This is how Doncaster residents celebrated VE Day on Welbeck Street, Doncaster, in 1945

The war was over. No more sirens. No more bombing or blackouts. Everybody rejoicing, soldiers, sailors and airman returning home to wives and sweethearts.

Relief was everywhere, especially to we children.

Mr and Mrs Ernest Cliffe and John, of the well known Doncaster gents outfitters, lived at 14 Welbeck Road. My parents Mr and Mrs Skinner and myself, lived at number four. On VE Day Mrs Cliffe came to the door, very excited, to ask my parents if they would like to join in and help with a big street party. They said yes, and everybody in the street joined in.

Men carried chairs and tables from their houses into Carpenter’s Garage, to the rear of 1a Welbeck Road, which housed furniture vans and stored goods. Table cloths began to arrive with an army of lady helpers and despite rationing, tins of salmon, blue bags of sugar, Typhoo tea, tins of fruit, carnation milk, homemade cakes, jellies, and trifles, soon started to appear.

Many had been stored away for months. Mrs Marriott who owned the corner shop arrived with butter, tinned ham, pilchards, chocolate bars, biscuits and bread. Within a short time it became a feast. The children’s eyes began to sparkle. Terry Roelich brought his home made Punch and Judy which he operated with extreme precision, much to everyone’s enjoyment.

Mrs Cliffe brought out an old pair of plimsolls and she and my dad organised street races and games. There was singing and dancing in the streets and the great feeling of comradeship which had existed throughout the war, was more evident than ever. All the children had the feeling that now they would have a future to look forward to.

There were street parties like this all over Doncaster, and all over the country. People did not have to bother getting permission from the council to close off streets in those days, they just arranged things between each other. Very few people owned cars, there had been petrol rationing throughout the war so a car was a great luxury and only came out on Sunday outings anyway.