Members who were not able to attend the Autumn Social at the London Welsh Centre on 21st October missed a very enjoyable afternoon.

Trading was brisk and dealers had brought along buttons for sale to appeal to all specialties and pockets – although I noticed the set priced at several thousand pounds remained unsold when we packed up.

The committee provided a display table which attracted a lot of interest and flyers for forthcoming auctions were available listing the lots for sale.

The talk “Puttin’ on the Blitz” by Patricia Godwin was very nearly a non-starter. Her new car containing her “props” was stolen during the morning. However, in the spirit of her subject, once the car was located by the police, she retrieved it and she was hardly late for our meeting. See attached photograph of her by Rex Butler, click on the image for a larger version.

Patricia illustrated her talk with newspaper and propaganda quotes from WW2, together with clothing worn at the time, gas masks in elegant cases for ladies, and hints on how to revamp lisle stockings.

A skipping rhyme used by girls in the thirties, read to us brought some smiles:

When the war is over, Hitler will be dead
He hopes to go to Heaven with a halo on his head
But the Lord says No! You’ll have to go below
There’s only room for Churchill, So cheery, cheery O.

Patricia directed her talk to collectors of military, uniform and fashion buttons and reported her difficulty in finding models for her collected garments since the wartime clothing is mostly of the “skinny” size.

Another amusing quote from a publication in January 1936 demonstrates that an interest in football has not diminished:

Unhappy was the lot of Elsie
She loved the Centre Half for Chelsea
But he, just as their love was plighted, was sold to Manchester United
He then transferred his heart as well, and now is courting Isobel.

Angela Clark