpe Road at the time, recalled joining a street party in Staveley Road.

She said: “Everybody on the street brought out their tables and chairs on to the footpaths and they all went mad.”

Marion, whose husband served in Reims in France during the war, was one of the many revellers in Melton town centre on May 8.

She added: “You could not move in Burton Street while everybody congregated in the Market Place.”

Muriel Herbert lived in Charlotte Street with her two children and she has great memories of the street party she enjoyed with neighbours.

She connected two speaker to the radio and played music for everyone into the night.

Mrs Herbert said she always had plenty of rationed food because she took in girls who were being trained in munitions at the town’s Vet Camp.

Back in 1995 we spoke to Nancy Britton, who remembered a street party at Egerton Road.

She said: “I remember we started the party in the afternoon.

“It was a beautiful day and we continued into the evening.

“It was a very happy street where everybody knew everybody else.”

A photograph was taken that day and Nancy’s son, Gerry, sent it to us this week.

Gerry, who is now 76 and lives in Redwood Avenue, was a young child at the time and is shown being held by his mother.

The family suffered tragedy in the war with Gerry’s uncles both being killed in the conflict - George Britton in Italy in February 1944 and Samuel Broadhurst in France just six months later.

Gerry, whose father was in the Home Guard due to ill health, said: “I did not know I was in photo until looking through old papers and photos so I was very pleased to find it.

“My parents came from Ashby de la Zouch and moved to Melton when they got married - father worked for Garner and Sons in the town until he retired.”

Bob Hendy has emailed a photo of a VE Day celebration taking place in 1945 involving residents of Saxby Road.

It features his mum Ena, whose surname back then was West, alongside other children and young people from neighbouring families.

Keith Wadkin was a young child living in Grimston when word came through that the war in Europe was over.

He still has vivid memories of how he and his young pals celebrated the momentous event.

“When the war ended, we rang the bells in the church and the school,” recalled Keith.

“For VE Day, along with the Sharp brothers, Don and Alfred, John Jalland and my brother Donald, I and others built a big bonfire in front of the Black horse pub. “Mr Henson, the landlord, complained that it was too close to his pub and Ken Wright poured some liquid on it to start it.

“We collected materials with Alf Jalland’s horse and cart and we threw live ammunition onto it that we had collected during the war which, looking back, was very dangerous, but at the time we were only young boys.”

Leslie Case (92), who lives in Hoby, was 17 on VE Day and still at school.

She went into Leicester and, although the trams were still running, she walked with her sister into the city centre.

Leslie recalled: “We danced in Charles Street untill the next morning with most people in uniforms.

“I remember being in a long line of a conga dance.”