Help With This Photo Please

[horseshoes]

I have this photo of a scene from my home town in North Wales. I'm trying to make sense of what im looking at. Is it an Armistice Day anniversary? What date? What are the flags? One looks as though it COULD have the word REMEMBER.

http://i64.tinypic.com/2num8vk.jpg

I hope this link works!

[davegosling]

Looks very much like a VE Day street party. The tricolor in the front could be Ireland or Belgium, and I'm pretty sure I can spot the Norwegian flag in there amongst the Union flags.

[237SJ]

The clothing looks way too old style for it to be VE day

[Mamyalynne]

I thought Empire Day but as said some of the Flags don't suggest that.

Good shout from Dave.

[Prudie]

Agree with 237, those clothes look way before WW2. More like 20s or 30s surely?

[tonyav]

Could it be the celebrate a coronation, George the sixth maybe.

[Mamyalynne]

Yes, you're right.

[237SJ]

I would say that was the 1910s/20s

[DTCwordfan]

that's mikey, third from the right and in front.... nice to see you on, horseshoes.....all well? xx

[Togo]

WW1 victory celebration Shoes? Which town in N.Wales may I ask? I have been living here since 1968

[DTCwordfan]

I went to the doc's - "I'm feeling as depressed as a North Wales coastal town in winter."

The doc looked at me and said, "You're ill."

[Togo]

You know what when I blow up the picture I see Bethesda, Rachub, or Ysbytty Ifan all over it.

[horseshoes]

It's a street which now only exists in part. It's called Kyffin Square and it's in Bangor.

DTC yes thanks, all well here; and you?

[horseshoes]

Don't you think that the three ladies standing together seem to be in uniform? WRVS perhaps?

[DTCwordfan]

things fine here, just getting over a 'Royal Visit' from my sister, an hour permitted yesterday that pixie said only occurred because of the extra hour with the time change to GMT. Nice (1/2) day today though...

[Togo]

Know it well Horseshoes. One side is now just a car park. :(( I worked in Bangor for 5 or 6 years, and loved every minute, in the late 70s early 80s. The place has been sadly let down over the years, and I no longer visit because it upsets me to see what was once a brilliant high street so devoid of what made it a great place to be. Such a shame.

[Buenchico]

Here's my twopennyworth:

As has been said, the clothing (and, indeed, the quality of the photographic process) suggests the WW1 period, rather than WW2.

The absence of men of war service age in the photograph suggests that the photo might show celebrations to mark the end of WW1.

I'm surprised that Dave sees the tricolour as either Belgian or Irish, as the central band appears to be white (rather than yellow), thus ruling out the Belgian flag, and the contrast ratios of the outer two bands seem to be inconsistent with the green and orange of the Irish flag (which would look very similar in monochrome). My guess is that it's the French tricolour.

Identifying the flags might not help much anyway. It's quite likely that somebody just grabbed all of the flags and bunting that they could lay their hands on and flew the lot, possibly without even knowing which nations were represented by them.

Even so, the absence of both the flags of St David and of Wales does seem to be a little odd.

While it's possible that the 'RE' flags make up part of 'remember' (as Horseshoes has suggested), or even possibly 'rejoice', I feel that it's more likely that the letters 'R E' are simply the initials of a local or national organisation which was helping people through the war. (The name of such an organisation might well be in Welsh, of course).

[Togo]

I wasn't far away with Bethesda though Horseshoes. Same people.

[Togo]

//Even so, the absence of both the flags of St David and of Wales does seem to be a little odd. //

Back then both flags were "frowned upon" by the authorities. Indeed the teaching and speaking off the Welsh language was discouraged and in some areas banned in schools. I am an English Man by the way, and make no claim to Welsh heritage whilst on the Bank. Others may do so.

[horseshoes]

Thanks Chris for your comments. I absolutely love trying to solve these photographic mysteries, but sometimes need help.

Togo, yes, Bangor is indeed a shadow of its glory years! Of course we are "ruled" from Caernarfon, so whatever our Council decide, it's invariably overruled by them:-( Far, far too many HMOs have been approved, so sadly the old communities are now completely occupied by students lets, not helped by the landlords never taking down the To Let signs making it look as if half the city is To Let!