VE Day Glasgow: 'It was the end of fear, and everyone danced'

Glasgow Times

09-05-2025

On VE Day, May 8, 1945, she remembers the celebrations, and the sense of relief that flooded the homes and streets of her native Maryhill.
'I lived with my father, my aunt and my grandfather, and I remember them celebrating, and the street parties,' she says, smiling.
'To be honest, I don't think I really quite understood how important it was, but there was such relief, everywhere.'
The Hawthorn House party in full swing (Image: Gordon Terris/Newsquest)
Cathy, now 90, lives in Hawthorn House care home in Possilpark.
To mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, staff threw a party for the residents, complete with bunting, spam fritters and Elvis Presley.
Elvis, (acclaimed impersonator Shaun Hamilton), was a hit, shimmying his way around the gardens, dancing with the ladies, shaking hands with the men and even planting a kiss on the cheek of guest of honour the Lord Provost, Jacqueline McLaren.
Elvis (Shaun Hamilton) serenading Lord Provost Jacqueline McLaren (Image: Gordon Terris/Newsquest)
'Many of the residents here will remember what it was like to live during a war,' said the Lord Provost.
'It's important to hear their stories on a day like today. There is a great community feel to today's event, it's fantastic. It's a privilege to share it all with them.'
(Image: Gordon Terris/Newsquest)
In the bright May sunshine, sitting beside her daughter Val, Cathy recalled the events of 80 years ago and the mixed emotions felt by families across the city.
'There were parties to celebrate at school,' she says. 'It was a big relief, because our fathers were coming home.'
She pauses. 'Of course, some of the children at school, their fathers were never coming home,' she adds, sadly. 'So there were tears, too.
'But we got through it. There were good times too, and we got through it.'
George and Lesley O'Farrell (Image: Gordon Terris/Newsquest)
George O'Farrell, 70, grew up in Carntyne and remembers his parents talking about blackouts, ration books and the parties on VE Day.
'We have a display here that shows you all the old things I remember from my childhood – OXO cubes, the Singer sewing machine, the washboard,' says George.
(Image: Gordon Terris/Newsquest)
George's wife Lesley says the family is proud to celebrate VE Day, as they have strong military connections.
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'My gran, Agnes Winning, was a military nurse,' she explains. 'And our son, Dean, has just completed 12 years' service with the RAF.'
Members of the 105th Division Royal Artillery with residents and Lord Provost Jacqueline McLaren (Image: Gordon Terris/Newsquest)
Lance Corporal Andy Dominick and colleagues from 105th Division Royal Artillery based at Crow Road, spent time talking to residents and staff.
'A lot of residents have family who served in the military so we're keeping that connection alive,' explained Lance Corporal Dominick, who is from Greenock.
'I'm only 23, so VE Day feels very distant for me but many of the residents were there, at the parties, feeling the relief at the end of the war. I's great to be able to listen to their experiences.'
(Image: Gordon Terris/Newsquest)
Hawthorn House's operations manager Janet McLellan is delighted to show off the special VE Day cake, beautifully decorated by the staff with fresh raspberries and blueberries.
'It's a fantastic day, and you can see how much the residents are enjoying it,' she beams. 'We have eight units here, so this is a lovely chance for everyone to come together in the sunshine and remember, and celebrate.'
Betty and Jim Menmuir (Image: Gordon Terris/Newsquest)
Away from the hubbub, with the strains of Elvis's Can't Help Falling in Love with You in the air, Betty Menmuir is resting in her room.
She shows us a beautiful black and white photo of her with her husband Jim in their younger days.
The couple were teenagers around the time of VE Day, 1945.
'I was 13 and I remember everyone was dancing and singing and kissing on the streets,' recalls Betty, smiling.
'There was so much relief – the end of blackouts, of people yelling 'put that light out', the end of air raids and fear.'
Betty, now 93 and living in Hawthorn House's Violet Unit, grew up in the Gallowgate area of the East End.
'My pals and I wanted to go to George Square and my mum wasn't too keen, but she let us eventually," she grins. "It was packed with people and soldiers – it was marvellous.
George Square on VE Day 1945 (Image: Gordon Terris/Newsquest)
'We'd shout to the Yankee soldiers, 'any gum?' and they would throw us some of their American chewing gum which was always better than anything we could get here.'
Betty laughs. 'I remember a firework shooting up above the crowd and we all looked up in awe – then quickly realised it was coming back down and we had to get out of the way,' she says with a smile.
'It hit my ankle and I still have the burn mark to this day. A VE Day souvenir.' She chuckles. 'I can't call it a war wound though, because the war was over….'