London 1958

SaxMan · Oct 3, 2018

I have been scanning in my father's color slides from his time in the Army while stationed in Europe. I thought everyone would like to see a sampling of some of his London slides.

Big Ben

PICT0729 by David Cohen, on Flickr

No. 10 Downing

PICT0731 by David Cohen, on Flickr

PICT0735 by David Cohen, on Flickr

This is no mere parade:

PICT0736 by David Cohen, on Flickr

Shutter speed a little too slow to get the Queen in focus:

PICT0738 by David Cohen, on Flickr

PICT0737 by David Cohen, on Flickr

SaxMan · Oct 3, 2018

More...

PICT0741 by David Cohen, on Flickr

PICT0744 by David Cohen, on Flickr

I found this photo to be quite poignant. Even though World War II ended 13 years previously, the scars were still evident:

PICT0746 by David Cohen, on Flickr

Boink · Oct 3, 2018

Very nice. Thanks!

Basil · Oct 3, 2018

Wow, some cool history there!

JPSmit · Oct 3, 2018

cool! thanks (that door with the 10 on it - was that his hotel?

)

NutmegCT · Oct 3, 2018

Even today, if you go to the main entrance of the V&A, you still see shrapnel holes on the stone face of the building.

DrEntropy · Oct 4, 2018

NutmegCT said:
Even today, if you go to the main entrance of the V&A, you still see shrapnel holes on the stone face of the building.

Likely left untouched as a reminder of the past.

DavidApp · Oct 4, 2018

Rationing was still in effect or had just been lifted when those photos were taken. We lived in southern Ireland at the time and my Mother would send parcels of stuff that was in short supply to her sisters in London. Seem to remember sugar was one item on her list. Eggs and butter did not ship too well.

We moved back to London in 1962 and I remember seeing bombed out buildings still boarded up when we went to the City.

Thanks for posting the photos.

David

waltesefalcon · Oct 4, 2018

Very cool photos.

Bayless · Oct 4, 2018

Nice short history lesson. Thanks.

Gliderman8 · Oct 4, 2018

The pic of your dad in front of #10 Downing Street made me smile... I happen to have a framed photo hanging in my house of my two kids when they were 5 and 7 years old. It was taken in front of #10 as well EXCEPT I never knew they took it until we got home and had the pics developed. We were standing in front of the Palace behind a gate when a gentleman from the other side of the gate asked if he "could take the children to see #10 Downing St.".
He instructed the guard to open the gate and off he went with my kids. It was quite a surprise to see the pics when we got home.

Roger · Oct 4, 2018

DavidApp said:
Rationing was still in effect or had just been lifted when those photos were taken. We lived in southern Ireland at the time and my Mother would send parcels of stuff that was in short supply to her sisters in London. Seem to remember sugar was one item on her list. Eggs and butter did not ship too well.

We moved back to London in 1962 and I remember seeing bombed out buildings still boarded up when we went to the City.

Thanks for posting the photos.

David

Dear me, London does look a bit tired and battered compared with today! I left school in 1958 and see these photos with a good deal of nostalgia.
Rationing ended finally in 1954. I remember sweet rationing ending in 1953 and we kids were overjoyed, tearing up our coupons and laughing in the streets.

PAUL161 · Oct 4, 2018

My dad was merchant marine and made 3 trips across the Atlantic, one to Naples Italy and 2 to England delivering needed supplies. Somehow his ship dodged the Uboats thank goodness, he said the Britts were grateful for the needed supplies as many ships didn't make the complete trip. The damage was massive. Went to Italy just after the Germans were pushed back and through a well mined harbor, with more supplies. He said it was heart warming to see the smiles on the peoples faces, probably the first for a very long time. Other than one sister ship he saw torpedoed, he only talked about the good things, nothing about what else he saw. He said he was amazed just how tough those Britts were! He said they might get knocked down, but when they get back up, get out of their way! :encouragement:

Personally, I think some war damaged areas should be left and protected for future generations to see and never forget what war can do, so many things are changed forever, never to return.

waltesefalcon · Oct 4, 2018

Paul, here is a photo of Conventry Cathedral and the Gedächtniskirche, in Berlin, both of which were left as ruins as a type of memorial.

NutmegCT · Oct 4, 2018

If you saw the recent film about Churchill (Darkest Hour), you remember the scene where his Cabinet was almost ready to make peace with Hitler.

Churchill went outside, and randomly asked Londoners what they'd do if the Germans carried out the invasion.

"We'd knock 'em down and push 'em into the Thames!" "We'd shoot 'em soon as we saw 'em!" "We'd spit in their faces and trip 'em at every step!" etc etc. He then rides the Tube.

Probably a scene of fiction, but it sure portrays the spirit of many British people at the time. Every time I see this scene, I get tears in my eyes.

"Westminster. That's my stop."

Boink · Oct 4, 2018

In some ways, I thought that was the weakest link of the film (and surely did not happen)... still, it was a way to capture the broader sentiment of the country.

Was fascinating to visit Chartwell a few yeas ago and see the den where he would stand write many of his speeches.

NutmegCT · Oct 4, 2018

Thanks Mark. I think that scene did a *great* job at capturing the country's prevailing spirit. Probably a tough thing to do in a film anyway.

Boink · Oct 4, 2018

Agreed.
Funny, when I think of this, I'm often reminded of how many in the royal family were more than happy to sympathize with Hitler.

For me, the best part of the film was captured in Churchill's emergence "from the woods." Many do not know how much he'd been ignored (after WWI) and thought to be an old kook (though the 20s and 30s). Life at the top. The people later tossed him out again (in the mid-50s).

P.S. - just thought of another thing I saw at Chartwell. In the basement of his old home, there is a small museum with many letters from his father (Duke of Marborough #?)… who clearly thought he'd amount to nothing!

DavidApp · Oct 4, 2018

Just a childhood memory. Sometimes hard to get the time frame accurate. I would have been 4 or 5 at the time. Strange the things that stick with you.

We had a village store where the owner would ask you to bring the string she had used to tie up your purchase back. She would then join the bit you brought back to her roll behind the counter. No plastic bags or paper bags back then everything was wrapped up in brown paper and tied with string.

David

Roger said:
Dear me, London does look a bit tired and battered compared with today! I left school in 1958 and see these photos with a good deal of nostalgia.
Rationing ended finally in 1954. I remember sweet rationing ending in 1953 and we kids were overjoyed, tearing up our coupons and laughing in the streets.

SaxMan · Oct 4, 2018

I believe this were in Stuttgart in 1957:

Local church was burned out and left that way:

PICT0311 by David Cohen, on Flickr

Other bombed out buildings:

PICT0309 by David Cohen, on Flickr

Being Stuttgart, the home of Porsche, it is pretty amazing to see how common the Porsche 356s were in their "home town". Here are two cabriolets in the picture, as well as a Beetle, which were everywhere.

PICT0301 by David Cohen, on Flickr

London 1958

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