VJ Days

An air raid could come at any moment and Derby had to be ready to deal with the casualties. The people of Littleover were so well prepapred they filmed one of their exercises.

Whether it’s the height of the war or its aftermath makes no difference to these children enjoying themselves: at the seaside, on V E Day and around the bomb sites of Sheffield.

A great example of ‘despite war, life continues’, Welwyn Garden City residents continue with annual traditions, festive occasions and celebrations, during wartime.

An American G.I. learns how to brew a proper English cuppa in this jolly wartime ad for Maypole tea.

"A bomb's cut the gas off. Where can we get a meal?" Look no further than the Friends Relief Service.

Life in Broadwater seems unaffected by the war in this film - especially when friends and relations drop by - though a closer look reveals that all is not quite what it seems.

The garden of Ivy Cottage, filmed in Kodachrome for the vibrancy of summer blooms, and sombre black-and-white for the winter, snowy scenes.

A Bedfordshire village takes part in a national wartime fundraising effort; captured in full colour by amateur filmmaker and Aspley Guise resident A.R. Sinfield.

Capital scenes thanks to Victorian filmmakers

Members of Queen Victoria's extended family being natural for the cameras

Victorian pooches at play

A brisk drill on a cold winter's day