Monday 2 August 2010

TODAY IS VE DAY! Well it was in Shepton Mallet


Today was VE day in Shepton mallet, Somerset! As mentioned in a recent post, the BBC have been filming in Shepton Mallet over the past few weeks and will be there filming until sometime in September. It is for a series about how High Street shops have changed over the decades. It will be on TV in the Autumn. I look forward to seeing it! Last week and today's filming was all about the 1940s, my favourite decade.

We arrived on the Market Square just after 10am where preparations were underway to recreate a street party on VE day.



Replica of a 1940s hardware shop








In the morning


Lunchtime and the street party is underway




This lady really looked the part, the make up and hair looked fabulous! Unfortunately the picture doesn't really do her justice. As there was a lot of filming going on, I couldn't get many close ups without getting in the way of the filming. After all, I didn't want someone to shout out "Excuse me can you get out of the way please!" ;-(






Some of the local children made the effort to dress like 1940s children to get in to the spirit of things. Miss P opted for leopard pattern leggings...not very vintage! She couldn't be persuaded to go for the 40s look...



The car parked in front of Niki's shop has been used in Foyle's war!




It was interesting to get a little glimpse of the past. Although, I know that the real VE day itself would have been something quite spectacular, emotionally charged, unique and impossible to recreate as it was then...As I took this picture above, I couldn't help but think of the mixture of emotions people must have felt on that day in 1945. They must have been relieved, happy but also sad for all those who would never come back and for those still fighting in the Far East.





Next week, Shepton Mallet will be going back to the 1950s.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

29 comments:

Lalabibaby @ Dreaming of The Simple Life said...

Lovely photos Isabelle ... I shall look forward to seeing that programme x

Riddlers cottage flowers said...

What a great thing to go and see. You pictures look great. Will look forward to watching that when in comes on tv.

VintageVicki said...

I am looking forward to the series appearing on tv - looks like the sort of thing I love. How lucky you've been to see it all happening :)

Dottie said...

What a fab post! Great to see all those pictures! I have a house (that I rent now) in Stoke St Michael, so know Shepton well x

Unknown said...

ooooooooooooh look at that!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE it!!! *SIGH*
Thanks for sharing this with us....can we come again next time??;)

Sweet greetings
Lynda

Marigold Jam said...

Fascinating - must try and get to SM next week for the 50s which I remember so well. Is it happening every day or just set days? Where can you find out about it?

Thanks for sharing.

Jane

It's me said...

Ooooo this is so nice........it happens only in England...hahahhaahhah!!......not in our village.....it is a shame.....but i like your pictures...thanks for share.......and the 50?? o no i was not born yet !! ...happy evening...hugs from me...

Ghislaine said...

That are so nice nostalgic fotos!

Ghislaine said...

That are so nice nostalgic fotos!

Ghislaine said...

That are so nice nostalgic fotos!

Karen Roderick said...

That looks brilliant! I'm going to keep a watch out for it on TV. Karen : )

Mary said...

How much fun is this? My father was in the war and for a time he was in England. Just in 2007 I finally got to see 2 weeks worth of England (not enough!).

I love history and I hope this program will be on American TV! Thanks so much for letting me experience a little of it through your blog.

Who Lives in a house like this? said...

Wow that looks amazing, I want to live there! the shops are beautiful ;-)

Vintage to Victorian said...

Glad you had such a jolly time on VE Day. Super photo of Foyle's car in front of Niki's shop. Michael Kitchen came into Dairy House a year or so ago. He's just the same in 'real life'!

And now they're moving on to the 1950s - definitely my era!

Sue x

Karen said...

I am really looking forward to this series especially the 1940 period. I have a lovely photo of my Mother at a party to celebrate VE Day with a long table with frilly white cloths set up in a neighbours garden. Foyles War was filmed mainly in Hastings which is the little town next to ours. I have a lovely little book full of photos of the filming. Karen x

Josephine Tale Peddler said...

What a fun and fantastic thing to witness. If only we could persuade our daughters to wear what we want life would be easier. I'm sure Daisy would have been the same (or wanted some glittery fairy t-shirt) xx

BusyLizzie said...

sooo jealous, I would have loved to have been there yesterday. The 40's really is one of my fave era's!

hens teeth said...

Oh I did enjoy your post Isabelle. x

Unknown said...

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Lisa said...

Now if they'd had Michael Kitchen there too that would just about have made it! He is just so lovely, those eyes!
Great pictures.
Have you got your rock and roll twirly skirt at the ready?
Lisa x

The Vintage Knitter said...

This is truly whetting my appetite for the programme. Thanks so much for posting your photos and giving us all a 'taster'. I only hope that we don't have to wait until 2011 to watch the series!

My Life of Domestic Bliss said...

Oh, to be there...... it all looks so wonderful! I loved the Foyle's War series and your post was great, with so much information! Loved it. Lisa

Niki Fretwell said...

Hi Isabelle,
So pleased that you got to go along to the VE day celebrations after all...It was great to read you lovely post and see all of your photos, as you know I wasn't able to be there. (Birthday celebrations were a lovely excuse not to be though.)
I love the photo of the car in front of my shop (just as well I was closed then! ;-)) - Hope you don't mind if I copy it.

This is sure to be a fabulous TV series and I'm sure they will hit the right note regarding the horror of the time, but also the community spirit that existed.

Enjoy the summer hols with Miss.P,
Niki x

maría cecilia said...

Hola Isabelle, how nice to be around that filming and have the possibility to experience going back to the 40s, this is so great!!!! Hope to see the series by cable t.v.
hugs,
maria cecilia

Victoria - Florence and Mary said...

How exciting was that!

My mum and dad love Foyles War I'll have to tell them about the car,

Victoria x

Val said...

Oh, I would have loved to have been there! I am a big BBC nerd....while, as much as one can be one in America, I suppose! They do create the best historical shows...do please post the title of this series when it airs, as I would like to see if I can perhaps get dvds of it here.

Hesta Nesta said...

Looks fantastic, I wish I could have been there. I thought it looked very much like a scene from Foyles war. I know it was a very sad era but I love anything to do with the war.
Jo xx

kirsty said...

It looks wonderful! Wish I could have seen it all x

Catherine said...

nice post Isabel, your glad to live there! Catherine