Trailer – On the Record: Victory in Europe Day (VE Day)

Audrey Parsons: We all had bonfires in the street. I mean, it melted the road, but we didn't care. We'd gone through enough melting of roads, and we brought the piano, which was really my grandfather's piano down the road to me, thought we were going to put it on the - My mother played the piano while I sang and danced. You know? It was great.

Chloe Lee: On Tuesday, May 8th, 1945, the Allies who had been fighting the Second World War formally accepted Germany’s unconditional surrender. May 8th became known as Victory in Europe Day, or VE Day and led to street parties like the one just described by Audrey Parsons.

I want to hear what that first VE Day was like, from the soldiers and medics who’d been at the frontline, to the folks at home who wanted peace — and for butter to be easily available again in British towns and cities.

I'm Chloe Lee, a record specialist at The National Archives. I also host our podcast On the Record at The National Archives, uncovering the past through stories of everyday people.

In our next episode, I want to learn about what documents and testimonies can tell us about what VE Day meant to people in Britain, and beyond.

Hit follow or subscribe to On the Record at The National Archives.