Trengwainton Garden’s “Hurrah for the Home Front” 1940s event 2014 in pictures

A few pictures to say thanks to the many re-enactors, visitors and National Trust staff and volunteers at Trengwainton Gardens whom I met during  their “spirit of the 1940s” event, an enjoyable and outing away from Newquay Zoo for our own Wartime Garden project display.

Myself pictured with trusty ‘weapon of war’ on the garden front outside our World War Zoo gardens exhibition tent. Image: WWZG

We had two exhibition areas staffed by myself and family and National Trust staff and volunteers, who helped us lug, load and put up the display (thanks to Marina, Abi, Gareth, Phil and many others). It was lovely to meet so many (of you) interesting people in a very busy but enjoyable 1940s day on Sunday 11 May 2014 at Trengwainton Gardens near Penzance, celebrating their wartime allotment project.

We spent a whole day chatting about recreating our own wartime garden as part of our research into how zoos and botanic gardens survived the shortages of the 1940s, partly through ‘Dig for Victory’ gardens to feed the animals. Many people asked about our First World War research into this area and also about its potential solutions for the future. We  spoke to teachers about our schools workshops, handed out lots of free wartime recipe sheets to visitors and listened (over plentiful cups of tea) to many interesting wartime family stories. All to a great 1940s sound track.

A few of our travelling display items, WWZG project, Trengwainton May 2014. Image: WWZG

More vintage gardening kit and our Gnome Guard mascot at Trengwainton 2014. Image – WWZG

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of the many visitors in costume with vintage vehicles, Trengwainton 2014. Image – WWZG

Visitors and re-enactors turned up in period costume to join in with the event, which had 1940s music, vintage  vehicles and some great cakes too!

Colourful vintage costume, Trengwainton 2014 Image: WWZG

More period costume, Trengwainton 2014. Image: WWZG

Another fabulous vintage costume effort outside the recreated Anderson shelter, Trengwainton Gardens “dig for victory allotment”, Trengwainton 2014. Image – WWZG.

For an event like Trengwainton’s 1940s day celebrating the spirit and ingenuity of the austere but stylish 1940s, it was wonderful to see the ingenious and spirited costumes summoned up by re-enactors and visitors alike.

A nice cup of tea and a stylish sit down, listening to the 1940s singalong, complete with period picnic basket, Trengwainton, 2014. Image WWZG

More stylish visitors to Trengwainton’s 1940s day, 2014. Image WWZG

Trengwainton’s 1940s singalong and lively dancing by re-enactors. Or is it unarmed combat training? Image – WWZG

In our wartime garden display tent, we heard many stories from visitors who were evacuated as children to the local area which we wish we could have recorded many of them. Not all the stories were happy ones, some were moved several times, others made friendships of a lifetime with their host families.

A happy evacuee! Trengwainton 1940s day, 2014.

Along with costumed visitors and gardens staff, there were many re-enactors from the WW2  Re-enactment SouthWest group representing the British and American troops, Home Guard and Land Army girls who would have been at Trengwainton or stationed in the area.

‘Event security’ – American GI Military Police (MP) style, Trengwainton 1940s day, 2014. Not the only re-enactor animal, there were re-enactor chickens too! Image -WWZG.

 

Not your usual National Trust gardener’s uniform – Gareth (left) who is researching Trengwainton’s wartime past and his family links to the local Home Guard, as well as running their wartime allotment. Image – WWZG.

Home Guard re-enactor, Trengwainton 2014. Image – WWZG

Drilling some young visitors in Home Guard drill, Trengwainton, 2014. Image – WWZG.

Many of the re-enactors had pitched camp the night before and put together evocative collections of artefacts, from motorbikes to simple camp stoves and even a mini farm yard! Hopefully they were all awakened by bugle call!

Re-enactor’s wake up call! Trengwainton, 2014. Image – WWZG

 

Trengwainton, 2014. Image – WWZG.

Trengwainton, 2014. Image – WWZG.

Trengwainton, 2014. Image – WWZG.

A few famous Home Guard names on the patrol list board! Trengwainton, 2014. Image- WWZG.

Ladies in Khaki, Trengwainton, 2014.
Image – WWZG.

Trengwainton, 2014.
Image – WWZG.

Re-enactors with a much admired vintage motor bike, Trengwainton, 2014.
Image – WWZG.

Warden’s tent, Trengwainton, 2014.
Image – WWZG.

Trengwainton, 2014.
Image – WWZG.

Trengwainton, 2014. Image – WWZG.

Smoky and atmospheric Trengwainton, 2014.
Image – WWZG.

Smoky and atmospheric Trengwainton, 2014.
Image – WWZG

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A chat with the Warden. One in every six wardens was a woman. Trengwainton 2014. Image – WWZG.

A knit and natter and vintage crafts in costume, Trengwainton 2014. Image – WWZG.

Visitors, vintage crafts and costumes, National Trust Trengwainton 2014. Image – WWZG.

 

Chatting with visitors outside our wartime garden tent exhibition, Trengwainton 2014. Image – WWZG.

Vintage vehicles and costumes on the drive at Trengwainton, 2014. Image – WWZG.

 

Trengwainton, 2014. Image- WWZG.

Many of the re-enactors I spoke to were very busy with the forthcoming 70th anniversary commemorations of D -Day not only here in the South West but also in Normandy, paying tribute in their own way, sharing their interest with the next generation and showing that these remarkable and troubling times are not forgotten.

Time for a cup of tea and a chat, outside our wartime garden exhibition. Trengwainton 2014. Image – WWZG.

Part of Newquay Zoo’s World War Zoo Gardens schools wartime zoo workshop materials – helmets and uniforms – to try on, Trengwainton 2014. Image WWZG

Following up our previous blog post, it was lovely to see the Wartime Garden project at Trengwainton full of visitors and growing away well. This was our connection to the day, a similar wartime garden recreation at Newquay Zoo, born around the same time in 2009 and with some shared research into crop varieties and period features. There’s also one at Occombe Farm in Devon!

The Trengwainton wartime garden Potting Shed open for display, 2014. Image – WWZG.

Everyday 1940s items in the Trengwainton wartime garden Anderson shelter open for display, 2014. Image – WWZG.

It was the many chats with visitors that made the day a special event. Land Girls back in the wartime garden, Trengwainton, 2014. Image – WWZG.

Land Girls back in the wartime garden at Trengwainton, 2014. Image – WWZG.

Trengwainton Garden Dig for Victory allotment, May 2014. Image – WWZG.

Thanks to Claire for the  pictures and thanks to all the people who took part, chatted to us and shared their stories  and had their photos taken.  If you don’t like your photo, please contact me via the comments and I can remove it. Hopefully this selection of photos  gives you a feel of the event in 2014. If you’re not featured, sadly not all of the pictures came out. We look forward to next year (or whenever we next meet!)

Sadly after a day of 1940s singalong when I got home and unpacked our display materails, it was to find that David Lowe from BBC Radio Devon – almost the sound track of our wartime garden for many years – is now off air on Sunday evenings. We will not be alone across many generations  in missing his programme greatly.

Mark Norris, WWZG World War Zoo Gardens project, Newquay Zoo, Cornwall.

Tags: 1940s, dig for victory garden, National Trust, Newquay Zoo, Trengwainton, world war 2, WW2, WW2 re-enactment