VE Day in Newark: Solemn speeches followed by much-needed knees-up
News that the second world war was over was in Newark, like elsewhere, met with jubilation.
Although the war would continue for a few more months in the Far East, it was victory in Europe that matter to Newarkers.
Almost everywhere became a public holiday as shops and businesses closed so staff could join the celebrations.
A boisterous crowd gathered in Newark Market Place to hear Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s address to the nation on the BBC relayed on loudspeakers mounted on the Town Hall.
This was followed by a speech from the Mayor, Mr D. A. Clark, in which he reflected on the sacrifice made by Newarkers and looked forward to peaceful times ahead.
He said: Out of the welter of blood and tears there must surely come a grand new age of opportunity such as the world has never seen.”
At 9pm a crowd once again assembled in the Market Place to hear a relay of the King’s speech.
Earlier, it was reported that 3,000 people attended a service of thanksgiving at Newark Parish Church.
As darkness fell, street and shop lights were turned on for the first time since the blackout was imposed at the start of the war, affording many children their first sight of the town lit up.
Victory celebrations continued well into the night with fireworks and dancing in the Market Place, and many buildings were trimmed with bunting and streamers.
The Advertiser was published the following day, and reported that:“In the long history of the borough there have been great days, but VE-Day was outstanding. The… memory will never pass.”
Servicemen who happened to return home for leave or through repatriation during this period were greeted as hometown heroes and found themselves swept up in the local celebrations.
Arriving by train at Newark on VE Day itself, one repatriated prisoner of war passed through the town on his way home to Ossington.
Shortly afterwards he wrote to the Newark Advertiser about the day he arrived back in Nottinghamshire: “On VE Day I arrived in Newark unknown to anyone, but I shall never forget the welcome on arriving.
“As I was walking through the town all the festivities and gaiety were in full swing for Victory in Europe. I had been in captivity for five years and people I didn’t know and had never seen gave me a wonderful reception.”
A feature of the days and weeks following VE Day were the numerous street parties. Almost every area appears to have held one.
With rationing still in force, households pooled their ration books to organise food, and almost every part of Newark appears to have staged a street party, primarily for the children, although often with dancing for the adults in the evening.
Many were visited by the Mayor and Mayoress.
One of the first was on Devon Road, Newark, on the Saturday following VE Day, in which 120 children enjoyed food followed by games.
Among the businesses hosting parties were the Rutland Arms and Vine Hotel, both Barnbygate, Newark.
One of the largest gatherings was at Park Crescent, off Winthorpe Road, Newark, where nearly 180 children were entertained with a tea, games, and donkey rides.
In the evening there was a dance for parents that went on into the early hours.
It was a familiar scene across the district over the following weeks and months.