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Mavis was ten at the time of VE Day. She lived in one of ten houses on Eleanor Street in Lincoln. Her Grandma lived at Number 1 – she was at Number 3.

Her memories of wartime Lincoln are of standing at the bottom of her street watching aircraft from RAF Waddington depart for their sorties.

Streets nearby were bombed in the war but she says through the eyes of a 10-year-old it was exciting.

One night when Lincoln was bombed she was with her family in the Theatre Royal. The production was stopped and they all had to leave. Mavis remembers seeing burning buildings and being oblivious to the seriousness of the situation.

When peace was declared her parents got together with others in the area to arrange a street party. Tables were put out in the middle of the road, jam sandwiches and cakes duly appeared. Everyone was wearing paper hats. Harry Duncombe played a piano and everyone sang along.

All the children went onto the South Common to run races and she remembers a fancy dress competition. She went as a penguin but recounts she didn’t win a prize.

It was a happy time, Mavis says, a feeling of relief the war was finally over. People smiled more.

Image: Fancy dress competition held in Lincoln - courtesy of Brenda Atkinson

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