Oldham's party atmosphere on VE Day
Oldham celebrated VE Day with a lively event at Tommyfield Market, featuring vintage music performances by Abbi-Kaye Ellison, evoking memories of the post-war era. Attendees, including veterans and locals, shared emotional stories and reflected on the importance of remembering those who served and the impact of war.
Tommyfield Market erupted in wartime song yesterday as Oldham recreated the jubilation that swept Britain 80 years ago when Winston Churchill announced Victory in Europe.
Viva La Vintage vocalist Abbi-Kaye Ellison stood beneath the market canopy belting out Vera Lynn, Elvis and Beatles numbers, her voice carrying the same relief and elation heard on radios in 1945. Within minutes, shoppers became dancers; a handful climbed the small stage to sing “We’ll Meet Again” arm-in-arm.
“Music unlocks memories,” Ellison said between sets. “At 1940s weekends people show me medals and tell me stories their grandchildren have never heard. Today is no different.”
Susan and Mike Shaw bumped into old friend Les Mayrick beside a stall stacked with ration-book cupcakes. All three swayed to the brassy backing track. “This was my mother’s music,” Mike said, eyes shining. “She’s gone now, so hearing it where she once shopped is overwhelming. The market’s had tough times; a moment of joy here feels precious.”
Mayrick, born in 1944, remembers post-war rubble more than the conflict itself. “We played in bomb-sites and shelters,” he said. “Days like this make sure younger generations understand why those ruins existed.”
John Bruce, a former military police officer, stood to attention when the band struck up “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary”. “My father guarded factories instead of beaches, but he still served,” Bruce said. “I attend every VE and VJ Day because forgetting is the first step toward repeating.”
Linda Jankowski, 69, held a black-and-white photograph of her uncle, Parachute Regiment Private Thomas Jones, killed by a sniper in Athens on 12 December 1944. “He was 22,” she whispered. “I visited his grave 40 years ago. Today we celebrate peace, yet we carry those who never came home in our pockets.”
Councillor Ken Rustidge, a former Army major who served in Iraq, watched children wave homemade union flags. “Remembrance isn’t nostalgia; it’s a warning,” he said. “These songs remind us that ordinary people stopped extraordinary evil. The best way to honour them is to keep learning, and keep peace alive.”
Source: Read original article