1940s Village At War Event

This bank holiday weekend I was invited to attend the 1940s Village At War event at Gressenhall Rural Life Museum in Norfolk as a retailer.  I had a fabulous time and met so many lovely people who really inspired me even more and made me realise how much I really do love everything vintage.

It really was a chance to experience what life was like on the home front.  We had Prime Minister Winston Churchill make an appearance to make his historical speech, it was quite moving the way the whole of the place went very quiet to listen to this speech each time he made it.

We had fabulous music from the group  Timescape who provided us with 1940s live music throughout both of the days we were there. They made the whole atmosphere seem more nostalgic and really like that era.

Here is a picture of my stall which did very well and I had lots of interest and chatted to lots of people who some of them I even inspired to start knitting again which is so lovely.  I also met the very lovely Retro Chick who looked fabulous check out her blogs on the link and here at vintage norwich

The children that attended had sweet rations and we had to make sure we visited the ice cream parlour because ice cream was soon to be banned.  We mingled with civilians, members of the Women's Land Army, the Home Guard and troops.  There were a number of vintage wartime vehicles and a red cross display where you could speak to nurse Gwyn about her work in the wartime.  On the farm there was farming techniques by the Women's Land Army with ration cooking in the farmhouse kitchen.



Other stalls in the marqee ranged from people selling antique original items from that era











There was a fabulous 1940s room set up as wartime living as courtesy of the Vintage TV and Wireless Co.

There was a fantastic display of millinery run by Martin Faulkner Painting The Clouds With Sunshine the craftmanship that went into these hats were truely amazing.

Dad's Army Museum Museum stall was there too and even had characters dressed up too.  Here is a picture of them with some of the Women's Land Army members.

On the Monday we even experienced a fly past by the Hurricane, Lancaster and Spitfire flying over the site to commemorate the bravery of those young servicement who fought in the Battle of Britain some 70 years ago.





At the end of the days we had a great time all joining in with the memorable song 'we'll meet again' and all joining hands which was a lovely way to bring everyone together and quite a moving moment. 

I will finish off with a fabulous video of some 1940s dancing that really got us all in the mood for the village at war era.