US mini logoHome | A-Z Index | People | Reference | Contact us
Special Collections : Library
special collections home | access | services | the collections | library home

Mass-Observation Archive: Topic Collections

Please go to the new Special Collections Website at The Keep

This page is no longer updated. Please visit our new pages at The Keep: http://www.thekeep.info/.

These pages may contain out of date information. Links to these pages may no longer work in the future.

VICTORY CELEBRATIONS AND PARADES : 1945-46

TC 49: 2 boxes

BOX 1 : VICTORY IN EUROPE DAY (VE DAY) 8 MAY 1945 AND VICTORY IN JAPAN DAY (VJ DAY) 15 AUGUST 1945

49/1/A: Before VE Day : reactions to the end of the war

Typed report on Victory in Europe : "An investigation into people's behaviour and attitudes during the weeks immediately preceding and following the final announcement of peace in Europe". London (MO) 10.6.45

Death of Hitler : Indirects, overheard, handwritten report and survey (CG, GST, JR), London, April-May 1945

Reactions to peace rumours : Observations, indirects and overheards, London (NA, LB, GST, LHC), April-May 1945

War with Russia : Indirects, London (GST, LHC), April-May 1945

War atrocities : Indirects, London (GST, LHC), April-May 1945

VE Day plans : 64 responses to special directive for VE Day a)"What do you expect to do the day peace is declared?" b) "What's going to be your main personal worry after the war?" London (CFO, LHC), April-May 1945. Indirects and overheards, Surrey, London (JR, LHC, GST), March-May 1945

Victory shortages : Typed observations of Victory shortages, London (GST) 5.5.45

Handwritten observations of queues, London (LHC, NA) May 1945

Overheard, London (LHC), 4.5.45

49/1/B: The day before VE Day

Observations, indirects and overheards in London, (NA, LHC, GST, LB, JF), 7-9.5.45 on reactions to news, preparations for celebrations and flag buying

Typed observation and interview with buyer of Selfridges Flag Department, London (LB), 9.4.45

49/1/C: VE Day and the day after, 8-9.5.45

Observations, overheard conversations, drawings and indirect interviews in London, (LB, NA, GST), on street atmosphere, crowd behaviour, street sellers, decorations of streets and shops

Ts account of Victory Day and Floral Day in Helston, 18.5.45. NM

Typed observations of the day after VE Day : Royal Procession, Churchill, 'hanging' of Hitler, London (LB, GST, NA), 9.5.45

Drawing and small hand drawn poster of 'hanging' of Hitler

49/1/D: VE Week, recorded by volunteer observers, May 1945

Handwritten reports from 32 students on crowd psychology on VE Day. Various areas. Sent in by volunteer

Handwritten bound diary of VE Week. Sent in by volunteer

Handwritten diary of VE Day. 8.5.45

Handwritten account of personal V-Day, sent in by volunteer. London, 27.3.46

49/1/E: Victory in Japan Day, 15 August 1945

14 handwritten responses to questionnaire on Japanese Surrender, London (GR), 13.8.45

Observations and indirect, London, Bognor (GR, LB, CG, JF, GST, MS), August 1945

2 handwritten reports on VJ Day. Sent in by volunteers, August 1945

Miscellaneous ephemera: Orders of Service for Victory and programmes, August 1945

BOX 2 : VICTORY DAY (V-DAY 8 JUNE 1946)

49/2/A: Attitudes towards planned Victory Day

45 typed and handwritten responses to special directive on plans for Victory Day asking whether people think Victory Day celebrations are a good idea and general plans for holidays. London (JMK, ML), April 1946

Indirects, London (LC, LB, GST, ML)

49/2/B: Victory Day 1946 : personal accounts

Typed and handwritten personal accounts of Victory Day, including parade, crowds, streetsellers, conversations and decorations. Sent in by volunteers in response to special directive. Various areas, June 1946

49/2/C: Victory Day 1946: observations and ephemera

Observations, indirects and overheards in London (MP, TT, GST, EG, MD, ML), June 1946, on Victory Day and the parade

Handwritten observation of Oxford Street shop decorations, pre-Victory Day, London

Souvenir programmes of Victory celebrations 8.6.46, bought from streetsellers in Trafalgar Square

49/2/D: Looking back on Victory Day

49 typed and handwritten responses to 7 point questionnaire on the Victory Day holiday and holidays in general. London (GST, MP, TT), June 1946

Tabulation of results of survey on holidays and Victory Day, 3.10.46

Indirects : VE Anniversary 1947, looking back on the years since peace (LB), 8.5.1947

Mass-Observation Studies 1937-55

Page maintained by: Library Web Team Disclaimer | Feedback