Monica Moore remembers a large celebration taking place on a field at the back of Kett’s Oak which was then the Kinkajou Café and was run by Mrs Hilda Hagg who is the mother of Duncan Pigg B.E.M who still lives on Kett’s Oak. There were lots of stalls erected including a large hoopla stall which Monica and her mother ran.
“We decorated our stall with Union Jacks and lights in red, white and blue,” Monica said. All the prizes at the fete were donated by villagers and the event raised money to make a donation of £10 to all the servicemen returning to the village after the war.
Duncan Pigg said he remembered what he termed as The Bonfire. In the 1940s, where David James Car Sales is on the B1172, there was a large corrugated iron building known as “the dump” where people took their rubbish. A Mr Clutterham was in charge and would sort out the various items to be sent to appropriate places for use in the war effort.
A resident of Kett’s Oak made three Guys which he named Hitler, Mussolini and Hirohito. These, along with rubbish, was taken from the dump to the nearby field and burnt. Old rubber tyres from cars and lorries smouldered for days.
From other comments made, it seems that celebrations were muted and low key.
In 1995, however, a VE Day Celebration Committee organised several events to mark the 50th anniversary. These included two concerts, a fete, a combined church service, a procession, a bazaar, a children’s party, a disco and a 1940s gala at the village hall. Speaking at the time Colin Wilson from the organising committee said: “Hethersett can be proud of what it achieved.”
So I turned to my personal diary for May 1995 and came across the photographs at the top of the page. Yes dear readers I can now reveal that once upon a time I was a member of the legendary Red Barrows Formation Team.
What the hell were the Red Barrows I hear you say? Well residents with long memories will recall an article Roger Morgan wrote for an early edition of Hethersett Herald in which he gave the short history of this formation team.
There was very little difference between the Red Arrows and the Red Barrows apart from the fact that the daredevil crack RAF team weaves its magic in the sky using flying machines whilst the Red Barrows stayed firmly on the ground and used wheelbarrows.
Mind you there was considerable danger in being a member of the Red Barrows. The slightest wrong move could end with a tailwing being sliced off or a nasty bruise!!!!
The Red Barrows were formed by Hethersett Middle School PTA and, after days (well hours) of synchronised practice, we took to the playground as part of the school's annual fete which must also have been part of the VE weekend celebrations.
It was a very hot day which made wearing leathers and a crash helmet even more difficult. I spent the first hour on the barbecue and then we did the display at 12.30 pm. There were intricate woven patterns carried out at breakneck speeds (well just a tad faster than a walk). We wore flying helmets (heck it was hot). Had just got out of the hot helmet and overalls when a photographer from the local press arrived and we had to put them on again for the photos.
So with all the equipment on we thought we might as well do a second display...….. Oh and Norwich lost to Leeds and were relegated. I have no details of any of the other activities of that weekend as on the Sunday we went to the 1,000 Guineas horse race at Newmarket. I did, however, mention a treasure hunt and barbecue at the school on the Bank Holiday Monday and the fact that, as a consequence of that, I missed the VE Day celebrations. That was how it was 25 years ago. Today I would have been taking pictures and covering all the events for posterity!
Incidentally the Eastern Daily Press report of Tuesday May 9th ran as follows:
"While Londoners had a VE Day flypast by the Red Arrows, Hethersett residents happily settled for a display by the Red Barrows.
"Pushing wheelbarrows gaily decorated for the occasion, the formation team form the Middle School twirled and turned to the amusement of watching crowds.
"Twenty decorated floats paraded through the streets as villagers turned out in droves for a 1940s style carnival. There were also vintage vehicles from the era.
"It really went well, said Colin Wilson, one of the VE Day co-ordinators. 'We also had a bazaar, a party in the village hall for 200 children and a gala evening."
Hethersett seemed to be very active in the 1990s in organising community events. We have previously featured the May Day celebrations in 1993.
If anyone has photographs or memories of the 1995 VE Day 50th anniversary celebrations I would love to hear from them.
Tried to dodge the rain showers for a very quick two mile Steward Stroll today but still got caught so no pictures of the countryside I'm afraid. Songs going through my head "Tonight" by The Move. No idea what the lyrics mean
That's the road
It's over there
And leading down to nowhere.
This is the age when you're allowed
To have your own care
If you were half so bright
You'd plan your life ahead.
And then Fairy Tale by Alexander Rybak which won the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest:
Years ago, when I was younger
I kinda liked a girl I knew
She was mine and we were sweethearts
That was then, but then it’s true
I’m in love with a fairytale
Even though it hurts
’Cause I don’t care if I lose my mind
I’m already cursed