Celebrating victory at end of world war

This week’s Archive Corner picture shows a scene from the celebrations held in Worksop to celebrate the end of the Second World War.
Worksop's Victory Queen inspects the guard of honourWorksop's Victory Queen inspects the guard of honour
Worksop's Victory Queen inspects the guard of honour

This was the scene when the Victory Queen inspected the guard of honour.

After five years of bloodshed and bitter battle, the war was finally brought to a close in Europe on 13th May 1945.

In Worksop, there was unbridled joy as street parties and church thanksgiving servies were thrown, in complete constrast to the fear which no doubt spread through the town at the beginning of hostilities.

A victory parade wound its way through the town, taking in the Priory Church for a service.

Then it processed along Memorial Avenue, Newcastle Street, Bridge Street and the Market Place.

Mayor Ald J Saxton told joyous Worksop folk: “It is natural that there should be great rejoicing now that this terrible conflict is over.”

“We in our generation have shared in the greatest war ever waged and we share in the greatest victory ever won.”

“In 1939 when Neville Chamberlain broadcast to the world that Britain and its empire were at war, he had done all he could to prevent it.”

“But the storm burst, bringing death, destruction and desolation in its train.”

“The road to victory has been long, painful and cruel, yet it has been trod by our brave men. We have served that great cause faithfully and we are rewarded with victory.”

During the Second World War nearly every edition of the Worksop Guardian carried helpful war tips, urging folk to always carry their gas masks and avoid waste of any kind - food, water, electricity and gas.

Propoganda was also rife, with messages to keep confidence up like “Keep a good heart, we shall win”.