VE Day photographs (From Watford Observer)

VE Day photographs

11:40am Tuesday 16th June 2009 in

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Reader Linda Haynes spotted members of her family in the photograph below, which shows residents enjoying a party to celebrate VE Day. This was published by Nostalgia on Friday, November 7, 2008.

Ms Haynes said: “I was looking through the Watford Observer and noticed on the Nostalgia page a photograph of a street party in Terrace Gardens.

“The occasion was to celebrate VE Day. In the photograph it mentioned the Wilson family and Marks family.

“The photo shows my mother, my two aunts, two uncles, two grandmothers and two cousins. My mother was Sylvia Wilson who went onto marry her neighbour Peter Marks.

“It was lovely to see so many faces from my family.

“In the bottom right hand corner are my two baby cousins Eve and Maureen Knight. Directly behind them wearing a dark jacket is their mother, my aunt Peggy Knight “Standing behind her on her right shoulder in the dark clothing is my mother Sylvia Wilson.

“Behind her standing to her left is my aunt Maud.

“On her right standing behind her is a lady wearing a party hat – this is my grandmother. Seated around the table near the back on the right are my two uncles, Ken and Bob Marks.

“Sitting down at the head of the table is my uncle Bob Wilson. To his right standing in a light coloured jumper is my uncle Teddy Wilson. Standing on his left is my other grandmother.

“Sadly there are only four members of my family pictured that are still alive today. But as I said before, it was wonderful to see so many family members in the photograph.”

The group photographs were sent in by email from David Claypole-Smith. Mr Claypole-Smith explains: “You may be interested in this photo, taken at a VE day party in 1945 in Courtlands Drive, Watford.

“While I can remember some of the Christian names of some of the people in the picture, it may probably be more discreet to mention family names only.

“The ones I can remember are: Ford, Hobbs, Claypole-Smith, another Smith, Ward, Prosser, Gibbons, Haggis, Lucas, Hearn, Clark.”

Do any readers recognise themselves in this photograph? How did other readers mark VE Day?