by the First ResidentsBS3 Heritage Group for Futures Past
The Second World War had simply torn the heart out of this community. There’d been deaths in the streets from bombs, homes destroyed and families grieving for lost loved ones. After a long and difficult conflict of nearly 6 years in Europe, the residents of Little Paradise, Stafford Street, and Leicester Street – together with the whole nation – had suffered immense hardship and loss.
How then to get back to something like normal life as war edged to an end?
Well, first the relief and then the celebrations.
News of the surrender by the German forces in Europe on May 8th in 1945 reached our local residents.
The joy spilled onto East St as generations came together to mark the special and unforgettable occasion.
At the end of it all, our residents could look back with immense pride - and unbridled happiness – at the camaraderie, the courage, the stoicism and the optimism for a successful outcome. But not without a nod to the previous 5 years and more which had shown this little street in Bedminster in its best light, reflecting the values of community and looking after one another in good times and bad. Not for nothing did they call it “The Friendliest Street in Bedminster”.
Here’s Arthur remembering the street party for VE Day
They had come through it and there was a lot to celebrate!
You can see only too well the sheer joy (and no doubt, considerable relief) of those who came through this most terrible of wars. It had left considerable scars on our collection of streets. Who can blame them for looking forward to better times of freedom, prosperity and a peaceful future?
