Exactly 70 years ago, crowds lined the streets of Kingston to celebrate victory in Europe – and then proceeded to mill about aimlessly.

Though the streets were decorated to mark the Allies’ triumph over Nazi Germany, there were no official events planned.

As the Surrey Comet reported the following day: “Thunder – lightning – storm – then one of the brightest of English spring mornings, all the fresher to the eye and the senses for the climatic upheaval of the night before.

“Thus was Victory in Europe presaged, thus did it break in Kingston and district. It was symbolic.

“But for hundreds in Kingston and other towns locally the day, apart from being a holiday, was a flop.

“There were no official ceremonies to focus the enthusiasm of the large crowds, which gathered first in front of the municipal offices.

“They were left flat, disappointed, and all that remained for them was to wander about the streets.

“Deprived of any opportunity to celebrate as they wished to, thousands invaded the stations and flocked to London, there, with tens of thousands of others, to let loose their pent-up feelings.”

However, the Comet was quick to note, the “little streets” did well with tea parties and Churchill’s victory speech piped over loudspeakers.

In Sycamore Grove, New Malden, some 100 children enjoyed cakes baked by neighbours in celebration.

Julie Middleditch, who lived in Cardinal Avenue, Kingston, said: “I remember the street party, with a big line of trestle tables out in the street. We had jellies and blancmange, fish paste sandwiches and jam tarts.

“There was a fancy dress competition and I won second prize as Miss America.”

Douglas Reynolds, also of Kingston, was on active service with the RAF near Burma on VE Day.

He said: “As you can well imagine, we thought it would be a very good occasion to have a drink, but we had no alcoholic drinks in the squadron.

“We used to fly all over the place, so it was quite easy for the officers to take a plane and disappear and come back again, and they brought back drinks so we could celebrate.”

Disabled war veterans at the Royal Star and Garter home in Richmond toasted King George VI and Queen consort Elizabeth before sitting down to a celebratory lunch of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding.

There were mixed emotions – victory had been declared, but the residents had lost much.

Surrey Comet:

Picture courtesy of the Royal Star and Garter

The Richmond home was decked out in bunting and flags, and a toast was raised to King George, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary to mark their “sterling services rendered during the great struggle”.

The victory celebrations are the subject of VE Day Remembered, a free audio-visual installation at the Rose Theatre, open until Saturday, May 23.

Visitors to the exhibition, compiled by multimedia production company Digital Drama, can step inside an Anderson shelter to hear the memories of Kingston residents.

Surrey Comet:

Christian and Josh, 10, and Margerita, 11, inside the new exhibit

Pupils from Milbourne Lodge school in Esher were among the first to get a glimpse of the new exhibit.

After stepping inside the Anderson shelter, decorated with photos from the era, they watched a performance of the Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.

Head of English Sara Ashford said her pupils were “very moved” by the tale of a child who befriends a boy through the fence of a concentration camp.

She added: “Because the children playing those parts were probably about our children’s age, that was really effective.”