You must remember this…

Last weekend was the 1940’s event at Churnet Valley and unfortunately I was unable to attend.  I have been thinking a lot about last years event so I thought I would re-blog this post.

I love vintage, especially the 1940’s era. The hair, the clothes, the music all make up a little bit of a passion for me!

I have attended a couple of 1940’s themed weekends and had a marvellous time.

These events were held at Churnet Valley Railway ( http://www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk/main/index.php). You can jump on and off the troop trains and go to three different stations. Everybody was dressed up too. At times it was quite surreal, especially when every ten minutes or so, an air raid siren went off!

There were soldiers, sailors, land girls, spivs and not forgetting the forties housewives. There were tearooms, decked with red and blue bunting, a French Rene’s cafe, black market stalls selling everything from replica bullets to packets of ladies seemed tights. There were military vehicles on display and French resistance wandered about, with their rifles slung casually over their shoulders.

Just outside one of the tearooms, a stage was set up for the ENSA entertainers, (Entertainments National Service Association). Three young women with their hair done in victory rolls and their neatly pressed uniforms sang Vera Lynn.

There are numerous re-enactors strolling about, including Dad’s Army characters. “Don’t panic, Mr Mainwaring!”, (they must have heard that said to them a hundred times!). One chap had original old coins and notes in his wallet.

At Rick’s Cafe American , you can get a bacon bap and a cup of tea for about £3.00, bargain!

At certain times of the day, Mr Churchill addressed the nation over a loudspeaker.

It all makes for a fabulous day out in the lovely Staffordshire Moorlands, enjoying what can only be described as a step back in time.