fascinating new exhibition to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day shows how Trafford people celebrated the end of WWII – and how their local councils organised and oversaw day to day wartime matters.
The display at Trafford Local Studies, Waterside House, Sale, includes a collection of photos from Trafford Council’s archives showing parties and get-togethers, on and around the historic day.
Also on display, until the end of May, are Borough of Stretford and Borough of Sale documents including a large plan of Stretford detailing homes deemed suitable for the addition of air raid shelters, advice notes and invasion instructions for civilians.
Fundraising memorabilia from the Trafford area, highlighting community efforts to generate money for a variety of wartime initiatives, has also been selected from council archives.
Alongside such paperwork is an original air raid warden helmet, ration books and gas mask registers, as well as many photographs of local VE celebrations.
