People dressed up for the Peace Day celebrations, July 1919

Photograph, World War One, Peace (1918-1921), 1919.

The Peace Day celebrations of 19 July 1919 saw parades and parties held across Britain. While many people enjoyed themselves, others found the celebrations jarring and inappropriate when so many people had suffered bereavement during the war. Picking up on this atmosphere, one newspaper asked, 'how will the mothers who have lost their boys spend the day while the joy bells are ringing, and the people are making merry?' Its answer was 'only the heartless can want a peace day'.

From an album compiled by Trooper James, James Eckersley.