Westerham in May 1945 was a very different town. On Bank Holiday Monday 5th May 2025 and through the rest of that week, we use stories from local people and look at national archives that remember events in Westerham and at Chartwell. ‘VE80’ is officially on Thursday 8th, but Westerham is marking the anniversary on the same day we traditionally hold our annual “Beating the Bounds” and May Fair.
Food: the Scouts BBQ, Pizza from Ridwan Kohl and all the usual outlets around town
As part of wartime Living History, Tudor Rose will be serving food that was typical of
a British Restaurant in 1940s
Click links below to see details of the day…
The Oxted Brass Band
The Boogie Woogie Gals
Punch and Judy
Maypole Dancing
Blackout Buddies – Dad’s Army
Sir Winston Churchill
Military Vehicles
Wartime films and Anderson Shelter (John Frith Room)
Anderson Shelter
Town Crier
Westerham Bellringers (Firing the Bells at 5pm)
Commemorative Booklet
Chartwell Events
Beating of the Bounds
Unless you start out very early (and have lots of stamina) you might not be able to do everything. If the sun is shining, why not follow the Beating of the Bounds trail on the Saturday or the Sunday?
Thanks to all our sponsors, including
Westerham Town Council, Sevenoaks Arts Council, Sevenoaks District Council,
Westerham Society, BIggin Hill Airport
How has the world changes since 1945? Build your own timeline…
1945 End of the Second World War
1946 Schoolchildren to receive free mlk – until 1968, when it was abolished in secondary schools
1948 First Supermarket opened by CO-OP in Manor Park, E12
1953 Coronation Queen Elizabeth II. First James Bond book Casino Royale
1962 Beatles release single Love Me Do
1966 First credit card launched by Barclays
1971 Decimal Currency replaces £sd
1981 IBM launch the first PC with MS-DOS operating system. Windows didn’t appear until 1985.
1985 First mobile phone in Britain
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2025 President Trump signs countless Executive Orders.