'A Street party' by Barbara Adair
Banburyshire Family History

A site designed for you to share your family history with others from the Banbury area

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Barbara Adair

Muriel has challenged us to dig deep in our memories - but mine is certainly not as good as her's or Joe's. I do remember our Infants School had a fancy dress parade for the Coronation in 1937 and I was able to wear the red velvet dress in which I had been a bridesmaid for my aunt recently. But no street party comes to mind.

However, I do remember the one for VE Day which was also a combined one of local streets. I still have a photograph of it which brings back memories of the people present. Our road, Lees Road, was quite a major route to the local hospital so the party was held in Widmore Road which ran alongside my neighbour's house. The tables and chairs and benches appeared from some unknown (to us kids) source and were set up on the portion of road which had been a huge crater from a large bomb which did a lot of damage to all the houses around, including ours. Of course it had been filled in but the asphalt was a different colour and very noticeable, very British stiff upper lip to use that location!

Somehow, the local young ladies had connected with a group of French Canadian soldiers on whom I practiced my schoolgirl French. One girl next door to us married one of these soldiers and moved to British Colombia.

When I eventually emigrated to Canada my Mum said I should look up Joyce. I had to inform her that B.C. was further away from me in Ottawa than she herself was in England. Difficult for Europeans to realise how big Canada is.

Written by Barbara Adair