Looking Back in Pictures


Mrs Hudd’s picture of Cheddar Fancy Dress Parade in 1945. Pic: from the Hudd collection

This short piece was written by Harry Mottram in 2013

They stand in a line in the afternoon sun of Tuesday 8 May 1945 – VE Day. Or was it? Shirley Hudd of Cheddar has sent in this photograph of herself dressed as a nurse in a fancy dress parade held in Cheddar in the grounds of what was to become Kings of Wessex Academy.

In the distance are the Mendip Hills and the chimneys of the village houses. The bank is the railway embankment of the Strawberry Line complete with arched bridge. Now Shirley is fairly sure the photo was taken around the time of VE day but it may have been the anniversary of the celebration a year or so later. Any ideas? Do you recognise anyone in the photo?

Email harryfmottram@gmail.com with your memories of the time.