#1940s London

[misspermitted]

Day 2 of writing a better Harry Potter series than JK Rowling

Introduction. Page 1 [here]

[undr]

J. A. Hampton. London. 1947

[scavengedluxury]

Battersea Power Station, London, 1940. From the Budapest Municipal Photography Company archive.

[semioticapocalypse]

Lee Miller. Elizabeth Cowell wearing a Digby Morton suit. London. 1941.

I Am Collective Memories   •    Follow me, — says Visual Ratatosk

[vintage-london-images]

With the war in Europe ending officially 80 years ago next year on the 8th May 1945, these celebrations depicted here erupted all over Britain after nearly six years of war.

Amazingly with the deprivations of wartime rationing, streets and communities banded together baking cakes and making treats with what was available for a huge get together. London especially the East End and Docklands, had suffered like other major cities and towns around Britain from the Blitz, with many who survived forced out of their homes and made homeless. But nether- the-less people kept calm and carried on with their heads held high and they deserved to let their hair down so to speak.

Of course the war was far from over in the Far East and it struggled on for another three months, with the war weary public and one British newspaper dubbing it the forgotten war. But in reality it was far from it for those serving or who had loved ones there. This film is generic of the the street parties that sprung up all over London in the Spring and early Summer of 1945. Have fun!...

Please check out other posts with hashtag #video on @vintage-london-images

[sealedintime]

Photo by Haywood Magee. Fruit Seller, London, 1947.

[labyrinthofstreams]

Pedestrians, including a mother and child, wearing gas-masks as they pass a sign saying 'Warning — Tear Gas Is Being Discharged,' in Kingston-Upon-Thames, London, England. Circa 1941.

[theworldatwar]

British artillerymen, whose job it was to protect the skies of London finish their night shift with some sandwiches for breakfast - south London, England 1941

[kafkasapartment]

Embankment, London, 1947. Wolfgang Suschitzky. Silver gelatin print.

[wardrobeoftime]

The Crown + Costumes

Princess Elizabeth's white wedding dress in Season 01, Episode 01.

// requested by anonymous

[weirdlookindog]

[colonellickburger]

Bert Hardy. African RAF Man, London 1949 (Picture Post 4825 – Is There A British Colour Bar?)

[undr]

Tony Linck, London. 1946

[spiritundaunted]

27 November 1940, HM King George VI visited the 38 and 115 squadrons at Marham, Norfolk, and stayed throughout the night to observe an actual operation in progress. Here, senior RAF and army officers with King George VI debrief from a bombing raid with the crew of a Wellington. (who appear exhausted btw)

Anecdote on the King's personal bravery:

Once when they were going off to Liverpool to board the train for some inspection tour, there was an air raid. “I think, Sir, we ought to go down to the cellar,” [Tommy] Lascelles quietly suggested. But after about ten minutes the King got very impatient and, instead of sending someone else, dashed upstairs himself to see what was happening. “Really, it must be over by now. ... Ridiculous bombs.. “ Of course everybody followed him and from the Palace the party drove ‘like bats out of hell' through the darkened streets to Liverpool Street, where everybody was picking themselves up after a bomb had fallen nearby. 'The King got into the train calmly as if it was a perfectly ordinary event!' The King was brave, even fatalistic in the face of potential physical danger. Once, when someone mentioned the possibility of an attack being made on him during the tours he said, “Well, it's no use worrying because if someone wishes to kill me there's nothing to stop them. Because if they don't mind being caught themselves and they wish to kill me, they can. So what's the point of worrying?”

Sarah Bradford, George VI

[semioticapocalypse]

Ralph Morse. ‘Love’ (American soldier and his English girlfriend). Hyde Park, London. May, 1944

I Am Collective Memories   •    Follow me, — says Visual Ratatosk

[vintage-london-images]

Londoners go about their business on bomb damaged streets in wartime, whilst showing us the British spirit of keep calm and carry on. Meanwhile Vera Lynn sings a wartime favourite We'll Meet Again.

Please check out other posts with hashtag #video on @vintage-london-images