The 1945 issue of ‘Peeps of Princethorpe’, the school magazine of St Mary’s Priory, includes a wonderful account of VE Day by schoolgirl, Jane Cross. The day started with a sung Mass in the Chapel, accompanied by the organ; Jane notes that ‘Everyone was too excited to be able to realise that the war was truly over in Europe; there were flags hung all over the Schoolroom, St Benedict’s Square, and in the Refectory’.

The girls set to work to gather sticks for the evening’s bonfire and to continue decorating the Priory, finishing just in time before the heavy rain set in: ‘Flags appeared from most of the windows, bunting decorated the gates, and banners streamed from all sorts of unlikely places’.

After listening to the Prime Minister on the wireless, the girls enjoyed a game of hide-and-seek on the hockey field after tea, followed by some quiet time before listening to the King’s speech at 9pm. Then it was up the hill to gather round the huge bonfire – which was thankfully unaffected by the earlier rain – and sing ‘songs old and new [...] while all watched the indefatigable flames leaping ever upwards’.

Returning to the Refectory as the bonfire died down, ‘the excitement seemed to reach its highest pitch. Everyone imaginable was toasted, the noise was bedlamite, no cheers ever rang louder, at least not in the Refectory!’ When the girls retired to bed after their memorable day, Jane notes that many of them still lay awake at one minute past midnight, reflecting on the fact that this was the long-awaited moment that hostilities officially ceased. As noted elsewhere in the magazine, ‘Five and a half years of war, and Princethorpe has come thro’ unscathed. Deo Gratias!’

As well as Jane’s account of VE Day, you can find fascinating articles about the wartime experiences of St Mary’s Priory schoolgirls and alumnae in the 1945 issue of Peeps of Princethorpe. Visit our archive catalogue to explore the magazine: https://archives.princethorpe.co.uk/records/2/04/04/03/35 

Images:

Cover Image: St Mary’s Priory, c.1930s (archive ref SMP.24.2.5)

1-3. Excerpts from Peeps of Princethorpe 1945 (archive ref SMP.27.3.35) 

4. The girls’ refectory at St Mary’s Priory, c.1930s (archive ref SMP.24.2.28)