Anyone who has been on the 1940s scene for a good while will almost certainly agree with me that many, almost all in fact, have changed in recent times. And not necessarily for the better. I find that quite sad. Many of the big 1940s weekends that were so well attended in the past are seeing the number of both re-enactor and visitor numbers falling. Others, for example Leyburn 1940s, have gone altogether, citing so I’m told that the cost of staging an event is just too high. Some of the very biggest - Pickering and Woodhall Spa, to name but two – have now gone. At least to the extent of how they once were. In North Yorkshire, nearby Eden Camp have stepped in to host a full 1940s weekend in October; while there are moves in place already to resurrect a 1940s event at Woodhall Spa next year. A little more than just moves, I can now reveal, having been confirmed already for July 2025.
Another bone of contention, at least with some re-enactors (others seem less concerned, it should be said for balance), is that increasingly, some might say insidiously, events are straying into the 1950s. That includes both the music and the attire. Personally, I’m an advocate for strictly 1940s at events. Or at least as ‘strictly 1940s’ as practicality dictates. I’m all too aware that I use a radio microphone, for example. That’s because it suits my performance. It’s far better than a dusty old microphone that I might have sourced from the 1940s, which wouldn’t work anyway! Trust me, the cast of Les Miserables on the West End stage are all using over-the-ear radio mics, which I’m fairly certain didn’t exist at the time of the French Revolution!
So all this said, there is clearly a demand for a new 1940s weekend, one that has the scope to grow larger still, and fulfil the dual goal of accessibility and affordability. Step forward then AVRO. Preserving the legacy of Alliott Verdon-Roe, who founded his company AV Roe & Co, this Heritage Museum, located at the former Woodford Aerodrome, near Stockport, has everything needed to host an out-and-out 1940s event, not least of all its historic links with the Lancaster Bomber. It was to this location during the war that the parts manufactured not too far away in Chadderton were transported and assembled. That aircraft’s role in The Dambuster Raid is legendary. Other famous aircraft built here include the Vulcan, the Nimrod and the Avro Anson. Now with the only example of an all-white Vulcan dominating the view as you drive in to the site, the museum is a must-visit for anyone with even a passing interest in aviation history - and equally fascinating to the casual visitor, with its array of exhibits and displays. Outside the museum, there is plenty of land that enables AVRO to stage various events and welcome new visitors each year.
So the right time and very much the right location for AVRO to play host to its first-ever dedicated 1940s weekend. A welcome, some might say brave decision to take in the current climate – and one that deserves all the plaudits going. Having performed at various AVRO events in recent years, I was delighted to be part of the line-up of entertainment over the two days. Alongside the live music, and dance music provided on either side of the central museum, there were various military displays, a Spitfire, classic cars, dance tuition, a remembrance service, a fashion show, plus a number of demonstrations, including ‘plotting’ - something I’d like to have seen myself but, alas, never got the chance to in the end. The site was completed by a host of traders, from a hair stylist to those selling 1940s clothes.
So plenty to see and do for visitors, but would the 1940s re-enactors support this new event? The answer was, yes, they would. Not resoundingly so, no-one would ever reasonably expect that from a first-time event, but certainly in enough numbers to encourage a belief that the event could grow to become a fixture on the 1940s calendar. As so often this summer, and as it was when I was previously here, in July, the weather wasn’t kind. A blazing hot Friday when we were setting up gave way to a disappointingly dry but cloudy Saturday, with the rain on Sunday trying but failing to dampen spirits, although visitor numbers were adversely affected by the forecast. The curse for any outdoor event.
Certainly, the feedback appears to be generally positive. And most established events, of course, will have started in similar fashion and on an equal learning curve. So I say a big well done to AVRO and to all those individuals who helped bring the weekend to fruition. Was it a success? Again, I would say it was. Folk seemed happy to have attended and the general chat indicated that they had enjoyed the day and recognised the potential of the event. Will AVRO host another 1940s weekend next year? Well, I can’t say one way or another - but I sincerely hope they do. The 1940 scene, and the North of England in particular, is crying out for a flagship 1940s weekend. Why not now? Why not here at AVRO?
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