This week has marked the 80th anniversary of VE Day, the end of the Second World War in Europe. During the war Sunny Bank Mills produced khaki cloth for the army, grey cloth for the air force, as well as being able to make other cloth for their customers. By 1945, they were also making brown, navy and grey cloth to be made into demob suits for men returning from the forces.
Sadly we do not have any evidence in the collection to tell us about what happened on the 8th May 1945 here at Sunny Bank Mills. Whether the workers were given the day off or decorated the different areas of the Mills, as they had done for the Coronation.
But we do know that Sunny Bank Mills played a small part in the victory celebrations; the wicker skeps and skips were excellent for helping the celebratory bonfires!
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General Museum & Archive Arts & Culture