A priest stands in the roofless shell of St. George’s Roman Catholic Cathedral, on the corner of St. George’s Road and Lambeth Road in Southwark, South East London. The Cathedral was severely damaged by an incendiary bomb attack in 1942.
A slightly less well-known variation on the famous “Keep Calm and Carry On” posters of the London Blitz.
Air Raid Warden poster, ca. 1939-1941.
Londoners wearing government issued gas masks. As far as I have been able to gather, there were no major gas attacks on London during the Blitz, but the fear and paranoia about gas, especially in a post-WWI world, was very real and prevalent. It seems that after the Blitz, though, people bothered less and less with masks.
A milkman making his deliveries after the Blitz, London 1940.
Windmill Theater - “We Never Closed!”
“The Windmill Theatre, later The Windmill International, was a variety and revue theatre in Great Windmill Street, London. The theatre was famous for its nude tableaux vivants. Many prominent British comedians and comedy acts of the ’50s and ’60s started their careers working at this theatre.
The theatre’s famous motto ‘We Never Closed’ (often humorously modified to ‘We Never Clothed’) was a reference to the fact that the theatre was never closed, apart from the compulsory closure that affected all theatres for 12 days (September 4–16) in 1939. The Windmill remained open throughout the Second World War, entertaining Londoners right through The Blitz. The showgirls, cast members and crew moved into the safety of the theatre’s two underground floors during some of the worst air attacks of the Blitz, from September 7, 1940 to May 11, 1941.
Many of the Windmill’s patrons were families and troops as well as celebrities who came as Henderson’s guests. These high society guests included Princesses Helena Victoria and Marie Louise (the daughter and granddaughter of Queen Victoria). For a time , on the opening night of every new Windmill show, the Royal Box was always reserved for the Hon.George Lansbury, a member of His Majestys Government.
The theatre ran into the occasional problem with male patrons, but theatre security guards were always on the lookout for improper behaviour. One of the more comical off-stage acts was the spectacle of the ‘Windmill Steeplechase’ where, at the end of a show, patrons from the back rows would make a dash over the top of the seats to grab the front rows.” (Source.)
In short, burlesque don’t stop for no bloody blitzkrieg!
