What was Victory in Europe Day like in Bridport 80 years ago? One of the local papers recorded the day:
Bridport was in triumphant mood, and the town was bedecked with flags and bunting. Late at night many people waited outside the Town Hall festooned with flags in the hope of seeing the building flood-lit, but owing to the five miles coastal black-out, which has not been lifted, they were disappointed.
The main formal celebrations were a united church service attended by representatives of local organisations together with the Mayor and Mayoress (Mr and Mrs S.J. Gale). This was Sidney Gale, net manufacturer, who was until recently commemorated in Bridport at the recently-closed care home on Flood Lane which bore his name. The Mayor said, ‘Now German organised resistance has ceased in Europe and elsewhere every man and woman in this country can take a personal pride in the wonderful victory that has been achieved’. After the service many remained for community singing. Earlier in the afternoon 1,200 schoolchildren were given a tea and ices in the town’s two Drill Halls. The day was rounded off by two dances, with the proceeds going to the Services’ Welcome Home Fund. However, it would be some time before demobbed service men and women could be welcomed back to the town.
The general atmosphere can also be sensed from other local reports. In nearby Charmouth, the church bells rang out ‘when it was heard that victory was assured’. Not only were there thanksgiving services but also ‘an impromptu social and dance at the Church Hall was attended by happy crowds, who ceased their merry-making to listen intently to the King’s Speech relayed in the Hall’. Meanwhile, ‘Another light-hearted crowd gathered in the main street to sing and dance to the music of a piano until a late hour’. The next night two wireless sets provided music for dancing so that ‘the festive spirits were kept going until the early hours’.
Some were busy in other ways. On the evening of VE Day, fire crews from Charmouth and Bridport were called out to deal with a gorse fire on the hill at Hardown, Morcombelake. No damage was done to property and the Brigade returned at about 1.30am.