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John Meads 2020
The End of the Second World War


We have no photographs from the first Welcome Home
party held at Rushen in January 1946 but thanks to the late Cllr. R.J. Mackintosh we do have a press cutting from the Evening Telegraph
[see below for the text of the article]
The second Welcome Home party in 1947 at the Alumasc canteen for men and women who joined before V-J Day and were still serving at the time of the first party was held in 1946. Some names in or near the front row: Jack Benford, Mrs. W. Patrick, Mr. & Mrs. E. Turner, Douglas Benford, Mrs. Phillips, Mrs. Elliott, Mr. & Mrs. Henry Underwood, Mrs. Tom Miller, Betty Elliott, Mr. & Mrs. Ray Smith, Reg Northern. Further back: Mrs. Villette, John Campen, .the O'Neil sisters, E. Bradbury, T.Basford. At the back can be seen: Cllr. Underwood, Cllr. Mrs. E. Peck and Mr. Peck, Cllr. Mrs. Spanton, Cllr. & Mrs. E. Clipson, Cllr. Bob Phillips and Mrs. Phillips, Cllr. Bob Mackintosh

Pioneer Avenue victory party Pioneer avenue victory party
VE or VJ childrens party in Pioneer Avenue. On the
far side of the table are Arthur Heels, ?, Mick Evans
This side are Peter Austin and Paul Villette and ??
Seated here are Nigel Goodman, Brian Wright, Jean or
JoyceAustin and (possibly) Shirley Buckby and Melba Taylor


The two Duke Street parties shown below were held in the driveway of Westfield House,
next to A.P. Lewis's builders yard, the home of Mr & Mrs Archie Hickman
Duke Street childrens victory party
The Duke Street childrens' party, whether it is a V-E or V-J is not known. Standing L-R: Mrs. Geal, Mrs. Farrow, Mrs.
Langley, ??, Mrs. Stretton, ??, ??, ??, Mrs. Clipson, boy Farrow, ??, Kath Dunkley, Roy Stretton, ??. Seated
children on the left: ??, Shirley Farrow, after Shirley none of the names are known until Coral Clipson in front of
the lady with the white overall. Starting at the front on the right: ??, ??, ??, Jean Twelvetree, Avis Yeomans,
??, Roger Dacre, no more known
Duke Street adults victory party
The Duke Street' adult party. Standing L-R: Mrs Clifton, Mrs Denley?, Flo Smith, ??, ??, Hilda Clipson, ??, ??,
Alan Benford, Alice Langley. Seated L-R: Mrs. Geal, ??, Mrs Bleaney, the other side of the table from the top: ??, ??,
??, Mrs Chapman, ??, Mrs Downing?, ??, Mrs Stretton.
V-J party in Alexandra Street . In the foreground is Miss Sarah Downing (in a Bath chair) Children clockwise: John Langley, Ralph
Wilson, Paul Robinson, Tony Layng, Marion Villette, Ray Birnie. Adults clockwise: Roland Wilson, Ella Langley, Linda Campen, ??, May
Jackson, ??, Eva Stokes (part hidden), Mrs Daniels, ??, ??, ??, ??, ??, ??, ??, ??, Mrs Villette,
V-E party in Meeting Lane. Standing: Violet Smith, ??, Grace Rowden, Fred Fennell, Phyllis Parkhouse holding Geoff,
Eva Fennell. Seated children George Smith? Maureen Rowden, ??, Jean Fennell, ??
V-J party Adults L-R: Violet Pickering, ??, ??, Mrs Butlin, Ethel Carter, Gwen Loakes, ??, Phyllis Parkhouse, Mrs Fennell, Rose
Loakes, Grace Rowden, Mrs Beeby, Mrs Jackson. Children L-R: ??, Angela Butlin, Vera Jackson, ??, ??, ??, Geoff Parkhouse,
Brian Ellson, ??, Jimmy Christian, Maureen Rowden, Norman Ellson, Jean Fennell
This photo, obviously taken at the same time, was sent by Rachel (Ellson) Haynes whose dad Brian Ellson, is the boy
with the blonde hair standing at the end of the table. There is a good view through the gates of Chapel Field, with the
Manse on the right, which is now the Yeomans Court sheltered accomodation
Text of the article shown on the left at the top of the page:

TOWN LENDS HALL FOR 'WELCOME HOME' - Evening Telegraph 29 Jan 1946 - Burton Latimer's Party

Rushden furnished Burton Latimer with a setting for it's "welcome home" gathering on Tuesday evening.
The scene of the event - and the loan to Burton Latimer - was the Windmill Hall, to which upwards of 800 people made trek by 12 double-decker buses.
On arrival, a queue soon formed down the club stairs and out into the street, and this called for good humour and a patient wait on a frosty evening before the last person was ushered into the warmth of the hall, announced over the microphone and welcomed with handshakes from Coun. J. R. Mackintosh(chairman of Burton Latimer Urban Council) and his wife.
Coun. R. Phillips, as chairman of the Welcome Home Fund extended a welcome and proposed the Loyal Toast.
Mr. Dennis Long, a disabled ex-serviceman, thanked the committee on behalf of the service people of Burton Latimer for the splendid party also the collectors and townspeople without whom it would not have been possible. He told how service comrades would say they had never heard of Burton Latimer and how pleased he was to show a national magazine or national newspaper advertising one of their local industries.
LOST ARM
Mr. Long was in the Army for five years and saw service in the Middle East, Far East and Mediterranean. He was invalidedout two years ago with the loss of his left arm.
He related how at one service Christmas party attended by a hundred people he was the only one to receive a Christmas letter or gift from his home town and he thought this to be tribute to Burton Latimer.
Mr. Giles, during his 4 1/2 years service, did photographic reconaissance work in a Mosquito and accomplished 53 "ops" over Germany and Poland. In 1944 he made a non-stop flight from Benson to Cairo in 6hrs 30mins. He was demobbed in May.
Entertainment was then given from the stage by Cecil and Doris Twistleton (versatile entertainers) Eric Lewis (magician) and Wally Ashwell (ventriloquist) with Jack Draper (pianist) and Mr. V. Wilkins of Northampton (compere.)
There was dancing to the Lido Players and a guess the identity of "Mr. and Mrs. Welcome competition.
Such was the secret concerning the identity of these two that only two members of the committee were aware of their idenity and the names could not even be disclosed discreetly to the Press beforehand.For a successful claim there was an award of 10s.
Since February of this year money has been raised in Burton Latimer for the occasion by whist drives, concerts, arts and crafts exhibitions and factory contributions.
From £30 donated to the Town Forces Fund at that time the subscriptions amounted to £506.
The committee was formed under the leadership of Capt. F. T. Peck as general secretary.
Ladies of the committee assisted during the evening.

Photo caption: Our picture on the left shows Miss Randall, one of the guests at the big "Welcome Home" party for Burton Latimer ex-Service people at the Windmill Hall, Rushden. About 800 attended the celebration. On the right Coun. J R.Mackintosh, chairman of Burton Latimer (standing), officially welcomes all. On his left are Coun. R. Phillips, Mr. Dennis Long and Mr. Sid Giles, the latter two of whom replied on behalf of the guests.

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