Next year marks the 80th anniversary of VE (Victory in Europe) Day, and there will be many events up and down the country to commemorate the occasion, but what was it like to be in Leeds on the 8th May, 1945?
We recently came across a letter, written by a young woman named Connie to an RAF sergeant stationed in the Middle East, which vividly describes the celebrations that took place across Leeds - the dancing, the lights, the sheer joy in being free of the spectre of war.
"We were all happy but near to tears"
Dear Ted,
Thanks a lot for your letter describing V.E. Day out there. Here in Leeds was, of course, very different, though of peoples’ feelings I must say we were all happy but near to tears most of the time. I could tell you of many happenings but I’ll stick to the ones that I actually saw.
To start with on the Monday before the Great Day we were told while at work that it was rumoured the war was over. I’m afraid I was rather pessimistic for I refused to believe it but all the same I covered up my work, just in case. Well, of course, you know now the war in Europe was over so we had two days holiday. Tuesday afternoon, my friend Cath & I went all round Leeds trying to find a dance but believe me or believe me not there was only one dance hall open & there was a long queue waiting to go in there. The queue consisted of Yanks & girls who had mostly been drinking & were rather tipsy, they were buying cone shaped hats with all sorts of crazy words written on such as “kiss me quick”, “how about a dance” & “you’ve had it”. Also there were lots of streamers & flags & patriotic buttonholes to be seen everywhere.
"What a night!!"
Eventually Cath & I went round to the Town Hall to hear Mr Churchill's speech. The crowd there was terrific & there was hundreds of tiny Union Jacks being waved about. After the speech there was a bagpipe band & a regimental band playing such tunes as “Land of Hope & glory” etc. The day, by the way was very nasty with lots of rain.
Connie and Cath may well be in this crowd!
In the evening we did go to a dance at the Scala. It started at 7.30 until 2.am. Well, the crowd! We were pushed & trodden on something awful but it was good fun. The dancing stopped at 9 so we could all listen to the Kings speech & the tension in that dance hall, well you could almost feel it. At midnight the streets in Leeds were lit by pre-war lamps & Briggate was just like daylight it was beautiful. Dozens upon dozens of large flags of all the Allied nations were flying out of windows all the way up Briggate & streamers, fireworks (with extra loud bangs) were all over the place. The two regimental bands were out again & people were singing on the tops of their voices. Well, after the dance we had to walk home & eventually landed there at 3.30, what a night!!.
"VE Day plus 1"
Love Connie
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